Welcoming a New Hire

Once the deeply involved interview process is complete and a candidate accepts a job offer, it’s time to begin onboarding.

It’s critical not to rush this process or approach it haphazardly, as it truly sets the tone of a new hire’s experience and can deeply impact their longevity with a company. In fact, the Society for Human Resources Management reports that close to 70% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for at least three years if they experienced great onboarding.  

So the question is: How can we welcome a new hire in the most inclusive and efficient way? A good onboarding plan will successfully integrate a new employee into the team. 

Whether someone is starting a new job virtually or in person, there are plenty of things you and your team can do to make your new hire feel welcome and prepared. 

Put together a welcome kit to mail to them in advance.

Thoughtful and warm communication with a new hire prior to their start date is a great first step. A welcome kit can include company-branded swag, business cards, welcome notes from their manager or team or healthy snacks. Some companies provide gift cards/stipends for home-office supplies too, and that is something you can include in the care package. This is an effective way to begin to show a new hire your company’s culture, and it conveys the organization’s excitement to be working with them. 

Provide a breakdown of the members of the team and their responsibilities.

It is vital for them to know where they fall in the matrix of the company and within their team. If there is an organizational chart available, then provide this to review in advance, so they can focus on team dynamics during week one. 

Make sure that they receive all necessary onboarding materials.

In addition to an org chart, it will be helpful to have details around common processes, client accounts and team responsibilities. Also give the new hire the information they need around company policies, benefits and perks, holiday schedules and technology access. If there are employee manuals, training and reference documents available, then share those with new hires too.  

Schedule trainings to set them up for success.

Coordinate with other teams because training can include orientation with your IT team, reviews of policy and etiquette with HR, and even skills-based trainings with experienced team members on commonly used software. Try to make all training engaging and interactive. 

Announce the new hire.

An internal announcement when someone new joins the company is a simple way to make someone feel welcome. This should include their name, role, a short bio and a photo. You can also include their preferred pronouns and the phonetic pronunciation of their name to be even more inclusive. Ask if there is something they’d like everyone to know or if they have a fun fact to share. 

Allow them the opportunity to introduce themselves at the next team meeting, and encourage your team to get involved by reaching out to welcome the person directly. This is especially important when onboarding virtually, as the remote experience can feel a little disconnected. 

Find opportunities for meaningful connections with key team members.

Work relationships, and eventually friendships, are not as easy to develop organically when working virtually. Plan ahead for intro meetings between team members at all levels that will take place during the first couple of weeks. Plan an offsite team lunch outdoors if the weather and COVID guidelines allow for it, or meet for lunch as a group over video. 

Many of these suggestions are easy to implement, and they can make someone’s early days with your company feel warm, welcoming and memorable, no matter the size of your organization. 

Lastly, once your new hire is all set, ask for feedback on their onboarding process. The best way to improve is to go directly to the source.