8 Tips for Successfully Onboarding New Employees

Hiring new employees is always an exciting time for a company. If these are new jobs being created then it’s a sign of growth, which speaks to the success of the company and is a very positive thing. Even if it’s just turnover as you look to fill open positions in the company, it’s still an exciting time as it sparks that fresh new start with new people and new ideas coming into the mix. With that said, you simply cannot expect new employees to show up for work on day one and be ready to go, perfectly comfortable and knowledgeable when it comes to their duties. In order to make the transition smooth, there are things you’ll need to do at your end including successfully onboarding new employees Here’s a look at eight tips you can use that will make onboarding new employees easier and smoother for all.

Make an Announcement About the New Hire

Once you have made a new hire, it’s important to let other employees, even if it’s just that department, about the new addition. You can introduce the new hire, explain what their role will be, and when they start. This will make things smoother for the new hire as well as existing employees since they will know to expect a new face.

Have a Workstation Set Up for the New Hire

Next, you will want to be sure there is a designated workstation or area for the new hire. The last thing you want to do is have them start and not have a single place for them to work. If it’s an office environment, you can have a desk area cleared for them, along with storage, so they can come in and get settled right away.

Create a Presentation Video

If you plan on hiring a lot of employees now and in the future, it could make sense to have an official welcome video created that can be shown to all new employees. It can introduce them to the business – what it is, what it does, and who it serves – as well as other basics. These kinds of videos can take a storytelling approach or a training approach; it’s really up to you.

As Buffalo 7, professional PowerPoint designers, explain, dynamic presentation videos can really help to get a message across extremely effectively. Because they are a specialist design agency, following their advice can help to ensure that your message is communicated in a way that is both engaging and effective.

Ensure You’ve Got a Training Manual for Them

A training manual is another must-have for onboarding new employees. This manual can go over all the specific details regarding common rules, practices, and guidelines that the company follows. There can be a separate HR manual to hand out that would discuss HR-related issues such as how holiday time works, any sort of company benefits plan, how and when they will be paid, and so forth.

Give Them a Tour of the Facility

You don’t have to have a massive operation in order to warrant a tour of the building/facility on the first day. Whether you show them around or someone else, you want them to feel comfortable in their surroundings and know where things are. This is also a great opportunity to introduce them to different departments as you tour the facility.

Make Them Feel Comfortable Asking Questions

Even if you’ve hired an individual with years of relevant training and experience, that doesn’t mean they won’t have questions. In fact, you should welcome questions, as it shows they want to learn and do a good job. Let the new hire know that questions are encouraged and who they can direct those questions to – for example, a department supervisor or manager.

Give Them the Tools They Need to Succeed

New employees also need access to the tools they must have to succeed. That may be as simple as a computer or a telephone; whatever their specific job entails in order for them to do it properly.

Expect a Learning Curve

Then there is the topic of expectations. Sure, you expect a lot from your employees, but remember there is always going to be a learning curve. There will always be that transition time wherein the new hire is learning the ropes and trying to figure things out. It’s important to be kind and encouraging during this time, offering them plenty of positive reinforcement and motivation.

When the hire does make a mistake, use it as a teachable moment so that they can gain something from the experience and likely not make that same mistake again.

Successfully On-Boarding New Employees Is a Win-Win for All

At the end of the day, figuring out about onboarding new employees successfully is truly a win-win. It creates a positive environment for the new employee who is then more willing to put in the hard work andreally commit to doing a great job.