With some simple yet effective tactics, you can make it easier for new employees to begin their roles at your business. This can help them fit in better and understand what is expected of them. Often, new staff can perform less without clearly defined goals and tasks. Here are some tips.
Develop a Friendly Onboarding Strategy
A trending method of welcoming employees to your business is onboarding. Onboarding can help ease the transition of your new staff into their defined roles, office, and team. You can use specific software designed for this, such as Onboard LMS, that provides a full digital solution to your onboarding requirements. Digital solutions work like a step-by-step guide for new employees that they can refer to as and when needed. For example, you could provide health and safety guidance, training materials, and updates to specific company policies.
Spread Out Official Paperwork
The first day on the job can be scary enough for a new worker. Paperwork should not be done on the first day of work, either. So, before their first day, ask HR to set up any paperwork that needs to be done so that it can be done electronically from home. You could also mail them the papers so they can fill them out before starting from the comfort of their own homes. If neither of these is possible, you could make a system for paperwork that spreads out any official documents over the first few days so they don’t get overwhelmed by too much early on.
Make It Easier for New Employees with Introductions
Your new employees need to know who is who. But sometimes, it’s hard to make a good first impression. But they are better than making new employees feel weird as they walk around the office. Make sure the new worker meets everyone they will be working with directly. Because of this, they might feel better about starting a new job. But they must also know who the important people are. For example, the new worker needs to know who the HR team is, who they report to, and any medically trained employees they need to tell if they get sick or hurt at work.
Arrange a Tour of the Site
Even the smallest offices can be hard to get around in if you haven’t been there before. So, offering a quick tour of anything bigger than a small office is a good idea. Make sure they know where the things they need are. So, show them where the bathrooms, restrooms, and other services they’ll need are. Also, don’t forget to give them IDs and access control badges if they need them for restricted areas. For instance, your new network and IT worker shouldn’t have to bother people to get into places like the server room so they can do maintenance.
Get to Know them a Little
Spending time with employees and getting to know them is the easiest and most effective way to get them interested in their work. You can get to know your employees better by learning about their families, communities, and personal goals. Make time during the day to meet people, learn about their families, and find out what they like to do. This is a simple and easy thing to do that might make your employees feel like you know them and care about them as people. When workers know they are valued, they work much harder and feel happier about coming in.
Make Your Employees Feel Valued
Feeling valued at work is one of the core aspects of employee retention. This goes a long way for your business because it reduces the costs of replacing an employee. Also, it will help you qualify for ERC.
And the great news is that making your employees feel valued is simple. Here are some examples:
- Ask for their input on issues and topics they are involved with.
- Reward your new (and existing) employees for reaching milestones or goals.
- Always praise your employees for a job well done or for putting in the extra effort.
- Be kind and explain if you ever have to refuse a request.
- Offer constructive criticism in areas where they are still developing their skills.
- Ask and make notes about their career aspirations for planning later on.
- Invite them to group activities such as hobbies and sports events.
For the most part, just including your employees in matters can make a huge difference to their workplace sense of self-worth. Remaining professional and polite, even when you need to deny something, also ensures your employee knows nothing is personal.
Explain What Your Business is Trying to Do
Your goals are the foundation of your business, and they often determine whether it does well or not. So, you should tell new employees about your goals to get them interested in how the business is doing. You can do this by letting them know about it, giving them a company manifesto, and telling them a little about the company’s history. You should also talk about ventures that worked and those that didn’t. Doing this means they work with other people to develop new ideas that help your business and themselves grow over time.
Ensure They Know their Immediate Team
Teamwork is essential for almost every business. So, you must ensure that your new hire is comfortable and knows how the team works. This is because employees feel their work has more meaning when they work together to make a strong team. Getting everyone in a business to work together toward a big goal can be very satisfying. This lets them share ideas so they can meet your company’s needs in the end. It makes your company feel more like a group effort, with everyone included. This earns more respect and builds more trust.
Benefits Will Make it Easier for New Employees
Even though a job isn’t just about the money, the pay and benefits that come with it are a big part of how engaged your new hire will be. About 80% of employees who can quickly get their benefits are loyal to their employers and happy to work for them. Most of the time, though, there is small print. So, ensure your new employee knows the full extent of their pay. This includes all of the benefits and perks that are given to employees. So, during the onboarding step, set aside some time to explain what’s available, such as travel passes or free parking.
Develop a Buddy and Mentoring Program
Almost anyone can feel lonely right away. The buddy system ensures new employees have a first-work friend and someone to show them around the office. They could also help them get started at work, connect them with other employees, and help them fit in socially. Mentors, on the other hand, offer ongoing help at work. A more formal mentoring relationship aims to help the person grow professionally. These initiatives have been shown to make employees happier, more productive, and more likely to stay with the company.
Offer Additional Training and Qualifications
When someone starts working for your company, they might not have a lot of qualifications. But studies show that most professionals want to keep learning and getting better at their jobs to advance in their careers. In this way, they can also help your business. You should support and encourage people who want to learn by giving them training. Employee loyalty will increase significantly if you offer to pay for any training they need. You can also provide advice and help with money for courses related to your business, which allows everyone at the end of the day.
Summary
You can help your company, yourself, and your staff if you make it easier for new employees to integrate within your business. You could fill a book on doing this. But some steps that work well are making an excellent onboarding strategy, making them feel valued, and offering extra training.