518-373-4111
Congratulations! You’ve made it through the hiring process, extended the offer, and your new employee has accepted. Their start date is just around the corner, and those first few days will set the stage for their experience with your organization. A little onboarding preparation now will help with welcoming a new worker the right way and set them up for lasting success.
New Employee Onboarding: Before Day One
Onboarding begins immediately after the offer is accepted. Every interaction from this point on shapes your new employee’s perception of your organization.
Prepare their workspace. Ensure their work area is ready, whether that’s a desk with a computer and necessary supplies, a locker for their belongings, or a laptop and other required equipment shipped to a remote location. Get their logins set up or requested so there’s no delay when they show up on day one.
Plan their first days. Draft a schedule that balances the required but mundane onboarding tasks (such as completing the I-9 and other forms and reading the handbook) with the more engaging elements, like learning about your culture and meeting coworkers. Don’t let their first day be all paperwork or an onslaught of information!
Determine who your new employee should meet with (teammates, leaders, and key collaborators) and schedule time on their calendars accordingly. Aim for a mix of group meetings and individual 1:1s.
Some organizations also assign new employees an “orientation buddy,” ideally someone in a similar role, who can help them navigate their first few weeks and answer day-to-day questions. If you opt to do this, determine who that orientation buddy should be and ensure they have the bandwidth for it.
Confirm the final details. Check in with the employee to confirm their start date and time, let them know what they need to bring with them (including documentation for the I-9), and share the schedule of their first few days so they know what to expect.
New Employee Onboarding: Day One
Your new employee is probably excited, but may also be nervous. Be ready to greet them when they arrive. If the employee is on-site, walk them to their designated work area and inform them of or remind them about the next steps. A written schedule or checklist they can follow is likely to be appreciated.
Spend these first few hours on key topics like company policies, pay dates, company holidays, mission and values, and required legal or compliance information.
Once you’ve covered the basics, turn to your department and their role. Give the employee a tour of the space (physical and digital) and introduce them to their coworkers. Try not to overload them with information, but do provide enough structure so that they’re not left wondering what to do. Introduce them to their “orientation buddy” and start training if that’s part of your plan for the day.
Before the employee leaves for the day, check in with them. Answer any questions, explain end-of-day procedures, and walk them out if possible. These small gestures reinforce that you support them and are glad they’ve joined your organization.
New Employee Onboarding: After Day One
Welcoming an employee to the company doesn’t end after the first day. Throughout the first week, greet them at the beginning of the day and check in on them regularly. Ask other leaders and employees to stop by (or reach out) to introduce themselves.
Starting a new job is stressful for both the new employee and the manager. A little planning can ease that stress and make the transition smooth and positive for everyone.
Eliminate New Employee Onboarding Paperwork
Hiring new candidates can be tedious and inefficient. New hire paperwork can become overwhelming, and keeping track of a stack of documents is not ideal. Through GTM’s HCM platform, isolved®, this paperless onboarding module notifies the appropriate personnel in a timely manner and takes them through all of the necessary steps, tasks, and forms that are part of a proper company orientation. Our HCM onboarding system will streamline and allow any New Hire to enter information directly into the database, avoiding multiple data entry. Request a free consultation and demo to discover how this technology can help your business thrive.
