In your business, what takes place when a new employee comes on board?  The answer to this question will give insight into whether or not you can help new employees feel like a part of your team sooner rather than later.  It will also let you know how quickly and effectively you are helping new employees become as productive as they can be in their early days on the job. On the first day, many workplaces attend to forms, make a few introductions and then leave the new employee to figure out the rest on their own. However, with some planning, a well-constructed orientation can increase the chance that the new hire will be successful.

New hire orientation is a process that helps a new employee to successfully integrate into a new business, department and team. Orientation should not be over when the first day is over. In fact, that is when it is just beginning. When a new hire orientation is properly done, you will see the following:

• The new employee feels welcome and comfortable; the decision he or she made to join the company was validated
• A clear understanding of the employee’s accountabilities along with the relationship of their role to the other positions on the team is reinforced
• More information about the company’s values, vision and ways of operating are communicated
• Relationships that are relevant to the new employee’s position have been initiated in a positive and supportive way
• A smooth administrative experience enables the new employee to be up and running with the tools they need to do their job

The first day is a suitable time to cover the basics – complete necessary forms, workstation set up, tour of the facility and introductions to colleagues. In the first day or two, it is also an appropriate time to review important workplace policies and conduct required occupational health and safety training. It is important to include these pieces but don’t stop there. To realize the outcomes described above, check that your current orientation program is working for you by asking these questions:

• Is it customized for each new employee?
• Was adequate and timely information provided to the employee in advance of the first day?
• Did the manager take the lead in the process, particularly in the first day? Did the manager remain visible and accessible beyond the first day?
• Was a buddy or a mentor assigned to support and help answer questions about the informal ways of the workplace?
• Were introductions and meetings with people with whom the new employee must work, both inside and outside of the immediate team, part of the plan?
• Did the new employee have a clear understanding of what was expected of him/her in the first 90 days?
• Was the new employee able to easily find information when it was needed?
• Were formal checkpoints established and discussed with the new employee to provide for early feedback?

There are many types of HR tools that can help a new manager easily navigate and implement an effective orientation process. The starting point is to recognize that orientation is not a one-time event but an ongoing process that supports the successful integration of a new employee into a team. When a business takes the time to properly orient a new employee to their role and their team, the company will benefit. The likelihood that the new employee will be retained increases and the employer will save time and money in their recruiting costs. That’s a win-win for everyone.