5 tips for making an employee’s first day great
Posted on April 6th, 2015 Read time: 2 minutes
An employee's first day on the job can be pretty nerve-wracking. Learning the ropes of a new role and meeting everyone in the office can be stressful for even the most confident individuals. As an employer, you have the opportunity to help your new worker feel comfortable and happy on his first day. If you make a good first impression, the employee is more likely to stay with your company for a while. Here are five tips for making an employee's first day great.
- Give a tour of the office
No matter how big or small your office space is, giving a new employee a tour is essential. Show her everything from the bathroom to where employees eat lunch. If your new worker knows where everything is, she will feel more comfortable with her surroundings.
- Buy your employee lunch
Sitting alone at a lunch table is not a good start to a person's first day at a job. If you buy your new employee lunch and sit with him during his break, you will help him feel more at ease. During the lunch hour, ask the worker how his first day is going and if he is settling into his new role or not. Carefully listen to his concerns and answer any questions he may have.
- Don't overwhelm him with work
Although a new employee doesn't want to be bored with nothing to do, she likely does not want to be swamped with work either. If a worker has an overwhelming amount of assignments to complete, she may worry if she can keep up or not. It is important to give a new hire just a few tasks on the first day. This way, she will find out what type of work she will be doing without feeling flustered.
- Assign a mentor
It is likely that a new hire will have a lot of questions during his first few weeks on the job. Assigning a mentor will help the employee feel more comfortable in his new role. A mentor will be the person the new employee will go to when he is unsure about how to complete a certain task. A good mentor will also teach the new worker about the corporate culture, helping him feel more connected with the organization. According to the Minority Fellowship Program, a mentor should possess good listening and coaching skills and a genuine interest in employee development.
- Introduce her to the entire team
It is essential for a new employee to meet all of her co-workers on the first day. She probably will not remember all of their names at first, but meeting the entire team will help her settle into the company culture faster. Make sure that all of your staff members are aware of the new employee's arrival beforehand, so no one is surprised.
If you put forth the effort to make an employee's first day successful, he will feel more welcome and appreciated. Instead of feeling nervous, your new hire will be excited to come to work the next day.
Related Articles
Posted on April 6th, 2015 Read time: 2 minutes
An employee's first day on the job can be pretty nerve-wracking. Learning the ropes of a new role and meeting everyone in the office can be stressful for even the most confident individuals. As an employer, you have the opportunity to help your new worker feel comfortable and happy on his first day. If you make a good first impression, the employee is more likely to stay with your company for a while. Here are five tips for making an employee's first day great.
- Give a tour of the office
No matter how big or small your office space is, giving a new employee a tour is essential. Show her everything from the bathroom to where employees eat lunch. If your new worker knows where everything is, she will feel more comfortable with her surroundings. - Buy your employee lunch
Sitting alone at a lunch table is not a good start to a person's first day at a job. If you buy your new employee lunch and sit with him during his break, you will help him feel more at ease. During the lunch hour, ask the worker how his first day is going and if he is settling into his new role or not. Carefully listen to his concerns and answer any questions he may have. - Don't overwhelm him with work
Although a new employee doesn't want to be bored with nothing to do, she likely does not want to be swamped with work either. If a worker has an overwhelming amount of assignments to complete, she may worry if she can keep up or not. It is important to give a new hire just a few tasks on the first day. This way, she will find out what type of work she will be doing without feeling flustered. - Assign a mentor
It is likely that a new hire will have a lot of questions during his first few weeks on the job. Assigning a mentor will help the employee feel more comfortable in his new role. A mentor will be the person the new employee will go to when he is unsure about how to complete a certain task. A good mentor will also teach the new worker about the corporate culture, helping him feel more connected with the organization. According to the Minority Fellowship Program, a mentor should possess good listening and coaching skills and a genuine interest in employee development. - Introduce her to the entire team
It is essential for a new employee to meet all of her co-workers on the first day. She probably will not remember all of their names at first, but meeting the entire team will help her settle into the company culture faster. Make sure that all of your staff members are aware of the new employee's arrival beforehand, so no one is surprised.
If you put forth the effort to make an employee's first day successful, he will feel more welcome and appreciated. Instead of feeling nervous, your new hire will be excited to come to work the next day.
