Introducing guest blogger Adam Seabrook, the Co-Founder of Betterteam.
No one in the history of work has said, “I want my new employees to be bored and apathetic toward their new job."
We all want fired up and engaged employees. Plus, it turns out that getting employees started right has a big influence on your employee retention. Research shows that one-third of employees decide whether or not they’ll stay with a company long-term based on how the first week goes. That's why employee engagement should be prioritized from the jump. Unfortunately, most leaders don’t have the time and/or resources to implement programs designed to engage and retain new hires. I can help.
Below are 11 easy tips to help you get your new hires on the right track, improve your retention numbers, and make everyone’s work more enjoyable.
Some companies are still welcoming employees with an empty desk and a stack of paperwork. Don’t be that company. Companies that have a standard onboarding process see 50 percent higher retention of new hires. Plan out your onboarding process with a new-hire checklist that is geared toward making the experience fun, informative, and purposeful.
No one wants to spend the first day doing paperwork. See if you can set up your paper work to be e-signed from home before their first day, or mail them the paperwork and have them do it in the comfort of their own home before they start.
Send an email with the day, time, and place for their first day, as well as information on what they need—special clothes, equipment, a lunch, etc. If possible, include the day’s itinerary.
Introductions can sometimes be a bit awkward, but they’re better than letting new employees wander around the office feeling like strangers. Be sure the new hire gets introduced to everyone they’ll be working directly with.
Another way to help kill new hire awkwardness is to make sure your new hire doesn’t need to ask where the essentials are—show them where the bathrooms, break rooms, supplies, and anything else they’ll need are with a tour. If they need badges, etc. to access certain areas, be sure they’ve got them ahead of time.
Don’t make them guess as to what success looks like at the new job. Set 30-, 60- and 90-day goals for them to achieve so they know exactly what needs to be done and how they’re doing.
We may not be totally in it for the money, but no one takes a job for free. Help your new employee understand the extent of their compensation. Oftentimes, employees are not aware of the full value of their compensation package beyond their salary. Present them with a sum of the value that includes salary, healthcare, and the monetary value of additional benefits they receive.
These days, up to 60 percent of employees are using social media to connect with co-workers. Help your new employees connect to the company and colleagues on social media as soon as they’ve been officially hired. It will get them involved with company culture before they even set foot in the door (and it’s also a good way to help build social presence for your hiring brand).
For most people, starting a job in a new place where you don’t know anyone is difficult socially. Help new hires fit in by assigning them a buddy—someone who can show them around, introduce them, sit with them at lunch, and answer questions.
Give new hires a real work task to do with a partner or team that can be finished by the end of the day to give them a sense of accomplishment and help them start fitting in with the team right away.
If you want to see how you’re doing at onboarding, be sure to survey and collect feedback from new and existing employees. It’s the best way to measure how well you’re doing at creating a work culture that engages and ultimately retains employees.
Now that you’ve properly fired up and engaged your new employees, boost camaraderie and teamwork by downloading the ebook below: 50 Team Building Ideas to Engage Employees.
Published November 17, 2018 | Written By Adam Seabrook
