We have all experienced a ‘first day’ at some point in our life. Our first day of school, first day of driving, first day in your new apartment—and each of them probably left your heart beating uncontrollably from a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
However, let’s all agree that the most nerve-wracking is probably our first day at a new job.
As a novice in the working world, we might feel overwhelmed, constantly wondering whether we could fit in with the company’s culture or whether we could even do a good job.
This rush of emotions could make any job seeker’s blood run cold, and they could decide not to show up to work even after accepting the job offer, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
As the hiring manager or team leader, you have a crucial role to establish a procedure that can ease new hires into the company’s working environment for a breezy first day.
Similar to learning how to swim from the shallow part of the pool to the deep end, new candidates need a gradual transition to ensure that they will not have second thoughts, and ditch you at the very last minute.
But how exactly is this done? Here are our onboarding tips to welcome new hires to the team!
1. Stay In Touch With New Hires Before They Start Work
No matter how busy you are, do your best to stay in touch with your new hire leading up to their first day.
This way, you could help build rapport and trust with them even before they’re onboarded. The simple act of checking up on them from time to time to see how they’re doing would definitely go a long way to make them feel welcomed, and cared for.
At the same time, you’ll also be close enough to the situation to identify any concerns or bottlenecks that they might be having, and you could quickly step in to resolve them before they escalate further.
2. Get Any Paperwork Done ASAP
Evidently, this is the most tedious part of any hiring process, and there’s no way for you to forego this.
Proper (and clear) paperwork is crucial.
Thus, it’s a good practice for managers to get it out of the way as early as possible to ensure that the rest of the procedure can go smoothly.
Having proper paperwork ensures that both parties understand each others’ expectations and responsibilities while working together.
Furthermore, it also gives your new employee enough confidence and assurance that you’re serious about bringing them on-board. This confidence will definitely come in handy when they need to go in and hand in their resignation at their current company.
Therefore, stop dilly-dallying and get all the paperwork done!
3. Set A Time To Introduce Them To The Team Before Their First Day
The world has gone virtual for a majority of companies since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
If your company is still practicing remote working, an excellent tip to shorten the distance between your remote workers and your new hire is to set up a virtual meeting for them to be introduced to the team in a semi-professional setting.
This can help the new hire feel less intimidated when the first day comes, and it would help ease their transition into the team.
4. Ask For Their Feedback
At some point during the onboarding process, don’t forget to ask your new hire if there are any questions they might have before their big day.
Whether there’s anything that may cause them any concern or if they think there’s something you might have overlooked, asking for their feedback may help leave them with a positive first impression of not only the people but also the company’s culture overall.
Final Takeaway
We’ve heard plenty of stories of hiring managers getting ghosted by their new hires, and this is the very nightmare that this article aims to address.
Thus, remember to take some time out of your busy schedule to prepare them prior to their arrival, informing them about their new co-workers and setting a time when they’ll be introduced to the team and their new tasks.
At the end of the day, this will show your enthusiasm and help them feel more excited for their first day!
Also Read: How to Perform Well in a Technical Interview
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