Making new employees productive sooner

When new employees join our office, all we want is to see them settle quickly and become productive as quickly as possible. The process of screening, selecting and finally hiring a new resource is not quite easy. It therefore makes sense to plan the induction programmes and team orientation for new entrants meticulously and creatively.

Remember, joining a new workplace is an exciting moment for any employee. Most companies have well planned induction programmes. However, these formal programmes sometimes miss out on providing the comfort and warm welcome feel to the new joiner. A new employee may feel lonely, bored, confused or even overwhelmed and may even want to leave just as quickly as he or she joined.

As a team leader or team member, you can take initiative to make a new entrant feel very comfortable and very welcome. The idea is to make the newcomer feel valued and important.

Given below are some of the questions you could work around to achieve this:

1. Does the current team know that there is a new comer joining on a particular date? Have they been given a brief profile and most importantly do they know the name of the new joiner?
2. What impression or feel do you want the new employee to get on the first day? What can you do to give exactly that?
3. How and when is the formal induction planned? Ask for feedback from recent hires, is the current induction process really up to the mark?
4. Along with technical details of the job profile does the employee get to  know about the key people, vision, mission and values of the organisation? Awards, recognition and achievements of the organisation need to be highlighted.
5. Protocol and etiquette “must-knows” as per the organisational culture must be shared in detail.
6. Which information does the new employee definitely need on the first day at work? How is it being given? You may help with ID card, computer and office supplies, email access and parking.
7. Whom does he or she need to know on the first day?
8. Communication channels need to be explained and activated.
9.    How are the introductions planned? How are coworkers going to be introduced? You can plan an exciting ice-breaker to help him or her know people better rather than serious or boring introductions.
10. Which people or processes may overwhelm or intimidate him or her on the first day? How can you help avoid this?
11. Are names and contact numbers provided at the desk for easy reference?
12. Who is going to show around or “short tour” the work place?
13. Is the work desk for the new joiner identified, set up and made a little special since it is the first day in office?
14. Does he or she need help with complex documentation and submission procedures?
15. Does he or she have company for the tea or lunch breaks?
16. Are there any training needs to be identified? Following this how is the training going to be arranged?
17. The first week and first month are crucial for settling in. Interaction and hand holding needs to be more in this period.
18. Ideally a mentor or guide could be attached to the new employee so that whenever the new entrant has a doubt or difficulty he or she knows whom to approach.
19. Provide opportunities for the newcomer to participate and mingle with coworkers. Small tasks could also be assigned gradually to encourage friendliness and cooperation.
20. Involve current employees and invite creative inputs on ongoing basis for new employee induction.

An effective welcome — or the lack of one — will make a significant difference on the motivation levels of the new employee. Good induction and orientation takes time, resource and energy but they are all well invested.

Showing your commitment to a newcomer can pay rich dividends in terms of his or her loyalty, productivity and self-motivation to contribute to the company’s success. So go all out to welcome new talent and you will find them getting productive sooner.

— The author is a corporate soft skills trainer and a motivational speaker