The first few weeks of employment are a testing period -- for the company as well as the new hire. Both are looking for reassurance that they made the right choice, which can make this an uneasy time.
You should use your orientation process to dispel as much of this uneasiness as possible. Strive for an orientation that is affirmative, participative and informative.
Guidelines to an Effective Orientation
- Resolve the basic employee needs first. Introduce the new employee to the building, sharing locations of restrooms, dining facilities, conference rooms, workout facilities and employment-related departments (such as human resources and payroll).
- Welcome the new employee to the company by finalizing hiring details. Finish paperwork, complete the benefits orientation and give the employee an ID badge and parking sticker.
- Welcome the new employee to the department by introducing her to immediate colleagues.
- Bring the new employee onto the team by introducing her to others in the company who will regularly associate with her.
- Introduce the new employee to the key vendors she will deal with, such as lawyers, technology consultants and research firms.
- Introduce the employee to key customers to demonstrate the importance of customer service.
- Acquaint the new employee with the tools of the job and make sure she knows she can reach out to others for assistance. Ask your information technology department to participate.
- Open the door to success and feedback by establishing goals and communicating expectations.
Questions to consider regarding orientation - How long is the orientation?
- Whom does the new employee need to meet?
- What do you want the new employee to learn from those people?
- How will you ensure the employee learns what you expect her to?
- What are the learning objectives that are most critical to the job, and how will you ensure these are met?
- How will you follow up after orientation?
- What process do you have in place for ongoing coaching and feedback?
- What are the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Timed) goals for the job?
The tone of the first few weeks can affect the learning curve and productivity of your new employee. The honeymoon is over soon enough, so the greater the investment you can make in the beginning weeks, the better results you are likely to achieve.
Next week: Establish two-way communication by coaching, monitoring and recognizing high performance.
