12 Winning Ways to Welcome New Employees

Imagine you are a new employee walking through the office doors on your first day, and no one comes up to talk to you or welcomes you into the office. Your manager said she would meet you upon your arrival. However, the receptionist let you know your manager was taking the day off. You find your desk but have no clue how to log in because your email is not set up or you don’t have the password to get in. You are not sure how lunches work, breaks, or any of the norms of the organization. Sounds awful, right? Unfortunately, this is a true story shared by a new employee we interviewed on a reduce turnover project.

Welcoming new employees into your workplace is crucial to their onboarding experience. On an employee’s first day, they are already considering if this is the type of organization they will want to continue working at on day one.

Thankfully, as an employer, you do many things that will make a significant difference in an employee’s onboarding experience. Here are some easy tips that will go a long way in helping new employees feel welcomed and included in their new work environment.

Get to Know Them Before Their First Day: While it is important to get to know employees’ work styles and past work experiences, employees want to feel like their employer cares about them as a person on top of that. As a leader, you must get to know your new team member. Ask them about their background, goals, and what they hope to accomplish in this new position. This will allow you to easily engage in conversations that make them feel more connected to you and the organization.

Inform Your Team: One of the last things a new employee wants when starting their first day is a bunch of employees who didn’t know they were hired, who they are, or what their job functions will be. You should inform current employees of the new hire coming into the office so if they see a new face, they can greet them and welcome them. Also, your team can plan something special for the team member’s first day. A welcome card, a team Zoom introduction, or a welcome basket with some small snacks, office supplies and a packet of frequently asked questions for new employees can go a long way in making them feel welcome.

Give Them a Thorough Tour: While it may seem silly, an employee needs to know where common things are in the office, like the break room, the bathroom, and the copy/supply room. Giving employees a tour of the office will create a sense of comfort so they can walk the halls more confidently. Employees don’t want to feel like they need to take their lunch break in their car or desk, so make sure they know where things are. This is a great example of how small things can make a big difference.

Assign a Buddy: Entering a new office or work environment can be overwhelming. New employees might feel like they are a burden if they need to bother you for small questions so, instead, pair them up with a current employee who knows the ins and outs of the office. This employee can be there as a support system if the new employee has any questions they may not feel comfortable going to their boss with. Additionally, this person can help them build stronger connections with others in the office.

Orientation Packet: The packet can act as a guide to the whole organization by including policies, vision, values, benefits, and basic knowledge the employee should know about the organization and team. New employees will need all the help they can get in navigating their new environment so a small orientation package will be valued.

On-The-Job Training: This may be one of the most crucial tips to help employees feel comfortable in their new role. Although you may be hiring employees who have been in this field for years, each company has unique ways of completing tasks or may even have different software they utilize. Providing instructional videos or having the employee shadow someone else in their position will help them raise their confidence that they will be successful in their new job.

Introductions: Help new employees to even better understand the “what” and “why” behind their position by introducing them to key stakeholders or internal customers. This can be part of their tour as well. These introductions will help the new employee know their key stakeholders and internal customers as well as understand everyone’s goals and how the areas connect or overlap. Another benefit to these introductions is that more people are motivated to help the new team member succeed.

Bring in Lunch for the Office: One of the best ways an employee can feel comfortable is by interacting with coworkers without work being at the forefront. This may be tough on their first day so a good gesture from you would be to bring in lunch for everyone to foster that environment. Other employees will be able to get a free lunch and there is less pressure for the new employee to make the sole effort to introduce themselves to their coworkers. As well, it will help generate some connections and help the new employee put a face with a name.

Provide a Job Description: A list of job duties and tasks will help keep the employee organized. You can also create a list of tasks for the first couple weeks. This will allow them to ease into their work more fluidly and ensure success. Although these tasks may not make up the full extent of their role, giving them compliments on a successful first week will increase their confidence later on.

Check in Often:

Ensure the employee knows you care about them by checking in on them during their first few days.
Ask how you can help or what support they need.
Ask what their normal working style is and how the office can play a role in a smooth transition.

These small gestures will show employees that they made the right decision working for your company.

Write a Grateful Note: At the end of the first week or first month, write a note to your new employee telling them how grateful you are that they decided to join your team. Compliment some of their competencies or behaviors that have helped strengthen the team. Thanking an employee and letting them know they are valued will have a big impact on connecting the employee to both you and the team.

Connect with a Senior Leader: When your boss or bosses’ boss makes the effort to stop by on the first few days and introduce themselves to the new employee and lets the employee know how glad they are that the employee has joined the organization, it tells the employee they are special, cared about and valued.

There are so many small things that employers and their employees can do to make new staff members feel comfortable and welcomed to the organization and team. If employees feel appreciated and accepted, they will gain a sense of commitment towards the organization and will have the confidence to meet their full potential. So, take advantage of these suggestions to create an environment where this new employee will say, “I love my job and I love working for this organization.”