How to Make a New Employee Feel Welcome
Show them the building layout., Introduce them to current staff., Show them helpful people and places., Take them to the supply area., Tell them the rules., Let them know the break schedule., Give them a contact list., Connect them with their...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Show them the building layout.
Give new hires a brief tour, pointing out things like different departments, restrooms, break rooms, conference rooms, and the offices of VIPs.
People usually don’t start to feel at ease until they become familiar with their environment.
Be sure to let them know if smoking is prohibited on company property.
Point out areas of special interest, like where people like to socialize and where they should never go. -
Step 2: Introduce them to current staff.
Part of any orientation is learning the names of the people you’ll be working with.
Not only does familiarizing a new employee with coworkers make them more comfortable, it cuts down on confusion and tension in the new worker’s adjustment.
Instead of a boring list of employees, make a collage of employee faces so that the new employee feels like they are joining a community instead of just a job., Even if the new employee you’ve taken under your wing works in a different department, you can still point out the most helpful places and coworkers at your company.
You can connect them with people who are known to be friendly, and people whose job is similar to your new employee’s so that they can get guidance.
You can direct them to areas of assistance, like Human resources (HR) for details on health insurance or the company purchaser for supplies they might need. , No matter what job a new employee has, they will need supplies to make it happen.
Part of the new recruit’s first tour should be the supply closet so they don’t waste others’ time (and their own) looking for materials.
See to it that their desk is stocked with enough supplies to get them started. , Any professional company is going to have a set of guidelines to maintain congenial office relations.
One company may pay a lot of attention to rules about attire, and another may not care about clothes but make a lot of rules about personal time.
Make sure your new employee gets a list of clearly written rules from you or the HR department.
Rules about cell phone usage, for example, are pertinent for any employee, since phones can be small but time-consuming distractions.
Have the new employee display these rules in their office space until they appear to understand the basics. , There is no federal law stating that employers must offer breaks, but if they do, federal law does stipulate that employees do not have to clock out or have their pay docked for breaks up to 20 minutes long.Most employers are aware that breaks encourage productivity rather than slow it down, so even though it’s not enforced by law, your employer will most likely have a break schedule in place.
Since the federal government does not enforce scheduled breaks, many states have laws dictating breaks after working a set amount of hours.Show the new employee the break room and all amenities it offers, including free coffee and snacks.
Tell them the quirks of the appliances, like coffee makers and microwaves, so that the new employee isn’t embarrassed by a preventable accident. , A contact list is different from the welcome list that includes all employees in the company.
A contact list contains only personnel that are useful for making the new employee’s job easier, usually people in their department, with detailed summaries of each person’s job tasks.
Point out that it's helpful for the new employee to display this relevant contact list close to their company phone or computer for faster communication. , Although the new employee will have undoubtedly met their direct supervisor, they probably haven’t gotten a chance to know them.
Give the new employee the chance to have a meaningful connection with the boss, and encourage them to set up a time to get to know him or her better. , Eating with other people has been shown to improve health, but most importantly, it assists in establishing a good support system.
The best way to help your new employee to start feeling welcome is to eat with them.
Eating with other people is also healthy because it encourages the introduction of new foods, reduces the amount of processed food consumed, and causes you to pay more attention to what you eat., Every workplace has its quirks.
Letting the new employee in on a few tidbits helps them feel part of the team.
This feeling of camaraderie creates a stronger work environment right off the bat—research even reveals that employees are happier when they have friends in the workplace.For example, you might share that, “The boss gets really upset if we're even a couple of minutes late, so be sure to call and let someone know.” You could also mention a policy about something the new employee has in common with you, like being a working parent: "Just so you know, we're not allowed to bring our children to work on snow days.” , Sharing a few pieces of helpful information about the boss or coworkers does not mean you should launch into detailed gossip.
Gossip is usually critical of others, so this might start feelings of animosity between the new employee and seasoned workers.
Gossip is defined as “information about the behavior and personal lives of other people.”They don't need to know who is having an affair with the boss, or who just got out of rehab. , When the new employee makes their first mistake, be there to encourage them.
Even if you work in another department, you can call the new employee to check on them throughout the first few days.
This way, the new employee won’t get overwhelmed, and they will want to keep working for your company.
Consider sharing one of your own stories to lighten their embarrassment.
You could say, "On my first day here, I accidentally hung up on the CEO!" If you do work in a different department, find someone who works near the new employee who would be friendly enough to stop and check on the newbie.
Tell this person to encourage the new employee if they voice concerns about having made errors. , Some organizations are large enough to host sports teams within the company, such as kickball or softball teams.
Even if your company is small, if groups of coworkers gather after work on a regular basis, tell the new employee about it. -
Step 3: Show them helpful people and places.
-
Step 4: Take them to the supply area.
-
Step 5: Tell them the rules.
-
Step 6: Let them know the break schedule.
-
Step 7: Give them a contact list.
-
Step 8: Connect them with their supervisor.
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Step 9: Invite them to lunch.
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Step 10: Offer inside tips.
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Step 11: Refrain from office gossip.
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Step 12: Be forgiving.
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Step 13: Inform them about office extracurriculars.
Detailed Guide
Give new hires a brief tour, pointing out things like different departments, restrooms, break rooms, conference rooms, and the offices of VIPs.
People usually don’t start to feel at ease until they become familiar with their environment.
Be sure to let them know if smoking is prohibited on company property.
Point out areas of special interest, like where people like to socialize and where they should never go.
Part of any orientation is learning the names of the people you’ll be working with.
Not only does familiarizing a new employee with coworkers make them more comfortable, it cuts down on confusion and tension in the new worker’s adjustment.
Instead of a boring list of employees, make a collage of employee faces so that the new employee feels like they are joining a community instead of just a job., Even if the new employee you’ve taken under your wing works in a different department, you can still point out the most helpful places and coworkers at your company.
You can connect them with people who are known to be friendly, and people whose job is similar to your new employee’s so that they can get guidance.
You can direct them to areas of assistance, like Human resources (HR) for details on health insurance or the company purchaser for supplies they might need. , No matter what job a new employee has, they will need supplies to make it happen.
Part of the new recruit’s first tour should be the supply closet so they don’t waste others’ time (and their own) looking for materials.
See to it that their desk is stocked with enough supplies to get them started. , Any professional company is going to have a set of guidelines to maintain congenial office relations.
One company may pay a lot of attention to rules about attire, and another may not care about clothes but make a lot of rules about personal time.
Make sure your new employee gets a list of clearly written rules from you or the HR department.
Rules about cell phone usage, for example, are pertinent for any employee, since phones can be small but time-consuming distractions.
Have the new employee display these rules in their office space until they appear to understand the basics. , There is no federal law stating that employers must offer breaks, but if they do, federal law does stipulate that employees do not have to clock out or have their pay docked for breaks up to 20 minutes long.Most employers are aware that breaks encourage productivity rather than slow it down, so even though it’s not enforced by law, your employer will most likely have a break schedule in place.
Since the federal government does not enforce scheduled breaks, many states have laws dictating breaks after working a set amount of hours.Show the new employee the break room and all amenities it offers, including free coffee and snacks.
Tell them the quirks of the appliances, like coffee makers and microwaves, so that the new employee isn’t embarrassed by a preventable accident. , A contact list is different from the welcome list that includes all employees in the company.
A contact list contains only personnel that are useful for making the new employee’s job easier, usually people in their department, with detailed summaries of each person’s job tasks.
Point out that it's helpful for the new employee to display this relevant contact list close to their company phone or computer for faster communication. , Although the new employee will have undoubtedly met their direct supervisor, they probably haven’t gotten a chance to know them.
Give the new employee the chance to have a meaningful connection with the boss, and encourage them to set up a time to get to know him or her better. , Eating with other people has been shown to improve health, but most importantly, it assists in establishing a good support system.
The best way to help your new employee to start feeling welcome is to eat with them.
Eating with other people is also healthy because it encourages the introduction of new foods, reduces the amount of processed food consumed, and causes you to pay more attention to what you eat., Every workplace has its quirks.
Letting the new employee in on a few tidbits helps them feel part of the team.
This feeling of camaraderie creates a stronger work environment right off the bat—research even reveals that employees are happier when they have friends in the workplace.For example, you might share that, “The boss gets really upset if we're even a couple of minutes late, so be sure to call and let someone know.” You could also mention a policy about something the new employee has in common with you, like being a working parent: "Just so you know, we're not allowed to bring our children to work on snow days.” , Sharing a few pieces of helpful information about the boss or coworkers does not mean you should launch into detailed gossip.
Gossip is usually critical of others, so this might start feelings of animosity between the new employee and seasoned workers.
Gossip is defined as “information about the behavior and personal lives of other people.”They don't need to know who is having an affair with the boss, or who just got out of rehab. , When the new employee makes their first mistake, be there to encourage them.
Even if you work in another department, you can call the new employee to check on them throughout the first few days.
This way, the new employee won’t get overwhelmed, and they will want to keep working for your company.
Consider sharing one of your own stories to lighten their embarrassment.
You could say, "On my first day here, I accidentally hung up on the CEO!" If you do work in a different department, find someone who works near the new employee who would be friendly enough to stop and check on the newbie.
Tell this person to encourage the new employee if they voice concerns about having made errors. , Some organizations are large enough to host sports teams within the company, such as kickball or softball teams.
Even if your company is small, if groups of coworkers gather after work on a regular basis, tell the new employee about it.
About the Author
Jose Campbell
A passionate writer with expertise in practical skills topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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