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What is your plan for welcoming new employees?

If you don’t plan well, you risk alienating your new employees, your organization’s culture and ultimately hurting your business performance.

Recruiting, hiring and training employees is a very costly process.

Therefore, you can’t afford not to have a strategy in place.

At the very least, there needs to be a plan for when a new employee shows up for work the first day.

This isn’t rocket science. A plan doesn’t have to be complex, but it does have to be thought out.

As a result, the new employees feel more comfortable.

They will be more apt to deliver the performance for which you hired them.

Here 11 basic steps to take:

  1. Before new employees start work, send a thoughtful note for a warm welcome – not just a list of policies, procedures and parking information. For employees to start a new job, it’s a major event for them personally. You must treat the employees as though it’s a big deal to you, too.
  2. When new employees show up the first day, explain what needs to be done during the next eight hours. Don’t leave any doubts. Explain where they need to park and what human resources requires.
  3. Have the persons’ desk or work area cleaned and prepared for them. That includes removing any personal effects of the previous employee. Show the persons you care and look forward to working with them.
  4. Plan to provide whatever materials are needed for them to do their jobs. That means have ready any tools such as a computer and telephone. This also demonstrates to the persons that you’re businesslike and organized.
  5. If other employees are given company promotional items such as coffee mugs or pens, make sure your new persons get them, too. This ensures your recruits feel at home and comfortable as a colleague.
  6. For the persons’ first day at work, have a written schedule. The schedule should include lunch with the person’s managers and immediate co-workers.
  7. Make sure your new employees know immediately what’s expected of them. Depending on your business and industry, that includes their appearance, hours, and quality and quantity of work. For most people, starting a new job is an anxious time. There’s a lot for them to remember. Even if the persons were previously informed of expectations, reiterate them especially if they’re of any importance.
  8. During the persons’ first month, schedule brief meetings for them with key employees. Select the right people – strong performers who can be inspirational as role models, and who can explain and answer questions about your organization. The point is you need for your new employees to be properly acclimated. You want the persons to feel right at home in your culture.
  9. Make certain that everyone knows of your new hires. Avoid morale issues by making sure new employees are included in all written communications, such as e-mails and memos, when appropriate.
  10. Make sure your new hires receive information about your marketplace or sector – including trade magazines and Web sites. You’ll want everyone to be on the same page as much as possible.
  11. Periodically, engage your new hires without being invasive. Say hello and inquire how they’re doing or to ask what questions they might have.

From the Coach’s Corner, here are related management strategies:

Optimize Talent Management with 5 Coaching-Culture Tips — When managers become coaches, you get a higher-performing workforce. You will have replaced mediocrity with strong performance. Here’s how to develop a coaching culture.

HR Trends in Talent Management Using Technology — Despite all the talk about the use of technology in talent management, the majority of human resources departments are behind the curve. Why? A study shows 72 percent of HR departments reveal they’re not using such tools.

10 Management Attributes for Effective Communication — Communication skills are critical for managers. People with enhanced abilities in communication typically have successful relationships at work and home. Good communicators typically have 10 attributes.

Management: How to Help Employees to Grow Professionally — Managers owe it to the organization to help their employees grow professionally. It’s hard, time-consuming work. But the return on investment is terrific. The organization benefits from higher employee performance and lower turnover. Strong employee retention obviously saves the employer a lot of time and money.

HR Management – 8 Best Practices in Employee Delegation — Avoid frustration in delegation. Save yourself time and develop your staff for the welfare of your organization. Delegation is a fundamental driver of organizational growth. Managers who are effective in delegation show leadership. They know they’ll be more effective in management and that they’ll develop their employees.

“Good management is the art of making problems so interesting and their solutions so constructive that everyone wants to get to work and deal with them.”

-Paul Hawken

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.