When you hire a new employee, their first few weeks and months on the job can set the tone for their long-term success at your organization. That’s why it’s so important to have a solid onboarding process to make them feel like a valued member of the team from day one. To help, we asked the members of Young Entrepreneur Council the following question:
“What is particularly important to remember when helping a new hire feel welcome?”
How to Welcome New Hires
Here’s what YEC community members had to say:
1. Get to Know Them Personally
“To make anyone feel welcome in a new space, you need to inquire about them and get to know them better. It’s the only way to form a genuine bond with your colleagues, especially those who are new to the team. Without getting too personal or nosy, get to know their interests to see where your similarities lie.” ~ Jared Atchison, WPForms
2. Get Them in Touch With Their New Team Members
“At our company, the head of HR will schedule a call between the new hire and every member of the team. A team influences company culture, so there’s no better way to introduce your new hire than to get them in touch with the team. It’s also very important for a new employee to understand the tools they will be working with so they can get familiar with what might be a new system.” ~ Chelsea Rivera, Honest Paws
3. Praise Their Strengths
“Giving credit where credit is due is an important aspect for making someone feel great about themselves. Not only will praising them make them feel welcome to the rest of the team, but it will also give positive vibes to everyone. It will create two positive things: an inner competition to see who’s best at what certain things, and setting the tone for a new standard.” ~ Fritz Colcol, ABN Circle
4. Give Them a ‘Friendly’ Company Handbook
“You are likely required to share a very dry handbook with a bunch of policies and legalese on hire. Augment this and give new hires a friendly version that walks through the “soft stuff” like the history of your company, who your customers are, the people they should know, management philosophy and so on. This gives somebody the background they might spend weeks trying to learn through osmosis.” ~ Tony Scherba, Yeti
5. Check In With Them
“Even if it’s just a quick note to ask, “How are things going?” a brief check-in with a new hire can make a huge difference. It allows them space to ask questions, and makes them feel welcomed knowing that they are being considered and thought of.” ~ Rachel Beider, PRESS Modern Massage
6. Prepare Their Workstation Ahead of Time
“It means a lot to a new hire when they see a desk, computer and other equipment assigned to them. We make sure to have a few desks open and notify people when to use a desktop or a laptop, depending on their duties. That way they can start immediately. Even when you have a small office, designating space can make your new intern, part-time or full-time employee feel like part of your workplace.” ~ Duran Inci, Optimum7
7. Create Detailed Instructions for Everything, Even If It Seems Obvious
“While it’s important for a new hire to show initiative, you must remember that what seems common knowledge to you may not be so apparent to them. Try to create instructions that are explicit and detailed, leaving no stone unturned. Your company culture and practices may be different, which is why you need to be willing to help them with smaller details and processes. ” ~ Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
8. Schedule One-on-One Time
“The most valuable thing you can provide a new hire with is one-on-one time with you. While it is a significant investment, the more of it you can provide in the first few weeks, the better. It’s the best way to indicate to a new employee that they are a valuable member of the team and actually part of the company — not just someone on trial. It will pay dividends for a long time.” ~ Karl Kangur, Above House
9. Ask for Feedback
“New hires will almost always come in on their first day with thoughts and ideas. After a week on the job, I like to ask my new hires for their feedback. What are they enjoying and what do they see that can be improved? Getting feedback from a new set of critical eyes can help us learn a lot about what we are doing. It also makes them feel more comfortable as their opinion is instantly valued.” ~ Rana Gujral, Behavioral Signals
10. Pair Them Up With Someone on a Project
“People always feel more welcome when you get them interacting with others right away. One particular way I like to introduce somebody is to get them working on a project with other team members. This will allow them to build a working relationship and they can start getting their hands dirty with some guidance from people that have been on the project already for a while.” ~ Andy Karuza, FenSens
11. Help Them Get Familiar With the Area
“If a new hire is new to town, it’s important to make sure that they’re comfortable outside of work as well as in the office. Take the time to show them around town, or suggest places to grab a bite to eat or fun places to spend their spare time at. Being happy outside the office is going to ultimately lead to a more focused and successful hire inside the office.” ~ Anthony Saladino, Kitchen Cabinet Kings
12. Maintain a Friendly Attitude
“Your attitude automatically signals to someone how you’re truly feeling regardless of what you claim. It’s important that everyone has a friendly attitude towards new hires to make them feel as welcome as possible. It’s difficult enough being the newcomer, but when you have a team that supports you being on board, it makes all the difference.” ~ Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
13. Keep the Lines of Communication Open
“To make a new hire feel welcome it’s important to have open communication in your company’s culture. As a manager, let them know that your office is open-door and make yourself available if they have questions or comments. It’s also important to have a well-planned and smooth onboarding process, one that helps the new hire understand how everything works and also meet and interact with colleagues.” ~ Alfredo Atanacio, Uassist.ME
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