The onboarding process for new hires is a transition period that welcomes the new hire to the company. The onboarding stage is a crucial period as it sets the climate and inspiration for the employee. A successful onboarding stage leads to a happy and successful employee, with that in mind, we’ve listed five helpful ways to welcome new hires into your company.

Welcome breakfast/lunch

There is no better way to welcome someone new to the team than gathering everyone together and introducing the new team member. It’s a chance for team bonding and mentors to build a relationship with the new hire. Making the environment casual will ease any nerves and stress new hires may have going into the workday. A gathering of this sort allows for deeper connections to be created that aren’t purely focused on work and builds trust throughout the team. If working in a virtual environment, a “Coffee with the Team” type meeting can be set-up virtually to do the same.

Mentorship

Imagine yourself as a new hire walking into a new building, not sure where your office is or even the bathroom. It’s important to assign a mentor to each new hire. The mentor should walk them through day-to-day office life with an office tour and information on any job specific tools and equipment. New employees tend to be passive about asking questions in the first few weeks on the job. The mentor acts as an ally right from the start enabling them to inquire more easily about what they need to know in a more comfortable manner.

Questionnaire

A fun way to make a new hire feel accepted and noticed is to supply them with decorations and office supplies. Sending them a questionnaire prior to their first day will personalize the decorations and supplies to cater around their favorite color, hobbies, themes, etc.… A small gesture that may take only 10-30 minutes to create will express the gratitude you have for them joining the team.

Setting Clear Goals & Expectations

It’s key to establish clear goals, expectations, and objectives. Doing so creates a solid foundation for success in the individual as they begin their career and help motivate them to work hard. It’s common for new hires to leave their job within six months if expectations and goals are unclear or unattainable to the individual.

Outfit their closet

If your company has apparel and merchandise with the company logo and name on it, why not deck the new hire out in some free merchandise? This provides confidence to the new hire that the company is proud to have them represent the business and the work they’ll do.