We all know the importance of establishing a brilliant first impression. We look at fantastic onboarding ideas for an engaging partnership to blossom between employer and employee from day one.
What can go wrong?
It’s easy to assume that with good pay and attractive perks, a company has done everything that’s required to maintain a great connection between employee and business. In reality, an employer has further responsibilities to ensure an employee feels connected to the company.
By neglecting the psychological needs of an employee, disengagement can increase. This, in turn, can cause higher labor turnover and a dysfunctional office – not to mention a demoralised workforce.
This problem isn’t limited to a small number of companies. According to a Gallup poll, only 35% of America’s employees feel engaged while at work which proves the scale of the problem.
There are innumerable reasons as to why you may have a dissatisfied workplace, as well as ways to solve employee disengagement. In this article, we’re going to focus on ensuring new employees have the best possible start when beginning at your company.
Having confident and motivated new hires can pave the road to future success for both your company and new employees. Here are some of our favourite ways a company can help every employee reach their full potential from their very first day.
Get personal
It can be the little things that separates a faceless corp from a caring business. We think treating staff like individuals rather than just another resource can really help them feel engaged. For new staff, it can be the warmest of welcomes.
Say cheese
It can be fun to go around the office with a polaroid before a new member of staff starts. A quick welcome message can be added to the snap to greet the new member of the team. The photos can be organised on their new desk as a fun way to introduce every friendly face. (It’s also a good way to remember everyone’s name!)
Lights, camera, action
A welcome video can go a long way for an employee to feel engaged with the ethos of your company. Elevate the video by making it personal to the individual to create a sense of belonging.
In the interview process, the hiree may have shared an interesting fact or a hobby they are passionate about. This could be mentioned in the welcome video. These little touches can make all the difference in making a great first impression.
A box of goodies
One sure-fire way to fully engage new employees is with DGW Branded’s fantastic new hire kits. Employees will be wowed by the care and attentiveness that these kits bring. With so many options to choose from, there will be something suitable for any role or personality. Maybe your new hiree has told you about the long commute they face each morning. You can go the extra mile by providing them with the ‘commuting kit’. This kit provides a charging pack, tote bag, and other little things.
Still can’t find that perfect something? All the kits are fully customisable so pick and choose to find the ideal gift. Not only do these welcome packs help the employee, but shows your understanding and thoughtfulness that is seldom seen by companies.
Break the ice
It can be hard for a new employee to feel connected to a new team, even if offered support and assistance. To break the tension we recommend an ice-breaker to make new staff feel at ease while having fun at the same time.
There are alternatives if ice-breakers make employees feel frosty.
Something more unique and creative is to share a haiku. A haiku is a form of short Japanese poetry that can be a way of employees showing their personality and interests without even knowing it!
The perfect staff
It’s not the responsibility of just one person to make sure the new employee is engaged, rather everyone who works with them should ensure they have everything that’s needed to be settled and ready to go.
A welcome party
Everyone loves a party. A welcome party is a great way to help a new employee settle in at your company and socialise their new team. It can be something simple, like an organised coffee break where staff can get to know each other and begin the process of gelling the team to ensure everyone is engaged, comfortable, and eager to work and support each other.
To truly impress the new employee and to treat existing staff, this can be taken even further. To really celebrate the arrival of a new employee, after-work drinks can be arranged or a staff dinner to show appreciation to all staff and make everybody feel fully engaged.
A trusting and supportive manager and team
Without a competent manager and supportive colleagues, it’s easy for a new employee to feel bewildered and disengaged before they’ve even started. Eliminate this despondency with fully trained and qualified managers.
A manager who is always available can have a lasting impact on not only the new employee’s confidence but is crucial for strong communication and a solid team ethic. Furthermore, having supportive colleagues can make all the difference when starting at a new company.
Just checking in
It’s common for some businesses to take care of a new employee’s every need the first day they arrive at the company, but slowly lose interest within the first month. It’s why regular ‘check-ins’ are so important.
Normally it takes a week or two to become adjusted before needing more assistance to understand everything that is required for their role. By ensuring consistent communication and support, a new employee can be fully engaged right away.
The right tools for the job
There’s nothing worse when starting a new role than when the computer is out-of-date, the required applications are nowhere to be found and the printer has more jams than an English afternoon tea.
It’s natural for anybody to feel despondent towards their new role when this happens. Ensure all new employees have the best possible equipment and resources to propel there and be raring to go.
Image: Pexels
A coffee on the house
Nerves, anxiety, and quite possibly a sleepless night the night before, are just some of the ways a new employee can dread their first day at work. Help them feel relaxed with a thoughtful coffee or a welcome lunch.
Sometimes it’s these little things that can make fantastic onboarding ideas, and all the difference in making a new hiree feel engaged and eager to begin!
Have a buddy
Saying “just ask if you need any help!” can be a bit overwhelming for some new staff to act upon. It might be a better idea to assign a mentor for a new member of staff and can be the best way of helping them get attuned to their job role and be engaged with the tasks set. They might make a new friend, too!
Corporate responsibility
Individuals can only do so much. Only when the whole company is in sync can the benefits of engaged new staff really be felt.
Be a company that cares
Perks can be given, rewards granted and vouchers won but in the long run, these can matter little to the best employees. It is increasingly common to see employees want their personal values reflected in the company they work for.
By becoming a company that invests in the local community, contributes a portion of its profit to charity, and develops sustainable products, employees are more likely to care and be engaged in the success of the business as they believe their work truly matters.
No porkies
Nothing can cause initial hostility between a new hire and the employer like deceitfulness or unkept promises that were made during the interview process. Pretending equipment is top of the line when it’s best placed in a museum is only going to cause problems in the long run.
By being transparent, your company will see more willingness from new employees who are ready to give their all as they can see their ethics matched by the company.
Make learning fun
New employees always dread the tedious training when starting at a new company. It’s usually a seen-it-all-before video followed by a questionnaire. We’re yawning just thinking about it. It doesn’t have to be like this; using various fantastic onboarding ideas, the learning process can be fun and personal. Gamification can liven things up, especially if using team-based games.
Also, it’s a great idea to make the training personal. A new hire is far more likely to be more attentive if training’s attuned to their learning style. Not only this but they will also appreciate the thoughtfulness this brings.
By using personalisation and gamification, training will not only benefit the new employee but your business as well. The more they learn, the better the job they do!
Get up-to-date
There’s nothing worse than slow wi-fi, a computer that keeps crashing, and a desk chair with a broken wheel nut. Limit distractions and problems and allow new employees to have everything they need from day one.
Not only can this increase their productivity and motivation, but also speaks of the company’s professionalism and your willingness to provide everything that new hires need.
Start with the right hires
Even by following the ideas we have provided, you may find disengagement is still a problem in your workforce. This may point towards a poor hiring process.
Steps can be taken to have a fully motivated and energised workforce, but if the hiring procedure is ineffective the potential output may never be reached. That’s why selecting the right talent for the role is as crucial as any in ensuring engagement is high among staff.
In Summary
To make the most of your new hire, you need to focus on engagement through adopting fantastic onboarding ideas. This means making an effort to get them up and running quickly so they can start performing at their best as soon as possible.
With this list, we hope you have the inspiration to go the extra mile in making new employees feel engaged with your business. By investing in this type of relationship development early on, not only will you help ensure success but you may even uncover great ideas that could improve business performance.
For ways to increase engagement for existing employees, we recommend this article for more tips.
About the Author
George Amodio is a business writer, specialising in sustainability and believes the success of a business can be measured by purpose as well as profit.
