Bringing New Employees into the Fold

In these strange and ever-changing times, many people are changing industries, in addition to welcoming less-experienced folks to their teams. With all these revolving doors, it's important to remember all the considerations that should go into bringing a new employee onboard.

MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND YOUR CULTURE.

More than simply words written down in the employee handbook, your company culture must be values that you and your team truly live out daily. Though you likely already considered how your once potential employee would fit into your company's culture, be sure they're aware of what's expected of them from management and their peers.

ENSURE THEY FEEL PART OF THE TEAM IMMEDIATELY.

Things can feel a bit intimidating or awkward for a fresh employee who is just joining a new team. One way to help ease those feelings of anxiousness? An onboarding box! More than simply a box of necessary papers, an onboarding box is a package that essentially rolls out the welcome mat and provides new employees with items and swag to rep your company, while making them feel like they're truly part of the team.

UPDATE AND GO OVER ANY STANDARD OPERATION PROCEDURES.

You and your team have likely already been doing some updating to your SOPs since the pandemic tossed our world upside down. Remember that when a new person joins your team, they're really starting from scratch, so do your best to ensure your SOPs are as up to date as possible. This undoubtedly avoids confusion further down the line and sets your new employee up for success right from the start.

ENCOURAGE CURRENT EMPLOYEES TO OFFER GRACE.

We're all human, and mistakes happen, especially when an employee is learning something new. Rather than get frustrated, encourage the rest of the team to be empathetic and frame things from a more positive perspective. Coming from a place of mentorship rather than judgement helps everyone grow.

Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for Groups Today.