We’ve written about how expensive it can be to your company to lose your valuable team members to employee turnover. It’s equally important to remember that onboarding a new employee is one of the most important steps to building a successful team. More often than not “bad hires” are actually good employees who weren’t well-integrated into your team.
A successful employee onboarding gives an employee a sense of belonging as a part of your team, understanding of your business and what’s expected of them, and the tools they need to be successful in their job.
Here are five elements that we believe are critical to success as you onboard your new hires:
Announce the New Arrival!
When a new face joins your team, shout it from the rooftops! Announcing the new employee with a photo, name, and job title on your Retriever screens throughout your business cuts out the uncomfortable uncertainty of a new face and celebrates the growth of your team. Your new team member will feel welcomed seeing that they are valued already by the staff as they greet them by name. When you announce a new hire, it sends the message to the community that your team is growing and thriving.
Start Before They Start
Prior to Day 1, give your new employee an opportunity to assimilate. Knock out the new hire paperwork in advance so that it doesn’t derail their first day. Include them on team emails so they have the chance to get a sense of what’s happening before they come through the door. Send them an organizational chart (with photos!) so they can learn your team before they come in the door. Anything you can do to give them a leg up, do it!
Rules for Engagement & Informal Stakeholders
Every company has a unique culture, and often the most critical information doesn’t live on an organizational chart or in a company handbook. Who are the people who really get things done around your organization? What are some particulars about the etiquette of your workplace that would be extra helpful for a new team member to know up front? For example, if you have a weekly staff meeting, what’s expected (and what isn’t) for them to share? When you give a new hire the unwritten rulebook, it sets them up for success and helps them to avoid some nasty faux pas.
The Devil is In the Details
Don’t neglect the importance of basic fundamentals when someone is starting with your business. How do you get an outside line? Where can they find their needed passwords? Do they have access to everything they need? Where do you keep office supplies? Where are the restrooms? All of these small things can become huge to someone who has never worked a day in your office.
Values & Achievements
One of the keys to assimilating in a new company is understanding what the company values, where it has been, and where it’s going. An easy way to keep this at the front of mind for each of your team members is to include your mission & vision statements, big achievements, and company values as part of your Retriever playlist. Your newest team members will be instantly on the same page with your existing staff, and your existing staff will remember what’s really important.
At Retriever Digital Signage, we want to help your team to thrive. In fact, we’ve written a book all about how to effectively communicate with your team, and we’d love to give you a free copy: Download our Communications Guide