An Effective New Employee Orientation Program Will Help You Retain Good Employees

New employee orientation is an important aspect to welcoming and retaining newly hired employees. By developing and using an effective orientation program, new employees will develop a positive impression of your business.

Developing a new employee orientation plan and program will increase the opportunity for your new employee to succeed and get a good start in the business.

Goals for your Employee Orientation:

1. To create awareness and understanding of the business’ culture, vision, mission and objectives.
2. To help the new employee understand their role in, and contribution to, the business; to do this they need to fully understand their job function (through clearly defined job descriptions) and the interdependence with other functions within the business.
3. To help the new employee achieve the objectives for the position.
4. To help the new employee learn quickly.
5. To ensure the new employee understands the safety policies, the quality commitment, the environmental goals, the organizational structure, the business policies and practices, the customers, and the overall business and social culture.

Before the New Employee Arrives:

Once you and your new employee have determined a start day, communicate that information to the rest of your organization:

• When the new employee will be starting;
• What the new employee is being hired to do – the job position;
• Ask your employees to welcome the new employee, particularly in the early days.

Prepare a New Employee Orientation Package:

• If you haven’t already done so, ensure you have an employee contract for your new employee to review, discuss and sign (ensure the terms of employment, including employee compensation, benefits, vacation and probation period, are defined).
• Prepare an employee training development outline for the new employee (or if your new employee reports to someone else, have that individual prepare the employee training outline). This is to ensure that the new employee gets fully trained on all aspects of the job. Include this training plan in the package so that the new employee also knows what training to expect.
• Include a copy of the job description and the performance expectations or job performance standards.
• Include a copy of the company’s policies and practices; including health and safety, quality, environmental, security, accounting, privacy policies and much more.
• Include a copy of the company’s benefits – including when the new employee will qualify and the costs, if any.
• Include a copy of your organization chart (if only a few employees, this is usually not necessary but make sure that your new employee understands who everyone is and what everyone does).
• Define where the employee will sit, work, park, etc. Does the employee need to get an identification pass, a key, a locker, or is there anything else they need to know?

New Employee Orientation Program - The First Day on the Job:

• No matter how busy you are, welcome your new employee – do not abandon him/her. If you do not have time to spend with the new employee, assign someone to that responsibility.
• Discuss the plan for first day. Review the package you have prepared (above) for the new employee.
• Introduce the employee to other staff members.
• Show the new employee around the office: show them the lunch room, the washrooms, the emergency exits. If you have a large facility, try to have the facility lay-out mapped out and give the new employee a map (this is usually required for your safety plan also).
• Review the job description and organizational charts with the employee.
• Explain parking, ride sharing and transportation services available.
• Review telephone, fax, e-mail, and Internet use and policies.
• Review the hours of work, attendance expectations (how to handle lateness or absences – who to call, what the policies are) and vacation entitlements. Also discuss holidays the company pays for (e.g. Christmas Day?).
• If you haven’t already given the new employee the employee handbook (company policies and practices book) and benefits package or materials, give them to the employee now. Ask them to review the documents carefully and get back to you, or the appropriate person, with any questions or requirements for clarification. If forms need to be filled out (for taxes, benefits, payroll, etc.), have them do it on the first day or give them the forms in a separate package and have them bring it back the next day.
• Your offer letter will have included mention of a probationary period, remind the new employee of that period. Discuss the company’s process for performance evaluations, and how the employee will be evaluated.
• Discuss security in terms of locking file cabinets, passwords for voice mail and/or computers, locking access doors, etc.

Create a checklist for the new employee orientation. Then make sure that as you work through the checklist, you have agreement from your new employee that they are aware of the information and understand it.

Once you’ve completed the new employee orientation, usually in the first week, have a sign off procedure for both the new employee and you (or the individual who was assigned to handle the orientation). You want to make sure that nothing important has been overlooked or forgotten.

Follow up with the new employee during the next week, then the next month, then the six months probation review and finally the annual performance review (use your employee performance evaluations program). Do not leave issues alone … hoping they will fix themselves. Make sure that you discuss issues before they become reasons for termination and you end up firing employees.

If you have concerns about performance or other issues, address them directly and early.

It is difficult finding good people: when you hire new employees, ensure that you provide enough training and orientation to help your employees become successful additions to your team and to ensure that you retain your employees.

Your small business growth depends on the quality of the people you hire.

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