Keep employees engaged from the very start

How to make your new employee feel welcome

Businesses spends thousands of dollars attracting and bringing new employees on board, but they often miss the opportunity to forge a lasting, positive connection by making the new hire feel truly welcome. Investing a small amount of your time and money to make a new employee feel at home reaps rewards in good will and employee engagement for years to come.

1. Reach out to the employee beforehand. An email, note or phone call before the first day of work sets the tone for your future relationship. This is not the formal offer letter or perhaps benefits information from human resources. This contact should be more personal. It should express your excitement about your new team member and set expectations for the first day (including whom to ask for upon arrival) and key cultural tips, such as jeans are OK on Fridays.
2. Give the new hire a welcome gift. Have an item sitting at his or her workplace with a bow and greeting. An inexpensive gift, preferably something practical the employee will use at work, will make your new employee feel comfortable and less insecure. This could be useful company branded items such as promotional coffee mugs, water bottles, custom portfolios, USB flash drives or lunch totes. Healthy snacks tucked into the mug, tote or just on the desk are also a good idea. If your company requires visible ID badges, a company lanyard should be included or given with the badge.
3. Provide a mentor or buddy. Assign a mentor from the team to show the new person the ropes, introduce co-workers and to be a resource for the employee’s first few weeks on the job. This one-on-one attention should not be a substitute, however, for time with you, the manager.
4. Focus more on the day-to-day experience than the company. Too many firms focus on the company history and formal orientation the first week. But making new employees feel comfortable with their new role and clarifying job requirements are what will cement the deal. People do not decide to stay or leave a job based on company history or mission statements. Their boss, co-workers and job responsibilities make or break the relationship.
5. Make the employee a customer. In addition to a welcome gift, provide some gift that allows the employee to get more familiar with the company and its products, if possible. A gift card to purchase your products works for a restaurant, retail outlet, gas station chain or an etailer. How can the employee represent the company without a knowing what it is like to be a customer. He or she may already be familiar with your company but will see it with fresh eyes as an employee. Even companies that do not sell a tangible product can provide a gift that creates awareness about their industry, such as a utility company giving a universal power adapter or an auto insurance company providing an auto emergency kit.

The job responsibilities, salary and benefits may be what attract new hires. But making them feel valued and part of the team will keep them loyal.