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Regardless of market conditions, it's important for companies to pay attention to their onboarding programs. In a tight labor market, it’s especially vital to make a good first impression on new hires. “You spend so much time interviewing, extending offers, and if you're lucky enough to have your offer accepted, that first impression of them being an employee needs to stand out,” says district director for Accountemps Richard Deosingh.
Unfortunately, a new survey shows that over half of employees (59%) have been met with mishaps when starting a new job. New hires reported tech issues, not being given adequate supplies and not being introduced to coworkers identified as the most common. Skipping these obvious onboarding practices will leave a bad impression on your new employee and you may just lose them to your competition.
“There are things that you can control and there are things that you can't control. Things happen. Outages, malfunctions, so on and so forth,” says Deosingh. On what companies can control, Deosingh has a few tips for making a better first impression.
Setting up the new hire’s desk with supplies may seem like a small thing, but it’s a critical first step to making them feel welcome. “Make sure that the desk is well put together, that it's welcoming and that it's stocked with notepads, pens, staplers just to make that person feel at home.”
Making introductions between the new hire and their fellow employees should happen on day one. But companies should also remember a few other details when preparing for the new hire’s arrival. “The second thing that's within our control is introducing that new employee to coworkers. Showing them where the bathroom is, showing them where the lunch room is, making sure that they have ID cards to get into the building, making sure that their name downstairs with your security guards so they can let them up on time. Right. If you're running late as a direct report to have a backup manager.
Ultimately, Deosingh’s biggest tip is to have a plan before your new hire starts. “If you don't have a new hire coming onboard, figure out what you need to have in order when you do hire. Make sure the people that you want involved know ahead of time and they know what the expectations are. Just have that onboarding action plan. Don't create it when you hire somebody. Have that before and share the information ahead of time. That way when you do hire someone, you're well ahead of that onboarding because it's a checklist that you're going to implement.”