Shifting to a new business and a new job can be a stress inducing time for candidates. Leaving the familiar comfort of their current role, knowing the ins and outs of where their desk is placed, where the bathroom is, how the coffee machine functions – and jumping into the deep end of a new role can cause a lot of unwelcome stress that can mar the first week or so until they settle. As a leader, or even a new colleague, you have the opportunity to help them adjust to their new situation – here’s a few ways that you can help.
Ensure they know where to go on day one and be ready for them to arrive at the set time. There’s nothing worse than arriving to a new job and getting ‘who are you and what are you doing here?’ questions from people who may be unaware. If you have a receptionist, or a concierge in your building, inform them so that they can welcome them and direct them to somewhere to sit while they let you know to come collect them. If you know they’re due at 9.00am, then make sure you’ve allocated time in your calendar to meet them and make them feel welcome.
New faces and personalities can be daunting – even for extroverts, and so giving them the chance to meet each person one-to-one can help break the ice. On your tour of the office, show them where the break room is, how to get to the bathroom, where the printer is located, and how to use things like the coffee machine if it’s an ancient model leftover from the 80’s. Introducing them to people can help break the ice and means conversation will flow easier in the break room.
An office org chart of everyone in the team can help with this too. If your team is split over a larger building then give a floor plan of where people sit, or which teams sit in specific locations to help them understand where people are located. Something like the below can work wonders:
This should be a given for both parties. In having their first two weeks planned out they have a guaranteed structure, and you can include learning time and opportunities for team engagement. Have their desk set up with any tech they need, along with stationery and uniform supplies, including swipe cards. Make sure IT have done all the necessary prep on their computer so that they don’t spend their first day twiddling their thumbs waiting for Power BI to be setup, or Adobe Creative Cloud to install.
Speaking from experience, having a buddy that can show you the ropes and answer any questions can be a blessing. Sometimes your new candidate may not want to bother their manager with questions or is unable to ask them if they’re in meetings. Having a buddy in this situation means they have someone they can go to when these scenarios arrive. It can also help kickstart the social interactions, and give them a friendly face to spend time with while they settle in.
Encourage them to join you for the morning coffee run – shout them their first coffee too – and ensure they’re being invited to opportunities where the team are going for lunch or a trip to the dairy. Organising a morning tea or lunch to welcome them – and ensuring it’s on a day where everyone is in office – can also be an easy and effective way to kickstart the relationship in a relaxed manner. Do a round robin of everyone in the room or choose some icebreakers to help conversation flow.
Even if they’re fitting in and excelling at their new job, it’s essential to check in with your new team member and ask them how they’re getting on, or if they have any concerns. Many new team members will try and navigate some complexities themselves, to show initiative or to try and impress their manager. This however this can be detrimental in the long-term if they are learning the wrong habits or following the wrong routines and processes. Set aside time every few days to check in with them and address any concerns. Having a dedicated time in their calendar – i.e. every Thursday at 1.00pm – for the first few months where you can train them and help them upskill can help with this also.
In essence, be excited for your new team member, and help them get settled into the team. If you need support in providing resources, or generating ideas to help them get settled in, then we can help. We’re experts in all things employment and can help you onboard a new team member with ease.
If you’d like to find out how Find Recruitment could help you find and integrate new team members, then please get in touch.
Thanks for your interest in what we do here at FIND. We love meeting and helping amazing kiwis every day and will always do our best for our clients and candidates. We've been simplifying the recruitment game since 2008, so don't hesitate to get in touch if you need our help!
