Orientation of New Employees

Workplace orientation is when a new employee gets introduced to their job roles,
work areas, and work environments. During orientation, the supervisor helps the
employee get familiarized with the organization. This includes the company culture,
work areas, and coworkers. This process also helps the employee ask questions and
learn as much as possible about various aspects of the organization.

An effective orientation program is a significant part of any organization. It depends

on how an organization implements the program. We have seen an increase in the
number of employees joining the workforce. Without proper guidance, it becomes
difficult for employees to cope up with their work.

Workplace orientation somehow eases up such shortcomings. And lets the

employees build up to their potential at work. It is not a single step; it is a continuous
process. Even the old employees need reorientation due to organizations' new
policies and procedures most of the time. Moreover, orientation/onboarding
programs have increased employee performance by up to 11%.

28% of employee turnover happens in the half-year mark (SHRM). A good

orientation program lasting one week or a month will lead to more employee
retention. It also increases employee productivity. A comprehensive orientation
program has lower turnover rates and higher recruitment. This usually happens
because the new employees have clear guidelines about what they have to do and
what the organization wants them to do. With clear objectives in mind, the focus of
an employee towards their work is much more. Statistics have shown that 69% of
employees with a company if they experienced incredible orientation.

Key Planning Questions

Human Resource professionals and line managers first need to consider key new
employee orientation planning questions before implementing or revamping a current
program. These are the key questions to ask.

● What things do new employees need to know about this work environment
that would make them more comfortable?
● What impression and impact do you want to have on a new employee's first
day?
● What key policies and procedures must employees be aware of on the first
day to avoid mistakes on the second day? Concentrate on vital issues.
● What special things (desk, work area, equipment, special instructions) can
you provide to make new employees feel comfortable, welcome and secure?
● What positive experience can you provide for the new employee that she
could discuss with her family at the end of the first day of work? The
 experience should be something to make the new employee feel valued by
the organization.
● How can you help the new employee's supervisor be available to the new
employee on the first day to provide personal attention and to convey a clear
message that the new employee is an important addition to the work team?

Important points to ensure:

1. Getting familiar with the organization:

As soon as a new employee joins in, assign them a mentor to show them around the
organization. A physical tour of the organization will give a basic idea of where the
necessary tools are, which will help them in their work. Ask the mentor to make the
new employee understand what the company stands for and its values.

The focus should be on easing their anxiety. Having an agenda outlined for the first
few days will help the employee know what to expect. They should be escorted
around the office to be introduced to everyone on their team, and their direct
supervisors should have some one-on-one time with them, preferably an off-site
lunch, where both parties can feel more at ease.

2. Introducing company policies and procedures:

Every organization has a code of conduct that they follow to maintain decorum.
Introducing new employees to the policies and procedures is an essential task.

Your policy can include the following-

● Dress code

● Good work ethics

● Restriction on smoking

● Emergency procedures and etc.

The recruits have to follow them and understand them. This helps an organization to
maintain discipline and decorum in the workplace.

3. Job Responsibilities and Expectations:

During the recruitment process, discussing job description is essential. But, there
may have been points that were not touched or discussed earlier.

Proper orientation helps the new employees to understand their main objectives and
the work they need to do. This allows them to understand what are the organization's
expectations in the long run. Thus, giving them the motivation to perform and
become active in the work they do.

4. Employee Benefits:

If an organization has retirement benefits and other similar benefits like life
insurance, present it to the employee. Provide information about other employee
benefits like sick leave days, holidays, and vacation perks.

Also, you can provide them with fact sheets about how these benefits have helped
the employees in the long term. This way, the employees can maintain a work-life
balance, and it gives them a greater sense of a secure and flexible job.

5. Building Relationships:

An orientation program also focuses on building up workplace relationships.

When a new employee joins in, they might feel isolated in their new work
environment.

This calls for introductions in the workplace where new employees get introduced to
their team members and peers. Proper orientation helps new employees to get
acclimatized with their team members. Thus resulting in more efficient work towards
a common goal.

6. Concentrating on what the employee needs:

When new employees start working in a new organization, they might get skeptical
about asking for their needs. Preparing a suggestion sheet for them will help them to
ask what they need.

This makes them feel valued, and they become more open in the organization.
Furthermore, doing it can help them provide the necessary tools to succeed in their
work.

7. Provide the employee handbook

The handbook should cover compensation/benefits, details about pay periods, direct
deposit, payroll deductions, health insurance, attendance/leave and safety/security
policies and any rules of conduct, including anti-harassment, dress code, drug and
alcohol policy, computer, social media and phone use and fraternizing with
co-workers.
Things to consider.

Welcome and introductions

A warm welcome goes a long way toward making employees feel like part of
the team, especially when it comes from more than one person. All it takes is a
small effort from a few people.

To make new hires feel appreciated, send them a signed welcome letter from the
CEO. Next, ask their manager to take them on a guided office tour, and to show
them where the important meeting rooms, bathrooms, and common spaces are
located. Then, to properly introduce them to their team, organize a lunch. This way,
new hires can get to know their colleagues in a fun and neutral setting. Enjoying
lunch with a select group of co-workers gives new employees a more relaxed way to
meet colleagues and learn more about them and the company. While new hires are
often introduced to co-workers in passing, you can arrange a lunch during their first
week where a new hire can sit with his manager and high-performing members of
the team he's joining. Employees can share common interests, discuss the company
culture and answer any questions the new employee has, all while enjoying a meal
outside of the office.

Finally, you’ll want to give employees a welcome pack with a few gifts, like branded
stationery and a company t-shirt, to let them know how excited you are to have them
on the team. Be sure to also include an orientation schedule for new employees to
get a clear picture of upcoming activities.

Office access

There aren’t many things worse than arriving at a new job on time, only to find that
you can’t get into the building, or park your car. To avoid uncomfortable situations
like this, organize parking, access cards, and an office map for new employees on
their very first day of work. Remember to share useful details in advance, for
example, let your new team members know that on their first day they’ll need to carry
their ID and show it to the security guard to enter the building.

Hardware and software

In order to be a productive member of the team, it’s likely that your new employees
will need to use tools for communication, project management, time tracking, human
resource processes, and possibly even to do their jobs. For example, a digital
copywriter might need to learn how to use the company’s SEO tool in order to write
high-traffic articles.
Create an online course that shows new hires the ins and outs of the software
they’ll be using. This way, each new employee can learn in their own time, and at
their own pace. Don’t forget to show them how to use physical tools, too, like printers
and phones.

Orientation for remote employees

Remote employees might have a harder time acclimating and mastering essential
on-the-job competencies than their in-house counterparts. Subsequently, orientation
and onboarding for remote employees deserve special attention and careful
organization.

After their virtual orientation program, new hires must have a good grasp of their job
responsibilities, work tools, and company information. Most importantly, they should
begin to feel part of the team and form bonds with their new colleagues.

Here are a few tips for a successful online orientation program:

Help new employees use remote work tools

Remote work has risen to prominence thanks to technology. Remote employees rely
on communication platforms, video conferencing tools, and project management
software to connect with their colleagues and streamline teamwork.

Therefore, a top priority in your virtual orientation is a call with your IT team.
Your tech support team will help new hires set up their accounts and download the
software necessary and also give them a tour of key features to help them get
started.

Arrange virtual meetings and presentations

Don’t assume that one meeting with the new hire’s manager and the rest of the team
is enough. Instead, schedule different meetings with different departments and
teams. Each team should make a brief presentation to lay out the basics of their
function and, when necessary, to explain to your new employee how they will
collaborate in the future.

Apart from business meetings, make sure to organize an informal meeting among
the closest team members just to chat and introduce yourselves. This will take some
of the pressure off and help the new hire see the more fun and relaxed side of their
coworkers.

Create an online knowledge repository

Calls and meetings are all good, but new remote hires also need to get their hands
on some actual guidelines. Company structure, a virtual office tour, training material,
benefits, and company policies — all this information should be documented as well
as communicated verbally. Luckily, there’s no shortage of cloud storage solutions to
upload and save all sorts of content.

If you prefer an all-in-one solution, a Learning Management System is the right

option for you. Using an LMS, you can store and organize all your orientation
material in the same place where you deploy your training courses. This eliminates
the need for new, and old, employees to search through different platforms (or
worse, through emails) to find the information they need. Also, you won’t have to go
through the process of creating and sharing all these guides every time you welcome
a new team member — each new hire will automatically find everything they need in
their training portal.

Important

To ensure that all employees receive the great orientation you planned for
them, create a checklist of all the activities that new hires need to complete,
and who is responsible for each.