Reports have revealed that almost one-third of the American workforce gets new jobs annually. As a result, employee turnover has become increasingly challenging for many employers. As an HR consultant, I know that onboarding procedures are a critical part of addressing turnover.
So, if your company is having trouble keeping employees, ask yourself: Could a lackluster employee onboarding process be to blame?
If you believe this is the case, ensure you know what to do when a new employee starts working at your company. By making them feel welcomed and valued from the start and laying out clear expectations, you will increase their chances of staying for the long haul.
As a Fractional HR consultant, I can help you and your team put onboarding procedures in place to ensure new employees feel valued as they start.
Here are the steps you should take.
Letting Them Know What To Expect on Their First Day
Nearly 90% of people report feeling nervous on their first day at a new job. Unfortunately, nothing can completely calm a new employee’s nerves, but you can ease their mind slightly by letting them know what to expect.
You should create an email for all new employees featuring first-day expectations and introductions to those they will meet for the first time. You should also consider allowing them to work through a new hire orientation and paperwork that must be filled out before they arrive for their first day.
This will help people feel more prepared and reduce their anxiety as they walk through your company’s front doors to start their jobs.
Laying Out Clear Expectations for Them From the Beginning
In addition to letting a new worker know what to expect on their first day, you should spend most of their first shift reviewing what you expect moving forward. They will likely already know the basic role they will play within your company, but they might not know:
- How much work you expect to complete daily
- What your workflow is like, and who will they report to
- When they will need to check in with managers about their work
By setting expectations, you will ensure they understand what their work lives will be like each day. This is one of the most important steps when deciding what to do when a new employee starts.
Providing Them With Insights on Where To Find Important Information
On their first day, new employees will probably ask where to find information about everything from days off to health insurance and other benefits. They might also wonder whether your business has training and mentorship programs and how to sign up for them.
Get ahead of this by creating a centralized place for all this information for new and existing employees. This will strengthen company culture, and workplace integration will often depend on it.
Trust Us To Assist You in Coming Up With a Better Employee Onboarding Process
Knowing what to do when a new employee starts is just one of the many things your company must learn about to retain more employees moving forward. You should also implement other employee retention and engagement strategies to reduce employee turnover.
45 Solutions is here to help. We offer a wide range of tailored HR solutions for small businesses. Book a call to learn more about our HR services.
