Welcome Aboard

Welcoming a new employee to your team is a pivotal process that can have a significant impact on more than just their first impression of the company, a well-structured onboarding process can make all the difference on a starter’s productivity, retention and overall job satisfaction. According to a study conducted by Jobvite, last year it was estimated that 30% of new hires leave their job within the first three months of joining. Here are some tips which will help to ensure a smooth transition for the new starter as well as the company.

From Day One

The onboarding process should start long before the new employee’s start date, ensuring they feel welcomed from the get-go is essential. A simple congratulations email from a senior member of the team can go a long way into making sure the hire knows they are valued. In order to avoid any misunderstandings, communicate the dress code, starting time and anything that the employee will need to bring with them for their first day.

Creating Early Bonds

Joining a new organisation can be daunting no matter how long you have been in the social housing sector for, adjusting to a different company culture, expectations and new faces can be a lot for someone to experience on one day. Consider arranging an informal meeting where the hire can meet their co-workers before their start date; this could be something as straightforward as a coffee. Doing so will allow the new employee to get a feel for the business before jumping in to their first day.

Induction Day

If you want a new starter to hit the ground running in their new role, giving them a day of orientation where they can acclimatise to the role is crucial. This day could consist of a company rundown where the history, overall mission and the new starters contribution to the goals are addressed. This is the perfect opportunity to cover what is expected of the hire in depth, company values, policies and a brief description of what their first week will look like.

Mentorship Matters

The idea of a ‘buddy system’ might seem like a childish concept, however I’m sure most people would agree that trying to fit into a tight knitted team isn’t always the easiest scenario. Assigning the starter to a member of the team gives them a fixed constant and avoids the problem of feeling isolated. To give an example, this could be a rota for the first week which gives the starter a different colleague each day to spend lunch with.

Plan the Process

Organisation promotes productivity. Creating an accessible document for both you and the starter which breaks down the week ahead will guarantee nothing is missed. It will be a busy time for all parties involved this document ensures time is spent efficiently to make the most progress possible in a way that is still effective.

Learning the Ropes

Even the most experienced professionals within social housing could benefit from role specific training, even if this is just a quick refresher. In most cases, companies will do things differently to each other. Providing training will show the new employee how you do things and is the perfect opportunity to compare different methods. Both parties have the opportunity to learn something new during this phase.

Constructive Conversations

It’s important to implement an environment where open communication is encouraged and respected from both the employee and the employer. Good and bad feedback will help to create an honest professional relationship. During the first week or two, find the time to catch up with the starter and recap on their day, this is the perfect opportunity to squash any problems early while also fuelling the starters motivation with encouraging positive feedback.

Bringing it all Together

When welcoming a new employee, it’s important to remember that this is not only an investment into the starters career but also the overall strength of the organisation. Its within everyone’s best interest to make this time as smooth and enjoyable as possible, each of these tips will help to ensure this. Following these strategies will ease the first steps of the process for all involved parties and help the new employee integrate within the business.