So how do you measure whether you are getting off to a good start? Well, the obvious thing to do is ask. Small things matter – new recruits don’t want to feel like a fish out of water so a computer, email, building access and intranet are a must from the outset, enabling the new team member to get stuck in straight away.
Next, schedule a one-on-one meeting with their manager during their first week – and keep to it. It helps to grow an employee’s internal network and subsequent feeling of belonging in the team. It also engenders higher-quality meetings with more engagement and productivity (and less time-wasting), sooner.
Encourage new recruits to spend time collaborating with their team. This is important as they feel part of things sooner and thus contribute more meaningfully in meetings. Understandable feelings of finding their place in the ‘pecking order’ diminish, the more quickly they engage with their colleagues.
Consider your recruitment process from the new employee’s perspective and use the feedback on their experience to help make joining the company even better.
The bottom line is communication. Have a one-to-one meeting in the first week. Listen without prejudice and strive to improve their experience. Remember, they have chosen you as much as you have chosen them, and you hope it will be the start of a long and mutually beneficial journey. Don’t underestimate the power of having a one-on-one meeting during a person’s first week. It may sound obvious, but it could be the most important connection that a new employee makes and will hopefully set the tone for a successful future.
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