They say that first impressions are everything, and that’s no exception in the world of business. For a new hire, the first few days, weeks and even months at a company can be critical. Putting a welcoming and thorough onboarding process in place can make all the difference when it comes to molding a well-adjusted and happy new employee.
Before the big day
For us, the onboarding process starts before the new hire even begins. One to two weeks before the big day, we kick off a checklist to make sure everything runs smoothly, from ordering new equipment to assigning a training buddy. As an IT company, we’ve also got plenty of software and logins to set up. I also send out a company-wide email featuring our new hire’s bio, so employees can get to know them before they even walk through the door.
If the new hire is moving from out of town, I’ll get them in touch with a realtor if needed, and will send them some of our important documents (handbook, employment agreement, etc.) so they can go over everything at their leisure and be prepared with any questions. The day before they arrive, I tidy their desk and leave them a welcome bag that includes our T-shirt and other swag featuring our logo.
The first week
On Day 1, I like to begin with a tour – it’s a good way to meet everyone and show them the ins and outs of our office. After that, the new hire and I conquer the mountain of HR paperwork. Once that’s done, they meet with their manager and go out to lunch. They also have a chance to sit down with the owner of our company to learn more about our culture and core values.
Throughout the first week, the new hire will continue to work with their manager, going over a specific list of tasks each day. As the week progresses, they start shadowing members of their team, which usually carries over into the second week. Each department delivers a 30-minute presentation so the new employee can see how each department contributes to the company as a whole, and also gets the chance to introduce themselves. That said, I make sure to schedule just one department presentation a day so as not to overwhelm the employee.
The first 90 days
Once the new hire become comfortable with our processes, they can begin working independently. Thanks to our team setup, new employees are never left high and dry and can always fall back on their team members if things get sticky. Once they hit the 90-day mark, they embark on their personal development plan (PDP), which includes a series of meetings with their manager to get feedback on how they are progressing and to create three to four goals to strive toward. Regardless of how long they’ve been with the company, all of our employees have PDPs to ensure they’re furthering their careers and not falling prey to professional stagnation.
The new hire onboarding process at MyITpros is always evolving, and we’re always looking for ways to make our new hires comfortable and excited to stay.
