Orienting New Employees

Rather than being responsible for conducting the orientation program yourself, you might consider nominating someone in the new employee's team to do the job. This immediately brings them into relationship with their colleagues and presents them with an opportunity to orient themselves culturally. It may be a "make or break" strategy but at least you, and they, will know whether or not the team chemistry is going to work.

Obviously, there will be administrative issues that need to be addressed for each new entrant and there will be some general "rules" that need to be disseminated widely. This suggests a "sheep dip" approach followed by a collective welcome and introduction to the organization as a whole. A welcome event which is attended by representatives of the various departments is a good start and an efficient way of getting some key messages across. Once this has been done, the role related orientation can be organized and overseen by the line manager for each new entrant.

Orientation programs need to accommodate all the stages that a new employee experiences. The level of activity will vary from organization to organization and the intensity and amount of information will vary from role to role, however, in all cases, think of the orientation program initiating around the recruitment process and coming to an end with a review and evaluation at the end of the probationary period.

Although the recruitment stage is primarily designed to find the right people to contribute to the organization's goals and objectives, it also provides the prospective employee with information that will help them decide whether or not the organization is "right" for them. Be thoughtful, therefore, about the way you interact with applicants and the kind of information you present to them, as they will be appraising the style and culture of the organization from the outset.

Apart from a congratulatory and warm letter of engagement, there are many administrative hurdles to clear before a new employee arrives at the organization. These extend from signing the contract of employment to bank and tax details that will ensure they get paid without delay. However, there are also "soft" issues to address that will enable the new employee to enter the organization successfully on his or her first day. This will include the time the employee is expected to arrive, the things he or she needs to bring along, and the person to ask for at the reception desk. You may also wish to gently outline the dress code so that the person will not feel out of step with everyone else at this crucial time. Frequently, this aspect of the orientation program falls to the Human Resources Department, but a personal letter of welcome from the new employee's line manager is often appreciated.

Orientation will likely begin with the Human Resources Department. Whether your new employee is full or part-time, the same attention needs to be placed on the orientation program, which is why a well planned and documented program can be helpful. You may also need an orientation program for consultants and contractors who will be interacting with your organization on a regular basis.

• Firstly, it is important that the new employee is expected and welcomed appropriately. Although this sounds obvious, it is frequently forgotten. It is likely to be someone from the HR Department who will ensure that all the administrative issues have been covered and that any outstanding activities are concluded.
• A representative of the HR Department will go over the terms and conditions of employment at the outset of the orientation program. Not only will this include how to schedule vacation, the procedure to be adopted in the case of sickness, and how to claim expenses, but also, it will trigger the process for honoring the perks and benefits that are part of the new employee's package.
• The new employee will receive a telephone directory and staff handbook, which will include health and safety information. A security pass may need to be issued.
• Any other documentation that will help the integration process will be handed over and briefly explained. The company intranet site, if it exists, will be a useful resource if questions emerge over time.
• A tour around the building to familiarize the new employee with the facilities and to get them to relax in their new environment will probably follow next.
• In large organizations, the Human Resource Department may organize a welcome event in which senior managers outline their vision for the business, and future colleagues share their views and experiences. This is helpful to identify the key people in the business, put names to faces, and begin to build a new professional network.

Once the HR Department has finished its part of the program, the new employee will be handed over to his or her line manager, who will cover the following points:

• The structure of the organization, the fit and purpose of the department, and a description of team members and their roles will enable the new employee to get a feel for where he or she fits and how he or she can add value.
• The line manager will need to go through the job description carefully making sure the new employee knows exactly how to meet the role requirements. The line manager should also outline the support and resources available to help the new employee do this effectively.
• The appraisal system and the approach to professional development should form part of this early conversation along with some guidelines on how the line manager would like this new team member to interact with him or her.
• The line manager may nominate a "buddy" to ensure that the new employee has someone to go to in moments of doubt.
• In addition, the line manager or "buddy" will ensure that the new employee has a workstation, is able to log on to the computer, has an assigned e-mail address, and that requisitions have been drawn up for mobile communications equipment. In some organizations, these activities will be hosted by the Information Technology Department, which may also supply training on certain software packages.

A team colleague should be given responsibility for helping the new employee find his or her feet from a social and cultural perspective. The colleague might share his or her "secrets of survival" so that the expectations of the new colleague can be managed. Hopefully, this will not be too negative!

The team colleague will introduce the new arrival to the essential network that can answer his or her questions. The new arrival may also be "socialized" into the team with some informal get-togethers or off-site social events.

After a short period, it is important to make sure that the new arrival is on track and doing OK. Often, attention is placed on the orientation program, and after it has been completed, the new employee is all but forgotten. However, as with any transition, the honeymoon period soon comes to an end, and it can be quite disturbing not to be "new" anymore but still to have some questions and concerns. Perhaps this role will fall to the HR Department, but someone should ensure that support continues to be available to the new member of the organization and that feedback is sought for the orientation process in case it can be improved next time around.

It is helpful to have an Orientation checklist to make sure all the bases are covered. Categories might include:

Sometimes people think it is best to throw people in at the deep end and, if they can learn to swim quickly, then they will survive the organizational pool. However, this causes unnecessary anxiety and may be experienced as hostile by the new employee. Think about how you can make this experience as painless as possible so that you have the best chance of retaining newly acquired and talented people.

Not everyone has the same physical, professional, or emotional strengths. Orientation programs need to take into account any special provisions or requirements an individual may have. If a new incumbent has special needs, make sure these are accommodated without drama or over-conspicuous effort. The aim of a good orientation program is to level the playing field so that there are no barriers to hitting early performance targets.

Assuming people will "ask if they need to" is a mistake commonly made. When someone has newly arrived in an organization, that person is likely to want to demonstrate high levels of confidence so that others' first impressions are favorable. Try to anticipate the new employee's need to continue to ask questions and access information.

Arthur, Diane, Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting and Orienting New Employees. AMACOM, 2005.

Inc.com: www.inc.com/tools/2000/12/21514.html

humanlinks.com: www.humanlinks.com/manres/articles/employee_orientation.htm