Employee Orientation Dos and Don’ts
The first day on a new job for a new employee can be nerve-racking. It doesn’t help when employers don’t make the effort to make an employee feel comfortable, and fail have a special orientation program to ease the employee’s transition into his new job. In fact, effective employers will tell you that an orientation program can have valuable benefits in employee satisfaction as well as retention.
If you have a new group of employees joining on the same day, you can consider having a half day orientation session for the entire group. The session can be conducted by someone from the human resources department, with an appearance made by the topmost ranking executive at the company to welcome employees to the company. An employee orientation program can help break the ice with new employees.
Many companies use orientation programs to introduce the employee to the company ethos and mission statement. That, in fact, is a key aspect of your orientation program. Make sure that employees are informed about the company history, mission statement, vision, code of ethics, values and other important details.
Unfortunately, that is where many company orientation programs end. It is quite likely that the new employee has done his homework, and is quite aware of many of those details about the company. It is equally important to make the orientation program about the employee. In fact, orientation program should also be about encouraging employees to spotlight their individual strengths, which they bring into the company.
During the orientation program, top ranking company officials must also outline exactly what they expect from employees. Distribute employee handbooks during this time, and make employees sign for these individually. If there are other legal documents to be signed like a nondisclosure agreement, those documents must be handed out as well.
Discuss key policies and procedures of the company, including dress codes, office behavior and office conduct rules. Make sure that employees know all policies regarding attendance, punctuality, leave of absence, holiday policies, and paid leave policies.
Whenever a new person is introduced into an existing environment, there is likely to be some friction with existing workers. Make sure that employees are aware of policies that are in place regarding discrimination, and harassment. Your new employee must know what channels are used to file a complaint about discrimination or workplace harassment.
