{"id":674,"date":"2015-08-13T19:25:46","date_gmt":"2015-08-13T19:25:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danielvlopes238992071.wordpress.com\/2015\/08\/13\/hire-someone-new-dont-forget-to-do-these-four-things-when-onboarding-a-new-employee\/"},"modified":"2024-10-11T09:32:13","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T16:32:13","slug":"hire-someone-new-dont-forget-to-do-these-four-things-when-onboarding-a-new-employee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canopy.is\/blog\/2015\/08\/13\/hire-someone-new-dont-forget-to-do-these-four-things-when-onboarding-a-new-employee\/","title":{"rendered":"Hire someone new? Don\u2019t forget to do these four things when onboarding a new employee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The importance of onboarding a new employee well cannot be overstated. Here\u2019s how to do it well.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Welcome new employees!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Do you remember the last time you started a new job?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I do. I was intimidated. Everyone in the company already knew each other and \u201chow things work around here\u201d\u2026 except me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was reminded of this when I spoke on a webinar<\/a> for New Hire<\/a> recently. A new employee\u2019s anxiety around joining a company can get in the way of that person doing a good job. So as the CEO, you want to do everything you can to make your new hire feel as welcome as possible when they arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t onboard a new hire well (or forget to do it all together), it can be a costly mistake. According to a recent infographic in Fast Company<\/a>, 31% of people have quit a job within the first six months. The cost of losing an employee in the first year is estimated to be at least three times the salary of that employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that onboarding a new hire well can be simple to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes down to two things: help a new hire overcome the anxiety of joining a new company, and ask questions to ensure the new hire feels connected to the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do these two things well, and you\u2019ll increase the likelihood that your new hire will feel welcomed in your company sooner, and will stay committed to your company longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some specific ways for how to do this\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(1) Make the new employee\u2019s introduction to the company a two-way street.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Oftentimes, when new employees are introduced to the rest of the company, they are brought up in front of everyone at an all-company meeting, and asked to share a bit about themselves. For a new employee, this can feel overwhelming. It\u2019s as though a blinding spotlight is being cast on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, when the new hire is introduced to the company, make sure everyone else in the company introduces themselves to this new person too. You want to avoid putting this new hire \u201con the spot\u201d as much as possible. (With our product Canopy<\/a>, we purposefully do this with our Icebreakers feature).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(2) As the CEO, schedule a one-on-one with the new hire that first week.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to Fast Company<\/a>, more than 33% of new hires want management to show them the ropes\u200a\u2014\u200anot HR or other coworkers. This isn\u2019t because a new hire doesn\u2019t value having HR or other coworkers\u2019 perspectives as they learn about the company. They absolutely do. But it\u2019s because connecting with you, as the leader, helps them feel invested in the company\u2019s vision and direction as a whole. They\u2019ll feel more committed about the \u201cwhy\u201d behind what your company is doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your company has been on a hiring spree lately, and you feel like it\u2019s too challenging to meet with every new hire one-on-one, you can meet with your new hires in small groups. For example, one of our customers, Delta Defense<\/a>, does this regularly. Their CEO Tim Schmidt will personally meet with every new hire in groups of three to five people, and walk them through their company\u2019s values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(3) Ask your new employees these four questions during their first week.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you do sit down with a new hire for the first time, it\u2019s a huge opportunity to get to know a new hire on a personal level, and learn about their expectations of the company. It\u2019s also a great way to show them what you care about in the company by the types of questions you ask. It sets a tone that you\u2019re open to feedback, and genuinely want to hear their insights. Here are four questions you could start with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– What\u2019s your favorite dessert? Favorite sports team? (or something fun and personal \ud83d\ude42 )
– What\u2019s one thing that annoyed you about your previous boss \/ manager at your last job?
– What\u2019s one thing that attracted you to our company, above all else?
– What\u2019s your biggest fear or worry coming into this job?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(4) Ask your new employees these four questions regularly throughout the year.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Employee onboarding goes beyond the first month they\u2019re with you at the company. It takes time to fully integrate an employee into the company. So you want to ask questions regularly, throughout their time at your company, before something bubbles up into a major issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are four questions you should ask a new employee across the course of their career with you at your company. We\u2019ve based this on the four most popular questions asked through Canopy<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Do you think the company is the right size?
– Have you ever been afraid to suggest an idea at work because you thought someone might shoot it down?
– Do you feel like you\u2019re spread too thin right now?
– If someone asked you to describe the vision of the company, would a clear answer immediately come to mind?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Onboarding a new employee is something that can easily be overlooked. Especially, if you\u2019re hiring quickly, or if you\u2019ve got someone else in your company dedicated to the training of your staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t forget that the way a new employee feels<\/em> as they join your company is crucial. They\u2019ll remember that first impression\u200a\u2014\u200ait\u2019ll stick with them throughout their career at your company. You only get one chance to get it right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So don\u2019t mess it up. Get started off on the right foot, and do these four things when someone new joins your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll give your new hire a reason to stay for the long haul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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