After a successful recruitment process, it’s exciting for your new employee to begin their first day on the job. Their impression of you as a good employer will be formed based on the way they are treated on that first day. So here are some tips to help ensure your new employee has a positive first-day experience.

1) Designate a key person to meet them when they arrive (preferably their supervisor). Show them to their workplace/desk and ensure their workstation is set up with computer, phone, office supplies etc.

2) If the job requires personal protective equipment or a uniform, provide those straight away.

3) Introduce the new employee to their team members and briefly explain what each person does.

4) Provide (and go through with them) a new employee handbook or folder for the employee to use and add to as their source of reference. It should contain:

• Organisational information: mission, vision, goals
• Their job description, so they can clearly understand what is expected of them from Day 1
• Key policies, such as workplace health and safety, leave arrangements, harassment and discrimination, security and emergency procedures, etc.

5) Outline general administrative arrangements in the workplace:

• Start and finish times
• Keys/access
• Use of phones and devices
• Technology systems: email, diary, internet
• Business cards
• Contact details for staff (email and phone list)

6) Take the new worker on a tour to show them the premises, including:

• Washrooms
• Lunchroom/kitchen/tea and coffee making facilities
• Parking (if available)
• Printers/office supplies
• Emergency exits.

7) The supervisor to sit down with the new team member to provide a full orientation to the job:

• Key responsibilities (as per the job description)
• Goals/key performance indicators
• Reporting arrangements
• Early work priorities.

 At the close of their first day, the new employee should leave work feeling enthusiastic and motivated about their new job, and their great new employer!

– Lyn Russell, Executive Consultant