The orientation process should be designed to make the new employee comfortable and capable in their new position. In addition to ensuring that training and tools are available for them to be successful in their new position, it’s important for the new hire to feel comfortable with his co-workers and supervisors and with the agency culture.
Here are six things to consider including during the orientation process.
- Give the new employee basic information about the agency (e.g., history and mission, programs and services, working environment, and recreational and community engagement activities).
- Provide new employees with the information needed for them to learn the job. Giving new employees proper training can increase the morale of new workers and reduce turnover.
- It’s okay to use different forms of overview orientation tailored to the different needs of employees, based on their position (administrative vs. engineering, for example). Hold group job-specific orientation sessions if you have more than one person starting in a similar position at the same time.
- Be there when your new employee is introduced to his or her department head (if that did not happen during the interview process). If possible, designate a “buddy” to help him or her get acquainted with the organization.
- Along with making the new employee feel comfortable, make sure that current employees are comfortable with the new worker. Before his or her arrival, inform current employees that there will be a new employee, and tell them what department the newcomer will be in and what his or her job will include.
- Hold a small gathering to introduce new employees or take them out for lunch to make them feel welcome.
