New Employee Departmental Orientation and Onboarding Best Practices
- Welcome new employees, relieve their anxieties, and make them feel comfortable. What special things can you do to make new employees feel comfortable, welcome and secure? How can you encourage a spirit of inquiry in new employees?
- Place a "welcome" card in the new employee's desk.
- Make yourself available most of the first day.
- Plan to have lunch with the new employee and other staff.
- Put a name marker at the work space (even if just a paper one).
- Have the workplace cleaned and stocked with supplies.
- Inspire new employees with a good attitude toward LSUHSC-NO and the new job. What impressions do you want a new employee to have? How can you instill the desired work attitudes?
- Fellow employees play a key role in developing work attitudes. Have the new employee work with a "mentor" or "buddy." Be certain the mentor demonstrates the behaviors you appreciate and the performance you expect. Choose mentors who are patient with beginners, and are positive, personable, and clear communicators.
- Arrange for the employee to attend an HR orientation to become more acquainted with the LSUHSC-NO community.
- Confirm the employee's decision to join LSUHSC-NO and your department. How can you confirm a new employee's decision?
- Clearly communicate job responsibilities and office culture during the interview.
- Describe a "typical day" for the position during the interview.
- Give the employee a sense of accomplishment and importance on day one.
- Give an assignment that can be completed on the first day.
- Spend time discussing how this position is critical to the success of the department.
- Have a "welcome" party.
- Recognize that an employee's decision to stay in or leave a new job is largely influenced by first impressions.
- Acquaint new employees with departmental goals, policies, and unwritten rules or customs. What key policies and unwritten rules must a new employee know so as not to make embarrassing mistakes on days one through five? Examples include but are not limited to:
- Dress "code"
- Use of titles or first names
- Arrival and departure times
- Scheduling of lunch time
- Standard phone greeting
- Introduction to supervisors, managers, or administrators
- Use of equipment, phone, or e-mail for personal use
- Location of restrooms, break room, vending machines, or coffee pot
- Appropriate office decorations
- Communicate expectations and responsibilities to new employees. Write out your responses to the following questions.
- What specific expectations do you have for new employees?
- How can you communicate your expectations during the recruiting and hiring process?
- How can you communicate your expectations the first day? The first week?
- Ensure new employees are familiar with the following:
- Emergency Action Plan and other building safety information such as evacuation routes and locations of fire exits, extinguishers, and alarm stations.
- Policies and Procedures