By Libby Anderson

Whether you have two employees or 2,000, the way you put out

the welcome mat to new staff members can have a significant effect on your

turnover rate and ultimately on your employees’ performance success with your

organization.

Having a new employee orientation program will help to

create a positive first impression, relieve anxiety, set expectations, and

integrate the new employee into the work environment. In addition, this is an

important opportunity to impart to your new employee the values of your

organization and the specifics regarding policies, procedures, and technical

elements of the job.

So where do you begin? The design of your new employee

orientation will vary based on your resources of time, business size, the

number of new employees, and space available.

When designing your orientation, look at the time you spend

as an investment rather than as an expense. Although larger employers have

orientations that last up to two days, if you are a smaller employer, three to

five hours may be enough. What is critical is that the orientation is held as

close to the new employee’s first day as possible. This will thoroughly

integrate the employee and get him “up to speed” quickly.

No longer is orienting a new employee a matter of just

verifying ID and getting income tax information. In considering what you need

to cover as part of your orientation, HR Magazine reports that focus groups of

new employees said they want to know:

• What is really expected of me?

• How do I gain acceptance around here?

• How do I get ahead in this company?

• How do I get rewarded for a good job?

• What is the boss really like?

• I know the policies and procedures, but what are the real

rules of the game?

• How do I fit into the total picture here?

• What does this company really do?

In establishing your program, you need to ask yourself which

key things about your business culture, customers, policies, and procedures you

want to make sure the employee learns. Also, ask yourself what things you can

do to help the employee feel comfortable and not overwhelmed.

Specific content items you need to be sure to cover fall

under the categories of technical and philosophical. Technical specifics would

be items normally contained in an employee handbook. If you do not currently

have a handbook, you need to put one in place. It will save you a lot of

trouble in the long run. Handbook items such as benefits, disciplinary

procedures, policies about sexual harassment, safety, confidentiality, and

Internet use are some of the technical specifics that are important. You don’t

ever want to hear from an employee upon discussing a problem that he or she

“didn’t know” because there wasn’t any advance discussion about expectations.

Philosophically, new employee orientation must also include

“corporate citizenship.” Corporate citizenship, according to HR News, means the

values, mission, traditions, and history of the company. What your business

does, where it has been, where it is going, where the employee fits in, and how

you want the employee to take care of your customers all fall under the

category of corporate citizenship.

If you have a business that has several management staff

members, introductions and presentations by each of them helps make the process

for new employees more interesting and will give the employees exposure to all

aspects of your business.

Because there is so much to cover during orientation, keep a

checklist of each item for your employee to sign as confirmation of training.

This will help prevent the “I didn’t know” excuse. The checklist should be

comprehensive and include things such as where the employee should park, how to

fill out time cards, and the location of the restroom.

Studies indicate that turnover is highest during the first

90 days of employment. So, after you’ve wowed your new employee with a great

orientation, what are you going to do to keep the momentum and keep the

employee? One popular trend is to assign a “buddy” or “sponsor” to the

employee. This person mentors the new employee as he becomes a full-fledged

member of the team. Questions and concerns by the new employee are all directed

to the sponsor. Also, a follow-up meeting with the new employee is helpful. It

can be a “How’s it going?” conversation to make sure the employee has reached a

level of comfort with your organization.

Send your new employee off on the road to success with your

business by getting them started on the right foot through a positive and

thorough orientation program.

Libby Anderson is a human resource consultant and trainer.

She can be reached via e-mail at edahrsvcs@aol.com.