How Do You Welcome Your New Employees?

By Rob Wright, Chief Editor, Life Science Leader
Follow Me On Twitter @RfwrightLSL

I recently had the pleasure of taking my son to start his freshman year in college at Wooster.. As we drove through campus, we were greeted by cheering students dressed in yellow T-shirts, welcoming us to the school. People were passing out ice cream, food, drinks, while upbeat music played over loud speakers. As we pulled in front of his dorm, the vehicle was swarmed by volunteers, who had the car unloaded before I had a chance to undo my seatbelt. This was a far different experience than my move-in day at IUP nearly 30 years ago. I don’t recall much help. I recall struggling to find a parking spot. And I definitely recall how my parents and I hauled items up flights of stairs, dodging people on their way down the same set of stairs. At Wooster however, the program seemed to be put together by an experienced logistician, with hallways and stairwells clearly marked – “One Way” and an arrow to prevent bottlenecks from occurring. I understand many schools are taking a similar approach. The way in which we felt welcomed and helped at Wooster made me think of the process in which companies on-board new employees — a process I think we all can do better.

A Typical First Day

For most new hires, the experience involves typically showing up to a front office, possibly being buzzed in through security, and then waiting to be escorted back. Not a whole lot of fanfare. Your first hour or so probably involves filling out tax forms, possibly having photo taken for an ID, filling out more paperwork, watching a sexual harassment training video, or reading the company manual. Eventually, you are escorted around so you know where the bathrooms and vending machines are located, and probably introduced to a slew of people throughout the building. A recent article in Forbes notes how few companies prioritize onboarding programs, yet expect new employees to drive results in 90 days. According to Louis Dubois of Inc.com, anything faster than that is an indication the employee hadn’t been analytical enough in their assessment of the business. Don’t take the typical approach to a new hire’s first day.

Don’t Make These Onboarding Mistakes

There are a host of reasons for why onboarding failures occur. However, there are two big mistakes companies need to strive to avoid, especially as more and more Millennials (born 1977-1994), the largest group since the Baby Boomers, enter the workforce. First, don’t forget to put out the welcome mat. This may seem like a soft and fluffy expectation, but really it is no different than providing excellent customer service. Ever been to a store and ask where an item is located and have someone inform you, “Sorry, that isn’t my department.” Contrast this to the experience of asking the same question and having someone walk you to where the item is located and then asking if there is anything else you need. We always say that you only have the first chance to make a good first impression. So how you put out the welcome mat is up to you. But imagine the difference a new employee would experience if, when they first showed up for work, they were greeted by a group of cheering employees and a “Welcome Aboard !” banner, as opposed to being escorted into the building by security.

The second item to avoid is focusing only on the company and what the new employee can do for the company. Generational expert, Timothy Moore, warns about making this mistake with Millennials. Commonly referred to as the “Me” generation, they number 85 million and tend to be very self-centered. This is a result of how they were raised — being told they were special, unique, and so on. Though this may seem like a downside, Moore informed me it isn’t. Because this group was told they could accomplish anything in life, they are very optimistic, creative, and cooperative. If you want top talent from this generation to stay at your company, strive for creating a win-win environment.

Make The First Day Fun

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal notes many companies are striving to make a new hire’s first day more fun, rather than making them sit through dull presentations on company culture. A growing body of research suggests that encouraging newcomers to demonstrate what they bring to the company — rather than a lecture on the company mission — may lead to better retention and performance. Here are eight best practices to consider, as well as a few worst practices to avoid. A study from the Center for Amerinca Progress (CAP) notes the average costs to replace employees as follows — 16 percent of annual salary for jobs paying $30K per year, 20 percent for position earning $30K - $50K per year, and up to 213 percent for highly educated executive positions. If you took the time to thoroughly screen, select, and hire, then it would seem to make sense to take the same care in making them feel welcome, and thus retained.