2. EMPLOYEE ORIENTATIONS

4. A bad orientation program is like serving a gourmet meal and then offering Twinkies for dessert Critical and crucial process for attracting and retaining employees Cannot afford to blow this opportunity to make new hires feel great about the choices they have made – chance to reconfirm their commitment It should make employees feel both challenged and comfortable

5. Convince them that making this their new home was a very good choice Many employees say that they would have rather gone to the dentist than to their companies orientation program! Send out the welcome wagon – i.e. handwritten note from CEO welcoming them, use Send-out-cards idea Good orientation = higher employee satisfaction, greater levels of commitment, decreased turnover and cohesive workforce

6. Companies spend a lot of time and money recruiting and hiring new employees Once the hiring decision has been made, many companies feel their job is done Very little formal attention paid to reinforce the notion that the employee made the right decision The orientation program begins during the interview process, as interviewers give info on what the organization is like The orientation continues when the employee arrives at work

7. The employee is making up his/her mind about what type of company this is and whether they will want to begin/continue working here. Most employees arrive for work that first day full of enthusiasm and determined to do a good job A poorly-planned or non-existent program will cost the organization more money in the long run and perhaps make the new employee another turnover statistic Dont forget the importance of providing an orientation for part-time or temporary employees

8. Orientations are not a nicety but a necessity and when performed correctly they can: Reduce start-up costs: A good orientation can help employees get up-to-speed much quicker, thereby reducing some of the costs of training Reduce anxiety: When employees are properly prepared for their entry into an unknown work situation, they are likely to have less anxiety, and more likely to perform better

9. Reduce employee turnover: An effective orientation shows employees that the organization will provide tools and resources to help them succeed, making then feel valued Save supervisor and co-worker time: The better the initial orientation, the less time spent training on-the-job Increases job satisfaction: When employees learn early on what is expected of then they are more likely to have realistic job expectations, leading to more successful experiences and positive attitudes

10. What is your role? How will you plan to make the new employee feel welcome? How can you make certain the employee has clear direction about job expectations? What might you put in a "New Employee" kit? How can you lay the foundation for any training the new employee might need? What is the human resource departments role in the orientation process? What role should your team have in this process?

11. What follow-up, if any, should you do after the employee has gone through the orientation program? How can you measure the success/effectiveness of your orientation program?

13. PLAN PREPARE PARTICIPATE

14. BEFORE THE EMPLOYEE ARRIVES Notify everyone in your team that a new person is starting Ask co-workers to welcome the new employee and encourage their support Prepare interesting tasks for the employee's first day Make a copy of the job description, job performance standards, department and company organization chart Make sure the employee's work location is available, clean, and organized

15. Have employee policy and safety booklets available Have payroll and benefits information package available If possible, identify a staff member to act as a buddy for the first week Put together a list of key people the employee should meet and interview to get a broader understanding of their role Arrange for a building pass, parking pass, and IDs if necessary. Draft a training plan for the new employee's first few weeks/months.

16. Give a warm welcome and try to reduce any nervousness the new employee may feel Discuss your plan for first day Introduce the employee to co-workers Arrange to have lunch with the new employee Show the new employee around the office Explain where the restrooms, refreshments and break areas are located Review the job description and organizational charts

17. Review telephone, fax, e-mail, and Internet use Provide required keys Give the employee all payroll and benefits forms, as well as all policy booklets Have the new employee complete all the necessary personnel forms Advise as to when the new hire orientation will take place and with whom

18. Schedule a meeting to discuss the following: Employee's overall impressions If there are any problems or concerns, address them immediately Organization of the Company and how your department fits in Discuss the mission statement of the Company and how the goals and objectives of your department help support that mission

19. Performance evaluation process. Explain that you and the new employee will be developing a performance plan, discussing their progress and evaluating performance Explain the timing of appraisals and the methods used to measure progress Discuss your training plan possibilities