First days are nerve-racking. You want to make a good impression, but you know no one and don’t know your way around the office. It brings back memories of the first day in a new school. Who will you eat lunch with? Where will you eat lunch? It’s a feeling that can often be forgotten, until you’re in that position.
However, your human resources department should be helping make new employees’ first days better. By planning ahead, you can be sure to onboard your new hires to minimize nerves. And some of this can be done before they even step through the doors. Let new employees know where to park, what the dress code is, and what other people do for lunch — is there a cafeteria or do most people go out to eat — before they show up on their start date. You can even offer to give new employees tours before their official start date so they can get a sense of the layout of the building as well as see what amenities the workplace offers (coffee in the breakroom, drycleaner on site, gym, etc.)
Other ways to reduce anxiety for new hires is to send them an organizational flow chart so they can see how their position fits into the overall organization. Set up a training schedule and email it to them ahead of time. This way they’ll know what is expected of them each day. Another benefit of providing new employees with this information yourself is that you are controlling how the information is disseminated. You don’t want a jaded, disinterested employee showing a new, energetic, and excited employee the ropes, do you? (Remember, your actively disengaged employees are hanging out at the water cooler!)
And don’t forgot to continue to check in with new hires even after their first day. You can see how they’ve acclimated, but they can also be a source to give you feedback on the workplace and onboarding process that you might be missing.
For more tips on how to ease new hire anxiety, visit stopknockingonmydoor.com to schedule your free consultation.