Many of my clients are staying connected to staff, customers, or members, by having me present virtual presentations. I provide high-impact and high-content virtual presentations through Loom, Zoom, Webex, GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar, Google Meet, StreamYard, and Microsoft Teams.
The first few days or weeks at a new job can leave a person feeling alone, uncertain, and worthless. When it comes to hiring the best people and keeping them, think about better training for the first couple of months, and people will feel valued, included, and special, right away.
You should do something special before the employee arrives the first day to let them know you are expecting them and you are glad to have them join the team.
A phone call, a letter, a banner at the entrance, or a sign that welcomes them by name, can have a lasting positive impact.
Go through whatever paperwork, or forms, that need to be filled out, and tell them when they will get their first paycheck.
Give them a tour of your entire facility and introduce them to the other employees and mention how they support each other. Use the introductions as a way to compliment the current members of your staff.
Provide an overview of the full training, what will happen today, this week, this month, and this year.
Engage other employees in the process. Have someone, other than yourself, assigned in advance to be available when the new person has a question, and you don’t happen to be available. Make sure you have several employees scheduled, ready and waiting in the wings to be lunch buddies for the next week or two. Prepare other employees to catch the new employee doing something right that first week to bolster their confidence.
Have someone in upper management call or stop by and welcome them to the organization that first week.
Have a note delivered, or an email sent, the day they receive their first paycheck, again, welcoming them to the team.
The first thirty days are critical to set the stage for the rest of their career life with you. Think about how to create a welcoming environment, so the training sticks, and the employee sticks around, too.
Kit Welchlin, M.A., CSP, is a nationally recognized professional motivational speaker and author and can be found at www.welchlin.com or www.SeminarsOnStress.com.