Recruiting new people is never enough – it is always better to make them feel welcome in the team. Your new guy can be stressed enough because of the unfamiliar collective, new work conditions, and tasks, so why don’t you make their day easier by creating a welcoming atmosphere? In the end, you might have had the same feelings on your first day.
Don’t worry if you have no idea what to do, as this article is here to help you. Here are some important steps to show your new coworker that you are glad to have them on your team.
Send them a welcome email.
Sending a welcome email to a new coworker is a great way to get them involved in the company culture. This email should be friendly and casual and not display any pressure. Instead, it should reflect the company culture and personality. Make sure you don’t lose professionality in all the friendliness.
When writing a welcome letter, it’s important to convey your enthusiasm for the new employee. Include some background information about the company. Let the new employee know where the office is located and how they can reach you if they have questions (make sure to mention that you are always ready to help). Include information about the onboarding process, such as the company mission statement and dress code. You can also attach this information in a separate document or just mention everything within the email.
The subject line should be engaging and catchy. It should also convey the message that the new employee has been hired. Try using active verbs and vocatives to demonstrate the necessary tone and mood. Also, add elements of curiosity and levity in the body of the email, but still, make sure the welcome email reflects the company culture.
Write an announcement to other employees.
Announcing a new colleague’s arrival can make the new guy feel welcome and ease their socialization process with the other employees. It is also a great way to foster high engagement from day one. You can highlight areas where the new employee has specific expertise and projects they can look forward to contributing to. While this can be a great way to build rapport, don’t give too much information. The letter should be brief and leave room for more in-depth conversations, so don’t turn it into a long wall of text as if you were setting your inner essay writer free online in a personal blog – this is unnecessary in this case.
Before their arrival, ask the new coworker to write some facts about themselves that they would like to share with others, both work- and life-related, to make sure you state everything right. You may want to include some of this information in their arrival announcement in a set of interesting facts. These facts should include the new employee’s name, contact information, and professional accomplishments. It’s also a good idea to include any unique hobbies or aspirations the new employee has.
In your letter, include a short message expressing your excitement for them joining the team. You should also mention the department’s pending projects and what the new employee will be responsible for. Also, let them know where they can ask questions.
Communicate with a new coworker personally.
Onboarding a new employee is difficult for virtual workers, and you can miss many cultural signals in this process. This can lead to problems such as poor retention. Therefore, it’s vital to ensure that managers follow best practices during virtual onboarding. This means creating opportunities for new employees to connect with coworkers and share the company’s culture.
When communicating with a new coworker virtually, it’s essential to establish rapport and trust. You can accomplish this by using various tools, such as Slack or Google hangouts. However, you should make sure that you don’t rush things. Follow-up messages should only come if you really need to know how the person responded to your message.
In case of greeting a new employee offline, you can make a small tour for them to show all the main locations in the office, as well as their own workspace, take them to lunch together or have a quick chat during a coffee break. In any case, remember that your new colleague may be stressed, and your office and collective are new for them. Don’t let them feel abandoned, and show that they can always reach out to you with any questions they might have.
