Expert highlights importance of ‘perfect first day’

The importance of the onboarding process in motivating new employees has been highlighted by an entrepreneur, writing for openforum.com.

Mike Michalowicz is an author, lecturer and entrepreneur who knows a thing or to about successfully integrating new staff into a business. He emphasises that creating the perfect first day can lead ultimately to loyalty, enthusiasm and high productivity, whereas the reverse can result in disengagement and high turnover rates.

A survey by talent management experts, Novations Group found that up to 25 per cent of new hires leave a company within the first twelve months, intuit.com writes. The reasons for this included ‘unrealistic expectations’ and ‘failure to grasp how things get done’.

Fortunately, those hiring for the first time – perhaps small business owners or those about to start a franchise – can take heart from some of the expert’s tips.

Firstly, he asserts that managers should invest some time and thought into the first day: have the new arrival’s desk set up, some sort of itinerary in place and perhaps allocating a buddy. It’s important that the new arrival is met by the manager, which should ideally be followed by a welcoming chat over a coffee.

They should be introduced to any other employees, where appropriate, followed by a tour which incorporates all the usual health and safety elements. A team lunch would go down a treat before the new employee is asked to complete any required HR or payroll paperwork.

Michalowicz suggests some more personal touches, such as a ‘welcome’ card, signed by the team and a gift for ‘the person that helped make your decision – to say thank you’. While these touches might seem twee, onboarding correctly is crucial.