How HR can make a strong first impression on new hires
When a new employee joins a company, one of their first hellos is with HR as they begin paperwork and onboarding processes.
In a lot of ways, this first touchpoint might be a signal to the new hire of what is to come at the organization. Was it a seamless onboarding process? Was it hard to find out where to go? Was HR hard to approach and ask questions? Or, was HR a resource acting as a one-stop-shop and friendly face?
While HR has made a continual pivot to focus on people over processes to ditch the stereotype of everyone’s grievances with the function, there is still work to do. Focusing on new hires is a good place to look towards.
It’s the start of the employee lifecycle and the first opportunity for employers to make a good impression to set new hires up for long-term success. We spoke to workplace leaders to provide a game plan on how to make the best first impression possible.
A one-stop shop
Rather than making employees search through email for links to training or wasting time not knowing where to go, put all materials into a single dashboard to streamline the process. Or it might be a small change: instead of sharing multiple packets with a new hire, put it all together in one place. A big piece of this is ensuring HR is equipped with intuitive tech and information for seamless onboarding.
A strong onboarding experience can improve the retention of new hires by 82% and improve productivity by 72%, yet only 12% of employees feel their company does a good job of onboarding.
“When HR professionals see things through a new hire’s perspective and put the employee experience first, it sends a clear message of support to the new employee, creating a more positive and lasting impact,” said Meenu Agarwal, svp and gm of employer services for HR compliance management company Equifax Workforce Solutions. “This is a win-win both for employees and for the growth of a business.”
Remote capabilities
With some companies still remote, it’s crucial to have the onboarding process down. While making a good first impression might be easier in the office, there are still ways to stand out as a remote workforce. For example, HR should start by making sure the new team is ready.
“When a new employee joins a company it’s important to ensure they feel welcomed by their teams and appropriately onboarded so that they can hit the ground running,” said Annie Rosencrans, director of people and culture at HRIS platform HiBob. “Welcome meetings should include teammates at every level. They give new hires the chance to get acquainted with their colleagues while also getting an overview of the company culture.”
That might mean a team lunch, either in-person or virtual, so that everyone can introduce themselves and learn more about their new teammate. “HR leaders can step in by organizing in-person or virtual experiences that help the team bond, build trust through personal storytelling,” said Jennifer Dulski, CEO and founder of Rising Team, which helps other companies increase employee engagement.
Engage, engage, engage
Making onboarding engaging can have a significant impact and ultimately lead to higher retention.
“HR professionals play a unique role in integrating new team members into a team and organization,” said Dulski. “They have the opportunity to foster trust and connection between the new hire, team leader, team members and the broader organization, setting everyone up for success.”
After helping the new hire meet with their new team members, it might also mean paring them with a buddy or mentor for any go-to questions. Additionally, it’s having people check in on the new hire in their first days, weeks and even few months.
Additionally, new hires still get excited with perks from a company swag bag to shoutouts and welcome messages. From there, HR can even help kickstart long-term career goals.
“Even though they’re joining a new team and organization, it’s important to show that you’re invested in their growth,” said Dulski.