A job description tells people what they’ll be doing and where. What it doesn’t tell people is how things actually get done.
That happens once they actually start. Making people feel welcome goes beyond the first hour orientation session and health and safety briefing. Managers, team leaders and individuals all need to work together to make newbies feel like part of the team from the start.
Here’s how…
Make the unwritten rules clearer
Most work processes will have some kind of documentation or training programme built up around them. But others have unwritten guidelines.
They are the kind of things that once you’ve been there a while, you don’t think about anymore. Simple things like how to find their way around or which shelf they should put their lunch on in the communal fridge, or where the spare paper for the printer is.
Someone new doesn’t have those answers.
Organisations can make the transition easier by explaining some of those basics up front rather than expecting people to pick them up as they go.
Make questions easy
One of the harder parts of being new is knowing what you don’t know.
People can be reluctant to ask questions because they don’t want to look inexperienced or interrupt someone busy.
Making it clear that questions are welcome helps people get up to speed and feel like part of the team.
Don’t leave introductions to chance
You might think to introduce your new team member to their immediate colleagues, but it’s beneficial to think wider and introduce new team members to other helpful people like the admin or HR personnel.
It can also help to introduce a buddy to make someone feel at home in those first few weeks.
You can help as an individual too.
Invite a new colleague for coffee or lunch. Include them in a conversation rather than assuming they’ll find their own way into it, and make sure they don’t get left out of the informal conversations where workplace knowledge gets shared.
A few simple steps can help new team members feel at home and lead to a more productive team and a happier workplace.