My dream job is to one day be a guide. I guess I am kind of a guide now. Instead of showing people the route up the side of a mountain, I navigate through the world of business.
Beginning a new job is a scary event. It is truly an adventure. That’s why it’s a worthy topic for BMF Adventure Club.
I am about to share with you the pathway I use to guide a new hire on their first day of work at our organization.
When I hire a person and they join our team, I see Day 1 as the beginning of a long-term relationship. I’m not looking for a date, I’m looking to get married. That’s why a person’s first day at their new job is so important. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.
First, we make sure that the new team member’s workplace is clean, stocked with supplies and free of anything left behind by previous occupiers of the desk and work area. A new hire should not spend their first day cleaning funk and nastiness from a computer keyboard or phone. They also shouldn’t have to search for a pen to complete their paperwork and a pad to take notes. They most certainly should not be expected to clean out the drawers of their new desk, trying to decide what to keep and what to trash. I remember once starting a job and inheriting a desk that had a drawer full of opened snacks, partially cleaned silverware and several finger nail clippers (in the same drawer as the snacks). I was glad to have a job, but was totally grossed out.
In addition to a clean and stocked workstation, new hires should be greeted at the door and made to feel both welcome and expected. Make them feel special the second they walk in. They’re scared for goodness sake. Be the leader (guide) you are supposed to be by making them feel secure, at home and relieved.
After the initial greeting, all new hires get a welcome basket full of snacks and such. It’s waiting for them at their desk. My hope is that they will share some of the chocolate with me! Just kidding… No, I’m actually not. I am on week-3 of cutting carbs. I digress.
Since part of what we do in our business has to do with TV broadcasting, we also have a swag bag for the new hire that has cool items like a shirt, cap and perhaps a jacket from the various shows and networks with which we broadcast.
Next on the list is the mandatory reading. We manage and guard our culture closely. Everybody in our employment must read the book Get Off Your But, by Sean Stephenson. If you’re a manager, you must also read It’s Your Ship, by Michael Abrashoff, as well as The One Minute Manager Meets The Monkey, by Ken Blanchard. I buy these books in advance and have them ready to go. Some prefer to listen to books, so I also have an option to send them the books using the online service Audible.
Other items a new hire finds on their desk on day one is a letter from me welcoming them to our company, a listing of our Local Core Values, a Taskmaster Listing (I’ll explain some other time) and our code of conduct. We place a very high value on how we behave in the workplace. That’s why I give everyone a very descriptive code of conduct on day one. The main points of our code of conduct has to do with trust, respect and doing what you say you’re going to do. This includes being on time for work and meetings. A discussion about all of these documents is had with the new team member later in the day.
The very first assignment I give a new hire is to write out a quick bio that includes both personal and professional information. Next, we shoot a quick picture of the person as well. Once I have this, I compose an email and send the bio and pic to the entire staff. In that email I tell everyone to go by and introduce themselves to their new team member. This is the way we introduce new team members to the staff. I feel handling introductions in this manner is way better and more effective than the standard “perp walk” around the office. That always reminded me of the common practice in church where you have to stand and greet those around you (Maybe that is why when I do go to church, I go to one under a bridge). Sorry, I temporarily lost my focus. In the email I was just discussing, I invite all team members to stop by the new hire’s work area over the next few days to introduce themselves and have a quick “get to know you” conversation. The goal is to build bridges and destroy barriers and uncomfortable-ness. The sooner a person begins to feel as though they are part of the team, the sooner they will start contributing to the team.
Lastly, I always make sure that new hires are visited at the very end of the day. The goal here is to put at ease any apprehensions, answer questions and make sure that their first day was truly special. Sure, it could be the beginning of something that might only last a year, but all 40-year careers started with a Day 1.
One other little nice touch I learned a while back was sending a new hire’s spouse a thank you note after a week or so of employment. Who knows, this might build you an ally in your new hire’s home.
In closing, doing all of this takes a little money, a bit of time and some planning, but the return way offsets the investment. Good luck and if you have ideas on how to improve this process please let me know by sending me an email [email protected]
