Its finally Spring, winter felt particularly long this year but we now (hopefully) have longer days and warmer, sunnier weather to look forward to.
Spring is also a time people associate with new beginnings, the long nights are behind us and the daffodils and other plants are beginning to bloom. Whilst we remain in lockdown, there is hope for some future normality. In fact, according to Leo Tolstoy, "Spring is the time of plans and projects."
With this in mind, and following the busy hiring period which traditionally takes place in January and February, Spring is often when people start new jobs. What can employers do to welcome these new starters and ensure that they contribute to achieving a great place to work.
The obvious place to start is during the onboarding or employee induction. What do you currently do to welcome a new employee? How has this changed during lockdown, have you made any changes to the process where new starters are starting remotely?
Some tips and ideas are:
- Make sure that the employees tech and workstation (if they are not working remotely) are properly set up before they start;
- To use the process to discuss the company values and to welcome newly recruited staff into the business;
- To talk about mental health and wellbeing, including providing information about what support is available to staff;
- Provide an organisational structure and or a mentor so that the employee knows how to access help and support;
- Ensure employees know what is expected of them in their role and how they will be measured;
- Providing access to the staff handbook and training on its content so that employees are aware of all rules, policies, practices and procedures they are expected to comply with;
- To ensure that 1:1 appointments are arranged with the employees manager for regular follow ups.
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