5 Surefire Ways To Make Your New Starter’s First Day A Massive Success

We’re in growth mode at Consult right now, and that means a lot of new employees.

After years of work, I reckon we’ve got our on-boarding process in a better state than most companies (of course there’s always room for fine-tuning and getting better!).

We know that, provided you’re hiring the right people, a strong on-boarding process is the single biggest predictor of the success of a new employee. But something we haven’t thought a whole lot about is making our new hire’s first day on the job really special.

That first day can set the scene for an employee’s entire career at the company.  We want to make sure we get it right. 

Here’s our list so far:

1. GIVE THEM A RELAXED START

Sharn Rayner of Pod Consulting says: “Our new team members start their first day 30 minutes later than their official start time so they’re not rushed and can come in relaxed and calm.”

Added bonus: The rest of the team has time to get to the office before the new starter, ready to greet them with a friendly welcome and a cup of coffee. There’s nothing worse than turning up to your new job and finding you’re one of the first people in the office, and no-one seems ready for you.

2. MAKE SURE THEIR DESK IS FULLY STOCKED

Stating the obvious here, but nothing will make your new employee feel less welcome than having to grovel around for stationary supplies on their first day.  

We always make sure our new starter’s desk, computer, keyboard and phone are clean and tidy, with a notepad and pen, training documents and an induction checklist all ready to go. The training will give them an outline of what is expected of them in their first week or month. 

3. PUT TOGETHER A WELCOME PACK

We send all our newly-placed candidates a welcome pack, with a card signed by the whole team, a USB drive, multi-vitamins, snacks and a few other goodies. It got us thinking: Why not extend this warm welcome to our own internal hires? How cool would that be?

4. ASSIGN THEM A BUDDY

It makes such a difference when someone who knows the ropes can show newbies around the office, talk them through their induction and make it clear they’re available to answer any of those dozens of little questions people have in their first week, like “How do I get the coffee machine to work?”.

5. ORGANISE A TEAM LUNCH

Our friends over at BraveDay have an awesome tradition for their new employee’s first day. Managing Director Tania Young says:

“We order lunch in for the whole team. Everyone introduces themselves and gives a bit of their personal background, as well as what their role is.  It’s great for ‘setting the scene’ and a good opportunity for the team to start building a rapport with their newest member.”

While the first day is just the very start of an intensive on-boarding and coaching process, we think making it an absolute cracker will set the tone for day two (and the rest!). It’s certainly worth putting a bit of thought into it.

Consult Recruitment is growing and we are looking for the best recruiter talent in Auckland (or the world, we embrace diversity). If you think you fit the bill then get in touch with us today to flick over your credentials.