First Impressions Are Everything! Create Dazzling Orientations

When bringing a new hire into your company, it’s important to introduce them to your organization’s culture, values, processes, and goals. There are many tools to help you to do this which makes finding the right balance between technology and in-personal interactions all the more important. We like to think that because we have the technology available that means we should use it. It makes our life easier and allows us to save time. But what we tend to ignore is that it eliminates the in-person interactions and they are some of the most important things when it comes to running a successful business. This is especially true when working with a new hire. The first couple of weeks at a new job can make or break the experience. As a manager, it is your job to make sure each new hire is integrated smoothly into the company. That means making sure they feel like a part of the team and are making connections with their co-workers.

Orientation processes can last anywhere from an hour to a couple of months. Finding the right balance is key when it comes to your company’s orientation success. It all depends on how much your new hires need to learn and your company’s preference on how to present it. Spreading your orientation out over a longer period of time can help the employees become integrated easily. It doesn’t have to be a matter of months, but when you spread your orientation out it allows your new hires to gain a better understanding of the company, gives them time to ask questions, and lets them become comfortable in their new environment.

Planning out your company’s orientation program allows you to figure out what information you wish to include and the best way to present that information in a sufficient amount of time. Figuring out the details can be a process but once you have it figured out, it will make your job so much easier and ensure well trained and integrated employees. A well planned orientation can have an enormous positive affect on how your new hires view the company and their new job.

There are so many ways you can set up your company’s orientation, but the best kinds are those that take advantage of all the tools available to them. Figure out how to combine technology with inter-personal relationships. Giving new hires the opportunity to meet with members of the executive team as well as members of teams they will be working with. Videos, PowerPoint presentations and games are great ways to keep orientations fun and interactive.

The way your company conducts their orientation process has a significant effect on the success and happiness your new hires have in your organization. Make sure every new hire feels comfortable. Like everything else in life, first impressions have a way of making or breaking a relationship.

What do you consider essential to a company’s orientation process? What is the best part about your company’s orientation?