Startups are pretty small, so when new employees get hired, they can sometimes feel like the odd one out – especially if everyone else in the company is tight-knit. There are ways growing companies can help ease the first-day experience for new hires, though. The key strategies for this include making new employees feel welcome, comfortable and part of the team right off the bat. If your startup is growing fast, take a look at these five ways you can help your new employees feel welcome:
1. Make Team Introductions a Priority
Whether your office has 10 people or 50, new employees should be introduced to their co-workers right away. For smaller companies, this may mean an office-wide introductory meet and greet for a few minutes at the start of the day. For larger companies, introductions to the people who will be on their team are the most important. They'll be working closely with these people on a day-to-day basis, after all.
2. Give Them a Fully Furnished 'Home'
There's nothing more comforting than having your own desk or office to get settled into as soon as you walk in the door. Before new employees' first days in the office, furnish their desks with everything from basic office supplies (i.e., pens, pencils, legal pads, etc.) to their own business cards or personalized notepads. It's also a good idea to have their computer and company email address set up before they come in so they can get started without fuss.
3. Send a Welcome Email
Even before new employees walk in the door, you can make them feel comfortable by sending out a welcome email. Send one a day or two before their first day, and include basic information, like the building's address, what they should do when they arrive and the office dress code. If you want, attach a history of the business or a handbook they can browse through to get a little more acquainted with the company's culture before they begin working there.
4. Two New Employees Are Better Than One
If possible, it's a great idea for companies to have new employees start on the same day. Not only can this make things easier for the human resources department or training program, but the new employees will feel more comfortable being part of a new-hire group. Of course, smaller startups may not need to hire multiple people at once. If that's the case, have a buddy system in place and pair each new employee with a current one who they can sit with and direct questions to.
5. Ensure They Have Equal Benefits
Many companies have a probationary period for new employees, during which they aren't eligible for benefits or perks. Whether this probationary time is as long as three months or as short as a week, it can immediately make new hires feel like they aren't part of the team. Treating everybody equally right away is the best way to make a first day as welcoming as possible for new hires.
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