How to Welcome New Team Members – New Hire Journey

Why is Supportive Onboarding Important?

A new employee will develop their impression of the company’s structure and internal organization based on their onboarding process. An established and well-executed onboarding process will help ensure new team members feel welcome and set up for success. A properly executed onboarding process will benefit your bottom line and financial health in the future.

The Proof in Statistics

Finding candidates who are a good fit for your company can be difficult. Once you’ve found the right one, it’s critical that they feel supported during their first 90 days with the company.

• Companies with good onboarding practices have 2.5 times more revenue growth.

• Great employee onboarding can improve employee retention by 82% and employee productivity by 70%.
• 87% of organizations that implement a buddy or mentoring program say it is an effective way to speed up new-hire proficiency.
• Manager satisfaction increases by 20% when their employees have formal onboarding training.

Suggested Timeline

Early Onboarding – Before Day 1

Your early onboarding strategy can excite and reassure the new employee that they made the right decision in choosing this position as the next step in their career.

Everything should be set up and ready for the new employee on their first day to demonstrate your organizational and preparation skills, as well as your excitement to have them. Being unprepared can make a new employee feel like an afterthought and create a negative first impression.

Steps to Take Prior to Your New Employee’s First Day

• Select a training “buddy”.
  • Be selective in who you assign as a buddy; the team member with the  most experience isn’t necessarily the best choice.
  • Consider the buddy’s capacity to mentor with time availability.
  • Consider the buddy’s attitude toward the company.
  • Consider personality; the training buddy you choose must be patient and willing to teach. 
  • Mentoring is an opportunity to learn as well; the teacher always learns from the student.
• Set up new employee email and provide access to internal software.
• Send welcome Loom of what to expect the first day from happy and excited team members. 
• The manager should schedule weekly recurring check-ins with the employee. 
• If the employee has an assigned work area:
  • Ensure that it is clean, stocked with supplies, and include a gift (promotional item/swag).
  • Have a post-it with their computer and email log-in written on it.
• Create day 1-5 itinerary, send to their email, and leave a copy for them on their workspace.
• Have them fill out a favorite lists:
  • Food
  • Movie
  • Book
  • Candy
  • Drink
  • Music
  • Animal 
  • Social app 
  • Pastime 
  • Sport 
  • Celebrity 
  • Family 
  • Weekend activities 
  • Relaxing activities 
• Create and send an email with the following:
  • A personalized welcome video
    • The video should include a warm welcome from leadership, the new hire’s manager, and the assigned training buddy.
  • Provide a summary of what to expect on Day 1:
    • What items to bring including legal forms of identification for HR 
    • What to wear, brief overview of dress code 
    • Where to park
    • How to gain access to the building and their work area

The First Week: Days 1 – 5

• Take them to their workspace / locker so they can set their things down
• Provide an office tour & employee introductions
• Meeting with the direct manager
  • Overview of goals and KPIs for position
  • Set expectations for week 1 of training
• Meeting with the HR / Office Manager
  • Review of payroll, pay frequency, company policies, and completion of new hire paperwork
• Employee work area
  • Overview of instrument and supply storage for clinical staff
  • Overview of office supplies for admin staff
• Practice culture overview
• Patient demographic overview (for each office if multi-practice)
  • Age and socio-economic background 
  • Types of cases and treatment performed
• Practice online overview
  • Website
  • Social media accounts
  • Google and online listing reviews
• Sit with training team member / buddy
  • Review of Practice Management System and software
• Daily wrap-up with buddy
• End of week wrap-up with someone in the top tier of leadership
• Provide end of week 1 employee satisfaction survey – 1 to 5 pulse check 
• Weekly check-in with direct manager
  • Proactive temperature check with training process
  • Address any needs or concerns
  • Praise accomplishments

Goals for the First Month

• Daily wrap-ups with buddy continue
• Weekly check-ins with direct manager continue
  • Prior to check-in, manager must seek out feedback from the training buddy and other coworkers 
  • Establish goals and KPIs and review performance
• Have two key leaders write a personal note with small items the team member appreciates (candy, favorite drink, etc)

Goals for Months 2-3

• Weekly check-ins with buddy
• Monthly check-ins with direct manager
  • Prior to check-in, manager must seek out feedback from the training buddy and other coworkers 
• Establish goals and KPIs and review performance
• Have two key leaders reach out and praise something positive they have done
  • This should be done by text and Loom
  • Make it personal 

90-Day Review

• Assigned training buddy will continue to offer support as needed.
• Ask for Glass Door, Indeed and other job board reviews. 
• Check-in with the direct manager.
  • Prior to check-in, the manager must seek out feedback from the training buddy and other coworkers. 
• Establish goals and KPIs and review performance.

Quarterly Check-ins 

• Assigned training buddy will continue to offer support as needed.
• Offer to discuss career path. 
• Check-in with the direct manager.
  • Prior to check-in, the manager must seek out feedback from the training buddy and other coworkers. 
• Establish goals and KPIs and review performance.