Don’t Make These Common Mistakes When Welcoming a New Employee

When it comes to bringing new employees on board, the way they are welcomed into an organization can have a major impact on their work ethic and expectations of their new work relationships. Of course, most employers have an onboarding process for new hires, which typically involves training requirements and access levels. This is all well and good, but there are other, more subtle aspects of departmental culture that can be overlooked in the onboarding process.

The fact is, bringing a new employee into your organization is more than just giving them a computer or a set of keys. It all starts with that first meeting with the manager or supervisor. Creating a positive and welcoming first impression is crucial, but it’s important to strike a balance between being friendly and getting down to business. While it may be tempting to spend the first 30 minutes cracking jokes and laughing it up, you’ll want to make sure that your new hire is given clear expectations of their daily tasks and the overall goals they will be working towards.

If the first meeting feels more like a casual hangout in the park than a professional business environment, your new employee may become too comfortable too quickly, and this can lead to negative behaviors like a nonchalant attitude towards work, showing up late, taking too many breaks, or even being sarcastic or disrespectful. As an employer, it’s important to make sure your new hires understand that they are working for a business, and that there are certain expectations that come with that.

While managers are typically responsible for overseeing the overall goals of the department, it’s the supervisors who are on the front lines, working directly with new employees to make sure they are meeting those goals. Sometimes, managers can get caught up in wanting to be liked by their employees, and they may tell new hires to come to them directly if they need anything. This can create a sense of entitlement in the new employee, and lead them to bypass their supervisor altogether.

To avoid this kind of confusion and miscommunication, it’s important for managers and supervisors to be on the same page when it comes to introducing new employees to the organization and setting expectations. Everyone should be working towards the same unified purpose, which is to meet the company’s mission. This requires difficult decisions and sometimes unpopular operational duties, but it’s the only way to ensure that the business is successful, which ultimately benefits everyone involved.

In conclusion, it’s important for employers to create a professional and respectful work environment for their employees. By setting clear expectations from the outset, and making sure that managers and supervisors are on the same page, you can help your new hires hit the ground running and make a positive impact on your organization.