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| CRBJ Home > March 2007 | |||||
Make employee's first day a good oneBy Amanda Kramer
A. There are a handful of tasks human resources managers should go through with new employees at the beginning of a brand new job. And following a strict protocol can make the process sail along, according to Fitchburg business consultant Charles "Trip" Royal. First off, make sure the new employee receives a proper introduction, Royal, president of Change Directions, said. "The thing I found helpful was to make sure employees know something about that new employee - what they did prior, where they went to school, hobbies," he said. "It's nice when the rest of the staff can say something like, 'Oh, you went to the UW ... my son went there.' " A good, solid "physical welcome" is also important, Royal advised. "Make doggoned sure that work station is all clear and ready to go," he said. "Don't have them cleaning out the old employee's stuff out of the desk." A social welcome is also important. Royal stressed that the new employee should be guided by a more experienced employee for the day. A trip out to lunch with that person is often helpful. The next step is to make sure your new employee is busy the first day. "They were hired, so let's get them going," he said. "A lot of times new employees come in and they (management) don't have anything for them to do." Royal said new employees should be reading up on manuals or attending a training session. It's important, he said, that they feel their first day is a busy and content one. And last, Royal said, it can be beneficial to pair the individual with another employee who can answer - especially someone that won't make them feel their questions are silly. "That person is going to feel funny (their first day)," he said. "They're going to ask why something's done this way or where something is. They need to get an answer without someone rolling their eyes." Amanda Kramer is a freelance writer who will find experts to answer your workplace-related question. kramer.news@gmail.com madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
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