How do you make a new employee feel welcome?

A first day of work at a new employer is exciting for everyone. Ideally, of course, you would like to see a new employee feel immediately welcome and part of the team. But how do you make a new employee feel welcome?
You probably know this feeling on your first day at work, too. On the one hand, you are looking forward to it, but on the other hand, it causes a lot of nerves and stress. It feels a bit like the first day of school. You don't know exactly what to expect and what your colleagues will be like. Therefore, as a manager, it is important that you make sure a new employee feels comfortable right away. In this blog, you will read tips on how to ensure this.

Involve new employees in the team as soon as possible

To build a good and long-term relationship with a new employee, it is smart to involve him or her in the team as soon as possible. You can start doing this even before the employee has started working. For example, invite him or her to lunch with the team right away. Add the new employee immediately to the Whatsapp group and the LinkedIn page. This way, the new colleague will immediately feel included in the team and feel welcome. In doing so, the new colleague will immediately get to know the organization from that moment on.

Make sure the team knows who the new employee is

There is nothing more annoying than when you come in on your first day and your new colleagues start wondering what you have come to do. Therefore, make sure the whole team knows about the new colleague's arrival. Briefly tell something about the person joining the team and what position he or she will be performing. This way, the new colleague will not get questioning looks when he or she steps in on the first day of work. The team is prepared and can therefore give a warm welcome.

Make a good first impression

A first impression counts. Especially in the first few days, make sure you take your time with the new employee. This will make him or her feel appreciated. On the first day, give the new employee a tour right away, so that he or she already has a idea where everything can be found. That way, the new employee will quickly feel at home and won't have to keep bothering colleagues to ask where everything is.

In addition, it is always nice when you welcome someone with a little something. This doesn't have to be much. A pen or notepad with the company's logo often makes someone feel welcome.

Give the new employee a mentor or buddy

When you're new, it's always nice to know who to turn to for questions. Therefore, it is wise to mention to the new employee right away to which person to go for help. You can tell for each field of the organization which person has a lot of experience in it. Therefore they can answer any questions about their field. You can also designate a mentor or buddy to whom the new colleague can always turn. As a result, a new employee does not have to feel burdened when he or she wants to ask something and will feel more at ease more quickly.

Make use of the new fresh look in the organsiation

New employees always have a fresh perspective on the organization. As a manager, you can take advantage of this. Regularly ask the new colleague what opportunities or problems he or she sees. This fresh perspective can be very valuable for the company. In addition, the interest in the new colleague's opinion will give him or her a lot of self-confidence. It will give them the feeling that their opinion matters.

Are you looking for someone you can welcome in this way? Our database is filled with talented students who would love to work for you. Feel free to contact us or request a no-obligation quote and find out what Recruit a Student can do for you.