How to conduct a successful job orientation
A thorough onboarding process may make your employees feel at home and at ease in your company from the very beginning. Moreover, orientation helps new workers get past the uncertainty that comes with a new role and start producing sooner, which improves performance all around. Research has also indicated that organizations that invest the time to deliver a thoughtful job orientation program find notable increases in productivity and employee retention.
Everyone wins in this situation.
In what ways can your company create a job orientation program that positions newly hired employees for success? What other components are necessary to ensure that a new hire has a favorable experience?
Many words related to a new hire’s onboarding process, such as preboarding, orientation, onboarding, and training, are presumably familiar to you.
In the simplest words possible, a job orientation takes place immediately before or after a new hire begins working for your company. A presentation by the firm, a tour of the office and workplace, an introduction to coworkers and the team, a discussion of company policies and safety procedures, and more are typical events that take place during the job orientation. Additionally, this is the moment for the new hire to sign employment-related documents including payroll and tax forms.
This crucial procedure guarantees that each new person is equipped with the tools, technology, and knowledge necessary to carry out their duties and knows their place in the company. To get started, the individual might meet with management and go over corporate policies. Additionally, there will be regular touchpoints during which the new hire will interact with their immediate supervisor.
Usually a one-time event, job orientation attempts to greet new hires, assist them in settling in quickly, and help them learn about their roles within the firm. Onboarding, on the other hand, is a more involved, prolonged procedure that concentrates on the new hire’s capacity to take on their role and contribute positively to the team. One could think of orientation as the initial stage of onboarding.
It’s no longer the case to throw a new recruit under the bus and hope they make it. These days, companies are taking much longer to prepare their staff for success.
Employees are compensated at the agreed upon rate during a job orientation.
In order to ensure long-term success, it is imperative that a job orientation be set up and that each new hire has the chance to work on a personalized employment action plan. Additionally, by establishing expectations early on, this exercise can give staff members a path to greater success. It can also be used with interns and volunteers, as well as temporary employees.
How long does a job orientation take?
An orientation for a new job can take several hours or perhaps a whole workweek. Usually, it depends on the organization and how complicated the function is. Once more, it’s critical to remember that job orientation should not be confused with onboarding, which is typically a more involved procedure.
Why is it essential for the company and new hires to have a job orientation?
Taking up a new job might be intimidating. Thus, with the right support and tools, a new hire can transition into their position more easily with the aid of a scheduled job orientation. For new hires, its advantages include:
Learning about the company
Every new hire has to get additional information about how they fit into the company and how to interact with the culture. They must also be aware of the broad guidelines pertaining to the policies and processes of the company. The purpose of a job orientation is to help new hires comprehend the goal and values of the organization. They will also be informed of any benefits and opportunities for professional development that come with their new position.
Developing positive and productive workplace relationships
Sometimes it’s difficult for new personnel to get in with their new team. The purpose of a work orientation is to acclimate them to the organization and quickly ascertain their values and areas of strength. This increases the likelihood that kids will feel like they belong, which will help them interact with peers and perform at their best.
Clearing up confusion and setting up the work environment
Making sure a new hire understands their role at the organization is a great idea during job orientation. It also aids in establishing their standards. Clarifying the precise activities that need to be completed might help the employee understand what they should be concentrating on throughout the next onboarding process. They also need to understand why their efforts matter and why they are significant to the overall goals of the firm.
Did you know that 22% of employee turnover occurs during the first 45 days of employment, and 4% of new recruits leave after a terrible first day? Your company can prevent that with the support of a strong job orientation process.
Businesses that put in the effort and organize a new hire orientation might reap benefits as well. Benefits to the organization include:
Learning about the recent hire
A job orientation offers the company the chance to learn more about the new hire’s aspirations for their career. The management and employee connection improves as a result. Knowing early on what the new person is truly capable of generating and any potential skill gaps is also helpful. This makes it possible for you to assist them in catching up.
Increases the retention of employees
A job orientation can create a positive first impression, which can aid employees in adjusting to their new work environment. Employee retention after three years is actually 69% higher for those who took part in a formal work orientation.
Increased productivity in less time
Employees can more quickly become acquainted with the demands of their new roles and the company thanks to the orientation process. They can start producing much more quickly as they know what you hired them to do. Employers get a better return on their investment as a result.
How to make your company’s job orientation a success
For your company, there are a few tried-and-true best practices for a successful job orientation. This is a handy checklist for job orientation:
- Lessen anxiety on the first day
To ease the employee’s anxiety, let them know about the plan and offer a start date. Tell them when you expect them to arrive. Give them thorough instructions on where to get the ideal parking spot and how to get to the business. Tell them who to report to and which door to open. Tell them what to wear, what to bring with them, and whether any documentation is required.
Provide them with prior notice about how to check in and what they can anticipate on their first day if your new recruit works remotely.
- Set up their desk
Make sure all the things your new hires need for work are prepared and waiting for them when they arrive at the office. Technology, keys, cabinets or lockers, desk supplies, email addresses and passwords, invitations to business messaging and project systems, and identity badges are a few examples of this.
These supplies must be mailed to remote workers well in advance. Prepare a few useful tips for them to follow while establishing a tidy and formal home office.
- Welcome to the team
Add some thoughtful new hire incentives to the orientation, such a company t-shirt, notebooks, pencils, and water bottles. Before they arrive, put their name on their workstation.
A thoughtful note signed by all of the new hire’s peers and a plant are other wonderful ways to greet them. To get to know everyone, throw an online party or organize a group meal. Assign a more experienced employee to serve as a mentor and teach them the ropes.
- Prepare the schedule for the employment orientation program
Make sure your program’s schedule for the job orientation takes into account the needs of your new hire and covers the information they should know. Include lots of breaks, snacks, and at least two supervisory encounters each day. During the first few weeks, keep up this exercise as well.
Urge staff members to mingle and ask questions of one another. Create a brief job orientation checklist to help you keep the program focused and uniform for all new hires.
- Put together an eye-catching presentation.
Consider making a visual presentation for your job orientation in place of a group of people talking endlessly about the organization. This is a basic, free Microsoft PowerPoint job orientation template that you may use. Having a presentation has the benefit of giving new hires some visual and audio stimulation.
You can also send out notifications ahead of employee onboarding. The presentation can also be shown to new hires during an orientation webinar or in a virtual conference (like Microsoft Teams or Zoom).
- Topic-based group job orientation seminars
The company’s mission, vision, processes, and procedures, as well as the culture and leadership, will all be covered during a standard orientation. Don’t forget to allot time for an orientation to the office, meeting the department heads, key team members, and the workspace.
Topic-based group sessions enable leaders to facilitate talks about the organization’s vision and mission, HR to handle administrative duties, and more. Naturally, remote sessions can be handled in a similar manner.
- Describe the job’s expectations
Even though every worker could have a different job and set of responsibilities, there are a few fundamental expectations that should be clear from the start. For instance, each employee needs to put forth their best effort and accept accountability for their task. They must be able to solve problems and ask for assistance when required. The new hires must understand that they must always be learning new things, behave professionally, and possess integrity. They must be forthright and acknowledge that errors are inevitable in human nature. Above all, they should understand that having good professional relationships with others depends on showing respect.
- Let them know you appreciate them
Apart from outlining the expectations of workers, the organization ought to convey its appreciation and incentives for their diligent efforts. Ensure that every worker is aware of the performance system’s relationship to rewards and advancement. Furthermore, you must let every employee know that you provide a completely equitable and inclusive work environment where everyone may succeed.
- Introduce them to the project for which they were hired
Give them a high-level rundown of any initiatives they will be involved in; they will be curious to know about the work you have planned for them.
Tell them about the project’s history, the people they will be collaborating with, and how crucial their contribution is to its success.
- Get input regarding the orientation
Always have a survey prepared to give to staff members asking for their opinions on the job orientation procedure in order to make improvements. Take note of any issues, recommendations for enhancements, and queries that staff members may have.
It’s also a good idea to quickly assess the employee’s performance at this point to make sure they’ve adjusted well. Remember that there’s always space for development in any kind of job orientation.
One last thing
A well-organized onboarding process gives your new hires an excellent start in your company. You want to avoid early staff turnover, which might happen if you neglect this stage.
In light of this, it is essential to implement a well-thought-out work orientation to assist your staff in increasing their output, output, and engagement with your business right away.
