Joining a new company can be a big transition. New employees don’t know what to expect. Even if they read the company handbook (reality check: they didn’t!), new employees won’t quite understand how things are run. They will be worried about making mistakes, or accidentally offending someone. They won’t have any clue about office politics and drama so they may inadvertently step in it. A good employer can take several steps to help new employees through this phase. By doing the following, your new employees will soon be a seamless part of your team.

Listen to Their Ideas

If your new employee has an idea, listen to it carefully. New employees have a valuable outsider’s perspective on how things are being run. Too often employers believe that the idea stems from a lack of understanding of how things work. They quickly stamp out the idea with reasons why things should continue as they are. Even if you’re right, this makes the employee feel foolish and less likely to share in the future.

Many new employees are too nervous to share their ideas. For your business to succeed, you need to unlock and embrace their potential. Look for ways that you can ask them for ideas. Maybe they can help you come up with ideas for gaining new customers by using effective lead magnets or other useful strategies. Or maybe you could ask them how work could be accomplished more efficiently.

Delegate Special Projects and Tasks

One of the fastest ways for a new employee to feel like they are part of the team is to give them something they can take ownership of. Being given a special assignment helps them know that you trust them. It also encourages them to work with different members of the team. You can help them take ownership by making it clear that they are responsible for the completion of the task and the decisions made. Be sure to give them someone they can refer to in case they need help.

Get to Know Them

It’s hard to work on a team that you don’t know, and it’s even harder to work on a team that you feel doesn’t care about you personally. Take some time to get to know your new employees on an appropriate personal level. Find out about their interests and hobbies. You should share some of these details about yourself as well.

The first few days for a new employee are crucial. These first few days establish expectations for work ethic, work-place relations, and obedience to company policies. You will get the most out of your new hires when you take the time to set the bar high and assist them in reaching it.

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