Follow these guidelines for new employee orientation

by Toni Bowers | Jul 10, 2002 7:00:00 AM

Takeaway: Most managers don't utilize a standard procedure for employee orientation. But when you wing it, you risk setting the wrong tone. These helpful guidelines will help you cover your bases and get new employees started off on the right foot.

Most IT managers spend a lot of time and effort interviewing and hiring personnel. And most can’t wait to assign IT duties to a new person once he or she is on board. But some managers don’t place a lot of importance on formal orientation procedures for new hires, as indicated by a recent TechRepublic Quick Poll (See Figure A).

Figure A

TechRepublic poll results reveal that most respondents use an informal approach to training.

It’s very important to acquaint a new employee with department processes and procedures right off the bat and in an organized fashion. That first day is a jumping-off point for your employee’s relationship with the company, and you want to set a good tone right away.

This Employee Orientation download was developed by Mike Sisco, CEO of MDE Enterprises, an Atlanta-based IT management training and consulting company. “A new employee is normally anxious about joining a new company—excited, but a little nervous,” Sisco says. “A thorough orientation will quickly help the employee feel more comfortable and a part of the new organization. More important, spending quality time with your new employee early on shows a true commitment on your part and increases the employee's desire to do a good job for his/her new manager."

Of course, each organization will want to emphasize different details in an orientation program, but this download offers a good structure with which to start. In it, you’ll find suggestions for preparing for the new employee’s arrival, such as making sure all equipment is in place. This would include

Cube/office location
Phone setup
PC/workstation setup
Printer configuration setup
User ID and password setup
Office supplies
Building, facility, and parking access cards and security codes

With these things out of the way, the employee can focus his or her efforts more quickly the first day. (It’s also a little unprofessional to have a new hire stand by while you scurry around looking for a desk for her to sit at.)

If you’re smart (and kind), you don’t want to hit your new employee with a list of responsibilities within the first five minutes. As the download illustrates, you’ll want to start with the big picture— company mission, goals, and structure—and then move into details specific to the new employee’s job performance and duties.

You should treat employee orientation with the same organization you do other office processes. These orientation guidelines will help you welcome a new employee the right way.

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