1. Give them a clean and clear space to work from

This shouldn’t even need saying. But apparently, it does.

“Don’t let your new team member walk into a space that has been robbed of all essentials, or with a keyboard they wouldn’t dare touch” advises HR consultant Lisa Perez. “Yes, it really happens!”

Lisa advises that you should ensure the new appointee’s workspace is clean, is cleared of the predecessor’s clutter, and is equipped with appealing, must-have administrative supplies.

If your employee is working virtually, make sure they have all the essential equipment needed to do their job such as office supplies, technology and printing equipment.

2. Provide a welcome box

As well as the essential supplies mentioned above, many experts say it is a good idea to put together a little welcome box.

“Give them their own branded mug, a tee, and a few small personalised items to make them feel home” says business advisor Mario Peshev. “Think of a photo frame they’re welcome to use, a branded stress ball, or maybe even a Rubik’s cube – something that indicates you’re a friendly team willing to work together, as compared to micromanaging from day one.”

Mario says that the contents of the new hire’s welcome box, can really set the tone for what it might be like to work at your company.

3. Throw a small welcome party

For organisational psychologist Katy Caselli, you shouldn’t forget to throw a welcome party. Why? Because the new person needs to get relationship-building fast!

“Think someplace better than the company cafeteria” she says. “A heartfelt welcome in a relaxed environment beats being shown to a dusty cubicle with a full garbage can. Try having a ‘get to know you’ conversation over a beer and some bar food.”

Katy says that doing this with a small group of colleagues, can help your new hire to establish allies fast – making room for them to focus on goals and learning. They will also be grateful of the attention, the welcome, and the friendly nature of their new team.

And if you can’t physically be together, you can still host a virtual welcome party. Organise to send party food and supplies to people’s homes before the event to make the experience as close to the real thing as possible.

4. Assign a buddy or a mentor

When you welcome a new employee, you need to think beyond their first day. And that’s why it really helps to assign them with a ‘buddy’ or a ‘mentor’, who can help them acclimatise more effectively.

“We give each new hire a ‘Curiosity Captain’ during their welcome experience” says Loni Freeman, VP of HR at SSPR. “This person helps them get introduced to the culture, people and policies. It helps the new hire feel less overwhelmed, knowing they have a mentor who is not their manager, to give them special insight.”

Loni says that this mentoring should cover everything not strictly work-related, from where the bathrooms are, to where the Diet Coke stash is kept.

The buddy system can work just as well virtually over the phone or via Zoom – just make sure both parties stick to agreed times as there’s less chance of spontaneously bumping into each other for a chat.

5. Phase in the workload gradually

Loni goes on to say that with everything going on in a new starters first few weeks, hitting them with a full workload can often be a bad idea.

“Introduce their workload slowly over the first three months, not on the first day” she says. “Introduce new projects over time, allowing new hires to engage and interact with their colleagues, and learn the ropes of the industry, without feeling too strapped with their workload.”

Loni adds that the first 90 days are a critical period if you want to build a culture of collaboration. She also insists that you should keep existing employees in the loop  – reiterate with longstanding employees the importance of investing in new starters at the start of their employment.