Thirty-seven percent of employees will find new jobs which means that onboarding and welcome your new hires should be a priority. Employees are most productive and engaged in their first 6 months with a company. How you welcome, interact, onboard and engage them during this time is critical to their personal and professional success for the employee and the company.

New Employee Welcome

Employee engagement isn’t rocket science. It’s mostly about showing up and following up which is where many employers fail miserably. New hire engagement is a lot like my diet and exercise resolution. It’s January 1st and I’m so excited, pumped and hell bent to meeting those new year resolutions. The first couple days of the new year and my visits to the gym happen because of my enthusiasm and unwavering commitment. Until life gets in the way.

Well, this year I’m changing that. I have two pinched nerves in my back and neck. I’m absolutely miserable and I need to make a change. It’s my belief that many employers are of the same mind. The increased turnover and unhappy workforce is something they can’t ignore. They are absolutely miserable and can no longer be in denial. They need to make a change. Otherwise, that pinched nerve will probably get worse and employee turnover will continue to increase because your workforce has choices with the economy on the upswing.

Welcome New Employee Email.

•  A simple way to recognize and welcome your employees. But first make sure they have an actual desk, email access and a computer in order to read the all employee welcome email. I also like to encourage my managers and peers to invite new hires to a team lunch the first week.

New Hire Checklist.

• Outline expectations are important as well as a plan to get there. A new hire checklist does just that.

Employee Training/Onboarding.

•  It’s my hope that the new hire checklist helps outline the training, learning and onboarding for that new employee. I’m of the mind that onboarding begins from the moment that candidate accepts that job offer until they have 12 months of tenure with your company.

Feedback and Focus Group Meetings.

•  There is nothing that keeps employees more engaged than feeling like they don’t have a say or a voice especially for a new employee. Set up a simple 30 and 90 days focus group meeting with your new hires facilitated by HR either in person or over the phone. Complementary to these meetings are quick online surveys. I recommend survey monkey.

Bi-monthly 1 on 1’s with Manager.

•  Just like visits with my doctor for my neck and back, your new hire needs to touch base with their manager to get some encouragement, feedback and develop a relationship that makes them want to stay working at your company.

Bonus: Recruiter check in.

•  A recruiter is an ambassador for the organization and is often the first person a candidate engages before they become an employee. A special relationship is developed. This new hire looks up to that recruiter, and I believe that because of that the recruiter should be responsible for checking in whether he/she is dropping by the cube or picking up the phone. A recruiter check-in doesn’t have to be formal but should happen at approximate anniversary dates of the new hire at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days.