New hire orientation | How to organize an indulgent employee orientation program in 2021?

There is a way to create long enduring relationships with an indulging new hire orientation. Read on to know more!

New hire orientation is a process of welcoming a new employee to your office. It helps to introduce new employees to their job tasks, team members, company culture, processes, etc. The orientation program makes it easier for the new employee to get familiar with the new job and workspace.

It is also the beginning of a relationship between employer and employee. Effective employee orientation program handles paperwork formalities and answers any questions or concerns employees have before starting their respective jobs. New employee orientation is necessary as it provides employees a smooth transition into their new jobs.

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What is orientation?

What is orientation? Orientation definition explains it as a process that is designed to bring the new employee all the information they would need. According to the dictionary, orientation meaning is the act or process of being oriented. Let us define oriented, to be oriented means to adapt yourself according to specified circumstances.

Orientation definition in traditional workplaces

Let us define orientation in traditional workplaces. Employee orientation as part of the new hire orientation has been defined as the process of introducing new employees to their new job roles, work environment, and workplace.

Work orientations provide a platform for employers to showcase their work policies and the value that they follow. The base definition of orientation has not changed much since the years but the methods keep on evolving as time continues to pass.

Orientation meaning in the new remote work culture

What does orientation mean when it is applied to remote work culture? Orientation for remote joiners can be done through video conferencing software. Effective job orientation as part of the new hire orientation is essential for remote employees to integrate them with the company’s process. 

When a worker joins remotely, managers or leaders must ensure that they feel part of the team. Employment orientation is a great way to introduce employees to team members.

What does orientation mean for a new joiner?

What is the meaning of orientation for a new joiner? New job orientation is a great way for employees to get introduced to the new workplace and their team members. A major purpose of the employee orientation program is to make the employee feel welcomed to the new company. A new joiner can take advantage of several benefits of orientation such as understanding the company’s culture, and vision while they attend the new hire orientation programs.

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Significance of job orientation

Why is orientation important? What does orientation mean for a job? Orientation as part of the new hire orientation program is important to help the new employees adapt to the work culture. It helps in making the employees feel more relaxed and fight initial stress and anxiety of starting a new job. A relaxed and happy employee is more likely to be productive which is directly benefitting the organization.

An effective hr orientation asks for feedback from the employees and allows them to ask questions regarding the job. The data collected is helpful for organizations to work on their problems that employees are facing. The new employee orientation agenda is to build relationships between new employees and their team members.

Orientation is the human resources function that aims at making the new hire orientation feel welcomed, comfortable, supported, etc. A positive and impactful orientation ensures that the employee starts their day with pride and feels a sense of loyalty towards the company. Many organizations have great orientation programs that help them in retaining a talented pool of people.

Another significance of job orientation is to help employees with all the information they would need in the course of their work and avoid any confusion.

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Benefits of conducting formal employee orientation for new members

The new employee orientation program is helpful in making an employee feel welcomed in the new company. We will discuss several benefits of conducting formal employee orientation for new employees,

1. Helps in acclimatizing new employees to the organization – The purpose of the orientation process is to help new employees get familiar with the organization and how it functions. 
2. Makes the onboarding process smooth – New staff orientation is beneficial in making the employees feel welcomed and reduces the stress and anxiety of starting a new role.
3. Increases the overall productivity of an organization – An effective orientation process ensures that the new employee is happy, motivated, and excited to start their new role.
4. Establishes relationship between employer and employee – New employees orientation program creates a strong bond between an employer and an employee.
5. Increases employee retention rate – The job orientation process reduces staff turnover rates and increases the chances of retaining employees for a longer period of time.
6. Establishing clear company standards – The new hire orientation process makes employees aware of company standards to avoid future disputes and disagreements. 
7. Clarifies employee’s concerns and queries – Work orientation provides a platform for the employees to place their concerns and queries.

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Key items to be included in new employee orientation

An employee orientation checklist created as part of the new hire orientation would ensure that you are not missing out on anything. Every organization has a core of information that needs to be shared with the employees. Here are some key items to be included in new employee orientation,

The employee-oriented process should start with a welcome note

Employee oriented process in an organization should start with a welcome note to keep the employees happy and excited about their day. A welcome message during company orientation will tell employees that they are a valued part of the team.

It can also include a brief about the company’s vision and mission. Let the new hire orientation come a little late so that they can get adjusted with the routes.

Completing documentation at work orientations

The second and the most important key element that must be included as part of the work orientations is to get all the necessary documents filled and signed.

Employees’ orientation can get tiresome due to all the paperwork hence keep in mind to spread them throughout the day. Keep a bunch of fun activities to initiate new employee introduction. Ensure that they have filled all the paperwork for the human resources department before the new hire orientation is kicked in.

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Background check verification is part of the new employee orientation program

Before hiring or onboarding an employee, it is important to get a background verification done. It helps in ensuring that you are hiring the right kind of person before providing a new hire orientation program.

The new employee orientation program will make sure that all the employees getting oriented have successfully cleared their background verification checks. It is usually done just after an employee accepts the offer letter extended to them.

Get everyone to know each other through new employee introduction activities

New employee introduction is another key element that helps the employee to get to know one another and a must-have in the new hire orientation process.

A big part of orientation for job includes introducing new joiners to their colleagues with whom they will be working. If possible either the manager or a senior member of the team can take the new joiner for lunch and introduce to everyone in the team.

New employees orientation program should include information about critical employer’s policies

New employees orientation program helps employers gain information about the different employer’s policies. A journeys employee handbook is another great way of giving everything a new employee would need in one place, which shall be included in the new hire orientation process.

The organization’s policies regarding office timings, commute, mobile, and data plans, etc. should be conveyed during the people-orientation process. Equip employees with proper tools to be prepared for their new job role.

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Orientation job requires collecting legal employment forms

One important part of the orientation job is to collect legal employment forms such as Form W-4, Form I-9, direct deposit documents, state tax withholding documents, etc. These are the forms required by state or federal law.

Ask if they have any questions regarding these forms and help them fill them out efficiently. These forms should be collected from each and every new employee duly filled and signed during the new hire orientation. 

Work orientation is a great place for sharing information about the company’s core values and culture

Work orientation is a process through which employers inform employees about their company and the work ethics expected from the employees.

Your orientation plan included in the new hire orientation process should include a session where employers share about their company’s vision and what values do they believe in. It is essential for employees to feel connected with these values and be ready to accept the company culture.

Provide necessary work items during the company orientation

Another key element to keep in mind during the company orientation during new hire orientation is to provide necessary work items to the new hires. Essential items may include laptops, desktops, access cards, meal passes, uniforms, etc.

Arrange a visit to the IT department to help them set up their workstations and be ready to start their job. Check with the respective managers to see if the employee has any special requirements.

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Orientation for a job generally includes a tour of the workplace

Include a tour of the workplace while organizing an orientation for a job. Take them around the office premises and give a tour of the important places such as parking, medical center, cafeteria, IT department, gym, recreational area, watercoolers, etc. It would help them get around easily during their initial days at work and navigate their way around the office easily and hence a must to include in the new hire orientation.

Include a team lunch as part of people-orientation

A team lunch as part of people orientation is a great idea to include in the new hire orientation to acclimatize the new employee with the team. It can either be organized by the manager or a senior team member, who can take the employee for the lunch along with the entire team.

This would help in connecting with everyone informally and break the ice. This practice helps employees ease into the work without stress.

Provide welcome gifts as part of orientation training

Who doesn’t like gifts? Create a welcome gift hamper for all the new joiners to express your gratitude towards them. It would keep the employees in high spirits and start the relationship on a positive note. Simple gifts such as a fridge magnet, coffee mug, t-shirts, gift cards, etc are advised to give a nice touch to the entire orientation for work process during the new hire orientation.

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Convey details about company-oriented safety information

Inform the new joiners about company-oriented safety information on the very first day and include this item in the key list of aspects to be covered in the agenda of the new hire orientation. If there are any insurance or medical policies available for the employees and their families, let them know about it.

Ask everyone to complete the respective forms in order to avail the policies. Any other job-related safety information should be conveyed as well during the new employee orientation training conducted by the organization.

Tell employees about food and beverage policies during the job orientation process

If your company has food and beverage policies, then let the new hires during the new hire orientation know about them during the job orientation process. Tell them where the pantry is and how does it work. What kind of snacks or food is available as part of the job free of cost. Let them about different meal plans that your company provides and the cafeteria policies. 

Give a list of important company contacts during orientation for job

New employees often find themselves lost in all the sea of information thrown at them during the initial days. To make it easier for them provide a list of important company contact numbers during orientation for job that might come in handy during their course of work.

This might include the contact details of the transportation department, HR department, postal department, IT department, medical department, etc.

Ask feedback once the employee orientation program is complete

Ask general feedback from each employee to understand their experience of the employee orientation program. It helps in fixing the loopholes and making the process better each time. Get everyone’s opinion on what they liked and disliked about the orientation for job process. This data can be used as input to improve the upcoming new employee orientation programs.

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New employees orientation checklist

A new employee orientation checklist makes it easier for employers and employees to have a great first day. Here is a new employees orientation checklist that you can follow,

1. Collect all mandatory forms duly filled and signed,
   1. I-9 Form
   2. W-4 Form
   3. Employee contract
2. Signed copies of the document,
   1. Employment offer
   2. Terms and conditions of employment
3. Give a policy overview of the company and get the following documents signed by the employees,
   1. Non-disclosure agreement
   2. Non-compete agreement
4. The new hire orientation checklist includes detailed information about company benefits such as mobile phones, company car policy, stock options, etc.
5. Employee Uniform (if any) or Dress-code
6. Access Card/ID card
7. Help from the IT department to set up a new workstation.
8. One-on-one with manager to understand job role and responsibilities.
9. A tour of the workplace to get familiar with different departments.
10. Provide them with basic stationery for their day-to-day work activities.

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New employee orientation best practices

Going ahead, we will discuss some new employee orientation best practices to be followed for a smooth transition,

1. Make your employees feel welcomed by arranging an informal reception.
2. Do not bore employees with facts and figures, rather lead them through hands-on activities.
3. Explain how they and their work are valuable for the organization.
4. Spread out the paperwork periodically throughout the orientation process.
5. Ask your employees for feedback after they have completed the orientation process.
6. Get your new hires during the new hire orientation excited about the entire process by sending them the day’s agenda in advance.
7. Ask the new hires during the new hire orientation to introduce themselves and encourage them to get to know each other.
8. Provide training to the new hires as part of the new hire orientation on cultural aspects of the organization.
9. Assign a mentor to help them get ramped up for the work.
10. Include realistic information that would help employees during their initial days at work.

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New employee orientation ideas

Here are few new employee orientation ideas to make the process hassle-free,

1. Set up team lunch
2. Let new hires come late
3. Assign office buddy
4. Introduce department heads
5. Give office tour
6. Offer tech help
7. Run through company benefits
8. Set clear expectations
9. Ensure a 1-1 with the new manager
10. Ask for feedback

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Use unremot for new hire orientation

unremot virtual watercooler platform is a great tool to organize new hire orientation programs for remote new employees. It helps in creating different types of water coolers dedicated to a particular purpose. All you have to do is create a separate water cooler for the staff orientation and send them an invite to join the water cooler at a scheduled time.

It enables employers and employees to connect with each other and create a strong bond. Virtual watercooler by unremot helps to create a feeling of team belongingness amongst team members by encouraging conversation.