Day 1 matters: does your new hire feel at home?

Coming from tech, I tend to focus on the stuff when a new hire is about to start: the PC, the phone, the network access, the email groups. IT's definition of successful onboarding is that every account and device is ready on or before Day 1. HR's definition is that the paperwork, benefits, tax forms, and company briefing are done.

Now look at it from the other side of the front door.

The new hire follows their phone's directions to the building, parks in what turns out to be the wrong spot, studies the lobby directory, and awkwardly asks the front desk for their manager. The manager walks them around to meet people whose names are forgotten on the spot, delivers them to a desk, and says, "Good luck!"

Is that enough? Is that the first impression we want to make?

The checklist is not the welcome

In my IT organization, we have a syllabus covering everything a new hire must learn in the first three months, with daily and weekly goals. It's dense and intense, because the role is critical. And still I had a nagging feeling I was missing something.

After bringing on my last new hire, it finally clicked. Onboarding is more than boxes on a checklist.

We cram in as much information as possible to make people productive fast, and we ignore how they feel: uncertain, awkward, and trying to find their place in a team of strangers. Ignoring that may slow down the very productivity we're chasing.

Nobody is saying throw away the checklist. Add to it. You spent serious time and energy finding and vetting this person, and they have a critical job to do. Act like it.

Seven ways to make Day 1 count

• Meet them in the parking lot and walk them in. Better yet, meet at a coffee shop first and buy them a coffee.
• Hold a Day 1 team event to bring them into the group, and a couple more over the next few weeks. A round of Pictionary works fine.
• Sit down with them on Day 1 and lay out your expectations, the requirements of the role, and any deliverables. Make it clear that questions are welcome anytime.
• Within the first few days, ask for their advice. Then thank them for it.
• Put a plant on their desk with a note saying how glad you are that they joined.
• Take the team to lunch and let everyone get to know each other.
• Host a potluck on their first day and invite the wider department.

Show them they chose well

There's plenty of research showing that happy employees are more productive and that appreciation is a powerful motivator.

So start on Day 1. Make sure your new hire goes home that first evening knowing they made the right decision to join your team.

A longer version of this article first appeared on LinkedIn in 2017. Read the original there.