Done well, the welcome you provide enables the newcomer to slot into their role quickly; they enjoy learning the ropes and making new friends. A happy employee, who speedily gets to grips with their new job is beneficial to everyone - you, the rest of the team, the new colleague and your organisation.
A young person I know recently joined a new work team and immediately was made to feel wanted and valued. She has subsequently gone out of her way to support her colleagues, doing her very best to contribute to the team’s success. The welcome she received made her feel good about her role and the decision she had made to accept the job offer.
Another person I know had a very different experience. Dropped in at the deep end without encouragement and often encountering sarcasm from others in the team, she quickly felt miserable about her job. She left within a year.
Think back to your first day in your current role. What was it like? Were you left to get on with things yourself and made to feel awkward about not knowing how to do things, who to speak with, or even where the loos were? Or were you given a warm and positive welcome, and made to feel part of the team?
The welcome sets the tone for what is to follow. So, make sure you get it right.
Don’t rubbish your employer
You may have particular views on the imperfections of your organisation but now is not the time to air them! Negative comments and cynicism is very unhelpful.
Talk with them, not at them
Show respect for the other person. Interact with them in proper adult-to-adult conversation. Don’t heap masses of information and detail upon them - there is a lot to take in when you start a new job and overloading people with too much all at once is bound to cause unnecessary concern.
Show them the correct way of doing things
When demonstrating procedures or processes, show your new colleague the correct way of doing things. You might have found ‘short cuts’ or worked out your own methodology but it’s important that the new starter learns the officially approved way.
Make them feel valued
You spend a lot of time at work with your colleagues, so making them feel like a valued part of the team is essential. You want your new colleague to look forward to coming to work. People react according to the way they are treated. It’s mutually beneficial to be supportive, friendly and helpful.
What To Say When You Welcome a New Team Member
The ‘One to Watch’ for March 2017 is our WATCH & GO video ‘What To Say When There’s a New Team Member’. Sometimes it can be difficult to know what to say to a new team member when you meet for the first time, especially when you have plenty of your own work to be getting on with. This video gives you some useful tips and practical phrases to use when welcoming a new colleague.
The running time is just 6 minutes 54 seconds.
See this video for yourself now by clicking on this link:
https://video.scottbradbury.co.uk/catherine5:bfcf78/watch/33/
Find out more
You can see a full list of our available videos here https://www.watchandgovideos.co.uk/videos/topics-and-titles/
If you’d like a free demonstration and access to our entire library of WATCH & GO® videos for evaluation purposes, please call 01638 723590 or visit www.watchandgovideos.co.uk
March 2017