“Cabin crew, prepare for take-off. In case of emergency, please secure your own mask before you assist others. Exits are found on either side of the plane, as well as in the front and back. Please note the closest exit may be behind you.”

“Keep your hands and feet inside at all times and your seat belt securely fastened until we come to a complete stop.”

Before a flight or a ride at an amusement park, we are given a short set of instructions for our safety and enjoyment. Similarly, when we begin a new position with a company, the instructions we receive are limited.

“Here is an overview of your benefits, please complete these forms.”

But, is that all we should be sharing with a new employee before showing them to their cubicle? Some companies would say yes. They have gone through the “must do” checklist and think everything is complete.

However, let us introduce or remind you of some additional boxes that you might want to consider putting on the list to give new employees a better on boarding process.

• Assign a mentor to partner with the new employee for the first year.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” A mentor/mentee relationship is an intentional matching of two employees with the goal of strengthening the new employee’s knowledge, giving them a go-to person, and creating a framework for more informal company conversations. The Huffington Post’s article, 10 Reasons Why a Mentor Is a Must highlights the importance of advisers and the role they play in employee development.

• Conduct entrance interviews at 30, 60 and 90 days.

Team Builders Plus’ article, Conduct Entrance (Not Exit) Interviews says conducting entrance interviews not only helps managers to identify de-motivators, but also gives them an opportunity to demonstrate that they care about their people. It’s important to continue to stay focused on the employee’s needs and give new employees a platform to share what they have learned, what areas they need more training and an opportunity to give feedback in both directions.

• Develop rapport with employees.

Connecting with people and building rapport sometimes happens naturally. You “hit it off” with someone without having to try – this is often how friendships are built. Other times, these skills need to be learned and practiced. Some people build relationships by finding common ground and by being empathic. It’s important to remember that we must focus on the internal customers, like we would if they were our external customers. Read more ideas on building rapport at the Skills You Need’s web site.

These are just a few examples of how we can strengthen engagement beginning day one. And, if day one is in the past, it’s never too late to start. Please don’t forget to buckle up on your onboarding journey and push the call button if you need assistance. We would like to travel this journey with you and are available to further discuss onboarding and any other HR needs.

Emily Possidento is the HR Consulting Senior Manager at MCM. She has more than 16 years of experience in hiring assistance, assessments, and organizational development. Prior to joining MCM, she worked for a Fortune 100 company, as well as a privately-held executive search firm.

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