10 Ways to Make Your New Employee Feel Welcome

Whether you work in an office, shop, or construction site – one thing is certain. Giving your newbies the perfect first day will lay the foundations of a good working relationship and a bright future for your employee.

How to Welcome a New Employee: 10 Top Tips

Prepare properly

Nothing is more unwelcoming than if your new starter feels like you aren’t ready for them. If they arrive and you’re scrambling around trying to find a working computer, a chair that’s intact, or a uniform that doesn’t drown them – your new employee’s sense of value will already begin to diminish. Take some time, instead, to make sure their workspace is fully kitted out, with software and passwords prepared and all documentation printed for them to sign.

Send out an email

Don’t let your new employee feel like a stranger. Make sure you send an email round the workplace at least a day before they arrive, informing the other staff members of their impending arrival. This way, other staff members will have a sense of who the new starter is and be able to say a friendly ‘hi’ in the corridor.  

Treat them to a lie in

It’s not uncommon for the first day of a new job to feel like it’s lasting for eons. Allowing your new employee to arrive an hour or so later than the standard start time will not only ease them in more gently, but will also give you a valuable hour to make some final preparations before their arrival.

Give them the grand tour

Lessen the first day bewilderment by giving your new starter a tour around the workplace, being sure to point out essential areas such as toilets, gyms, kitchens, different departments, and fire exits. Introduce as many people as is feasible; if you work somewhere with a large workforce, introducing just the key managers of each department will suffice.

Kit them out with branded goodies

Make your newbie feel part of the team with branded drinkware, notebooks, pens or keyrings. Receiving gifts on the first day is pleasing for anyone, and can add to a newbie’s sense of value. Not only this, but branded items can bring a smartness and unity to your workplace, and also promote your business to the outside world e.g. travel mugs, pens. Here at Midway Clothing, we professionally brand a diverse range of products with your company colours and logo.

Create a welcome pack

Welcome packs can include a welcome letter, the employee handbook, documentation to fill in, something amusing or personal to your department, sweets, and the branded items described in the last point. The more effort you put in, the more appreciated your newbie will feel.

Ensure their uniform is ready and waiting

If your workplace has a uniform, get any necessary measurements well in advance so you can order a full set of perfectly-sized garments. Having fresh uniform waiting for your newbie shows more care and attention than giving them a wrinkled shirt pulled from lost property. Midway Clothing can provide and brand workwear and uniforms for any type of business.

Buddy up

Everyone has questions on their first day, but some people may be nervous to ask too many. Assigning your newbie a mentor, or ‘buddy’, can offer them some relief and prove an invaluable way of making sure your new starter is not afraid to ask questions instrumental to their development and integration.

Start them slowly

Inundating your newbie with a huge workload of complex tasks is a surefire way to put anyone off a new job. Instead, ease them in slowly with a moderate workload of doable tasks, making sure there is just enough there to challenge and engage – because on the flipside, we also don’t want to bore them!  

Kickstart the social calendar

Has your work social calendar dried up lately? Integrating a new starter could be the ideal excuse to organise some fun social activities for your department or the wider company. It can be as simple as a meal or drinks after work, or a fun team building activity – whatever you choose to do, remember that friendships and sociability are crucial for improving the quality of working life, and must not be neglected.

If you’re searching for quality branded workwear and promotional items, look no further than Midway Clothing & Promotions. We offer a diverse range of corporate wear, stationary, drinkware, promotional items, and safety clothing – all of which can be emblazoned with your company name and logo. Though based in Nottingham, we can deliver throughout the UK – get in touch to find out more.