First Day at Work

Employers have not recognized the importance for an employee's first day at work.  Most employers treat it as a formality to introduce them to everyone and the environment.  But for the employee, the first day is when they realize whether they've made the right decision and if you're the same person they interviewed.

According to Jason Dorsey (Generational Expert), Gen-Yers will decide whether they are staying or not at their new job by LUNCH TIME.  They'll be either texting all of their friends to apply or they will be using your computer to seek another job.  You know how difficult it is to attract top talent, why wouldn't you create a marketing plan to retain potential leaders?

You can do several things to make an employee's first day memorable, here are some ideas (if they apply to your environment):

• Business cards with their name - a person's own name is the sweetest sound
• Full Attention - dedicate time to really welcoming them and making them feel at home
• Start Date - any day aside from Monday as it is most operator's catch-up day
• Assign a small project to integrate them
• Announce and Introduce this new person to all your employees in advance of their arrival so their is a sense of knowing and anticapation (which translates into a warm feeling by the new employee)
• Pair them with someone who they can shadow (should be same gender and age group)
• Assign a locker, desk or work space in advance to create a sense of organization
• Ensure the first day is fun and unique to make them feel special

Company Culture is the driver of results, start making it your priority.