With the ever increasing costs of recruitment and selection our leaders and managers need to take responsibility for their new starters. I am not suggesting they take over the extremely valuable role HR has in the induction process, what I am suggesting is that they demonstrate acts of common courtesy and kindness.

After all, we all get frustrated when people leave shortly after they have started and there are considerable costs that are quoted to us when this happens!

All too often in my experience when a new starter joins, managers rely on other people to induct them, how can that be right?  What they are doing is giving up the valuable opportunity to find out what makes this new person tick, how they are motivated and who they really are.

I would suggest they are encouraged to look at this with number 1 in mind… The new starter!

Day 1

• Block out and protect enough time to welcome them
• Make them a drink, let them settle in before you whisk them around to meet everyone, they need to feel they are wanted and needed not overwhelmed
• Show them where the toilets are
• Where can they get lunch – a hand sketched map of the town with the best places to eat is a nice touch, if possible take them with you
• Mark on the banks and the post office if they are working in a new town – we take it for granted if we are familiar
• Their desk and seating area should be clean, tidy and welcoming with the appropriate stationary
• Give them the opportunity to make a work contribution during day 1 if possible and say thank you
• They should feel it was the best decision they made joining you – you want them to feel excited about the future
• Before they go home, ask them how the day has been for them, ask them what they have learned, make sure they go home happy, what they say at home will influence how they feel about coming back tomorrow or ‘if’ they come back tomorrow

Week 1

• Ensure that by the end of the week they have made a difference in the workplace or department
• They need to feel a part of the team – this will mean involving others in the process
• Give them feedback, make sure they feel they have made a valuable contribution
• Book and protect the time to find out how they are settling in, what have they most enjoyed and what have they found challenging and help them find a solution to the challenges don’t leave it to chance
• When they go home at the end of the week, what they will be sharing about working with you should be that this is the best possible place to work and you are the best manager they have ever had

 Month 1

• Have a monthly one to one or catch up to review progress – give them feedback on what has gone well, what needs to change and what they may consider doing differently
• Set clear objectives for the month ahead
• Use questioning to establish how they are feeling – deal with any issues and challenges don’t leave them to chance
• When they have been paid for the first time they should be feeling like they have invested their time wisely

All of these may sound simple, frankly they are but it is the minority of managers and leaders who invest the time in No 1 – the new starter, one of the people who can help them deliver the teams objectives.

Food for thought… you may know managers who need a reminder of the importance of Number 1, hope this helps.