Plan an orientation day for new staff

If a new staff member were to start at your company tomorrow, what would you tell them about your company, your culture and your strategy?

It’s a question that many start-up entrepreneurs will tackle this year as they bring on new employees to support their expansion plans. But at the small end of town, many businesses pay little or no attention to a formal orientation day for new hires.

This is a mistake. Entrepreneurs should plan out what their ideal orientation day would look like well before they need to bring a staff member one.

Think about what you would need to do to bring a new hire up to speed with your business. What information would you give them to ensure they fit in smoothly?

Topics to be covered might include:

• Formal workplace policies (such as OH&S and employment policies).
• Company values (and examples of how they are demonstrated by staff members).
• Industry update.
• Company strategy and vision.
• Product familiarisation.
• Facility tours.

Remember, this is about first impressions. You need to show your new employees what is important to your company, where the business is going and what is expected of them.

It’s a big company idea that is easy for little companies to do, so get it done – today!