Podcast Episode #44:
Getting New Hires to Stay

Timing on Recording: @ 32:49  ---

Topic 7: 32 On boarding Tips.

1. Have the CEO or top executive welcome them to the organization with a phone call or letter. 
2. Have a new hire luncheon on the first day to meet the team. 
3. Hang a welcome banner, for his or her workspace, signed by the team. 
4. Take a team picture on the first day and have it signed by all. 
5. Place a notice in the local paper welcoming them to let everyone know of your new team member (like consulting and law firms do). 
6. Give them a plaque celebrating their first day. 
7. Place a welcome note and/or picture on your corporate website. 
8. Give them a predated five-year pin to show them that you expect them to be part of the team for a long time. 
9. Give them a “meet everyone card” that requires (rewards) them for getting all key team members to sign the card during the first 14 days. 
10. Give them a “new hire” reserved parking spot to celebrate their first week. 
11. Give them $25 gift certificates to give to the top five mentors who help them the most during their first week/month. 
12. Get the manager to ask them for a “what they dislike” list. Develop a “more or less of” list and then manage to it. 
13. Ask them about how they like to be managed. Manage toward it. (Consider having the new hire take a DISC Assessment, which outlines how they like to be managed, do’s and don’ts for communication, and more.) 
14. Give them five free-lunch coupons to use with co-workers so they will rapidly get to know them and the local restaurants, as well. 
15. Expand the recruiter’s job description to include staying in touch with their hires and using their knowledge to help man- agers understand and manage their new employees. 
16. Give them a rouge’s gallery (pictures of the whole team) of all team members so it will be easier for them to put names with the faces they meet.  
17. Change the managers’ and teams’ performance appraisal and reward systems to include time to productivity. 
18. Prior to starting, set up their email address, password, telephone, ID card, corporate credit card, a departmental organization chart, telephone directory, and more. 
19. Provide a glossary of acronyms, buzz-words, and online FAQs so they quickly feel a part of the company culture. Knowing these words might also decrease the number of errors on the job. 
20. Assign a departmental mentor to assist them during the first month. 
21. Give them a copy of your mission and vision statements, your department’s short-term plan, and organizational chart prior to the first day. 
22. Have their business cards mailed to their house before their first day. 
23. Do a survey of your past new hires and identify their problems, frustrations, and things they would like to have more of and less of. 
24. Preassess the training needs of the candidate and schedule the required development before the candidate starts. 
25. Preschedule a series of one-on-one meetings to discuss questions and identify any frustrations or problems. 
26. Do a frustration (barriers to productivity) survey among all new hires at the end of the first, third, and sixth months. Manage to the results. 
27. Do not let the intern or human resources benefits person do the entire orientation! Dump the dull videos and take out the boring stuff. 
28. Extend the orientation to at least a week (to as much as 6 weeks) so that you don’t initially overwhelm them with information. Don’t do it all in one day. 
29. If they are new to the area give them a list of the best restaurants, schools, childcare, and so forth in the neighborhood to help them feel comfortable with their new neighborhood. 
30. If they have relocated, consider getting the spouses and kids of your current employees to help orient the family to the cool things in the community. 
31. Develop a private new hire Facebook page to help them help each other. Consider forming an affinity group and pay for their lunches. 
32. Do a post-orientation survey and ask them what they want more of and less of from orientation. Ask them to write down any new ideas or solutions they have on how to improve orientation, and then use them.