Building Bonds: How to Cultivate Connections with New Hires from Day One
Building rapport with new hires increases retention, collaboration, and employee engagement. Making a good impression and proactively strengthening these bonds is crucial for team success. Here are four ways to build these bonds with new hires from day one.
Get to know employees
While you may have learned things about your employees in the hiring process, knowing who they are takes time. Each new hire brings a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Great managers invest time in communication with employees. Take time to ask them what they enjoy and what they see as their strengths. Allow them to give feedback on how they experience their role. This simple step of open communication can eliminate misunderstanding and help your new hire bring the most to the team. Schedule one-on-one meetings periodically and intentionally to create space to foster the relationship.
be available
New employees may have a lot of questions. Let them know it is okay to ask. If you cannot be available due to scheduling, assign a buddy to your new employee. Choose another employee who knows their role well and can act as a kind coach to the office environment, systems, and company policies.
According to Finance Online, 54% of companies with onboarding programs reported higher employee engagement. If you haven’t updated your onboarding in a while, walk through your process as if you were a new person to seek areas of improvement. You can also ask for feedback from the new hire, as they can provide a valuable objective perspective. Reiterate to the new hire that no question is insignificant and that you or someone on the team is available to help.
show support
Employees at every stage appreciate it when they know their boss and team support their role. Offer specific encouragement when a new hire does something well. Allow them to speak during meetings and offer new ideas. Creating space for their voice to be heard will empower them to take ownership of their role. Avoid micromanaging. Give them time and space to acclimate and encourage their engagement and input on projects. Employees who feel valued and heard are likelier to remain with your company.
Practice empathy
We all remember what it is like to be a new person somewhere. Practicing empathy means putting yourself in the shoes of a new hire. What would you want to know coming into a role? How would you like your boss to respond to you? What would make you feel more comfortable when joining the team? All these questions can help you increase your EQ (emotional intelligence) and get in touch with what new hires need.
Need more advice on employee engagement?
At Source One, we offer more than staffing solutions. We are a one-stop destination for all things HR. We offer HR consulting to help you increase retention and troubleshoot problem areas. Now is the perfect time to optimize your team’s performance by auditing your process. Ready for an HR tune-up? Contact our office today!