Send new employees written orientation materials the first day on the job. This gives them a chance to skim information and prepare questions for the orientation sessions. In addition, the employee can refer to the materials for any information he or she wants immediately that may not be presented for a while. Along with the orientation materials also send a schedule of any job training sessions, such as computer training, that will occur during the orientation period.

Plan orientation sessions for no longer than 90 minutes. If you have a lot of information to cover on one orientation topic, break it into 90-minute presentation segments and plan sessions on successive days. Sticking to this time limit prevents information overload. New employees can easily become overwhelmed by fact after fact on the firm's background, beliefs, benefits, or other orientation topics.

You may not need to develop two-part or threepart orientation sessions. But if you do, here is a benefit: Participants have a good opportunity (an entire day, at least) between sessions to consider questions they may have. Some people have difficulty pinpointing their area of confusion on the spot during a postpresentation question-and-answer period. The total amount of time necessary for orientation sessions depends on the size and complexity of the organization, the complexity of the jobs new employees assume, and the number of orientation objectives to be fulfilled.

Focus on orienting each new employee, not just a group. Keep individual needs in mind. Make the supervisor key to the program (see Supervisor Training Tips on the next page). Supervisors are responsible for their personnel, and that responsibility begins on each employee's first day. Give supervisors an active part to play in orientation, and train them well. The long-term success of a new employee can depend a great deal on how involved the supervisor is in orientation and how well he or she carries out orientation responsibilities.

Ask supervisors to assign each new employee a “buddy” for the initial orientation period—a peerlevel co-worker. The buddy provides day-to-day support: to help the new employee feel at home, to answer questions, and to orient the employee to informal rules and social norms at the organization. The co-worker chosen must have excellent work behaviors, a positive attitude toward the organization, and enough experience to correctly answer the new employee's questions. The supervisor or buddy should take the new employee on a tour of the facilities during the first week of employment (see Facility Tours for guidelines).

Strange as it sounds, even a top manager should have a buddy, although the assigning of one may be much more informal. This buddy could be the new employee's mentor if a mentoring system is in place.

Assist new employees from out of town, who have a harder time feeling “at home,” by preparing packages of information about local services and events. Include such things as public transportation brochures and listings of restaurants, shopping centers, parks, libraries, churches, synagogues, and hospitals. Send these packages ahead of employment time if possible.

If your organization believes this much help is beyond the call of duty, at least make a few information suggestions to the new employees during orientation sessions. You may even consider suggesting to management that your organization host one or two social events each year for employees and their families. Experts believe such events are excellent ways to help new employees assimilate at the organization and keep them employed longer.

As a cost-cutting measure, many of today's streamlined organizations make frequent use of temporary employees. When you have “casual hires” coming and going, you need an orientation program that ensures proper training and creates instant rapport with full-time employees.

Begin your orientation with a welcome and general information about the organization. Explain company policies, such as dress guidelines and attendance, and basic work information, such as hours of operation, breaks, lunches, and general ethical work expectations. Try to give the temporary employee a quick tour of the work area, and pair them up with a supervisor or co-worker who can address any concerns they may have.

Focus your orientation for temporary employees on the following essentials:

If your organization is hiring a number of temporary employees at the same time, consider beginning a general orientation session with an icebreaker to give them an opportunity to get to know one another. (For examples, see Info-line No. 8911, “Icebreakers.”) Fostering an atmosphere of teamwork is just as important for temporary employees as it is for permanent workers. If they feel that they belong and enjoy the work environment, they will stay longer and be more productive.

Cover the history, philosophies, goals, and managerial style of the organization.

This part of the orientation covers the type of business; profile of customers or clients; facilities; functions of various divisions; products and services offered; overview of how products work and how services are provided; competitive products and services; financial background of the firm.

Distribute an organization chart showing all divisions and reporting relationships. Give the new employee a chart or handout showing the structure of his or her department. Provide the names and positions of personnel who are key to the new employee's job, including names of all top management team members.

Include what the organization expects of employees in terms of work performance: expected levels of productivity, expected work habits and ethics, and so forth. Also present what employees can expect from the organization in terms of equitable treatment, professional development opportunities, and financial rewards.

Distribute and discuss a list of organizational norms—rules of expected behavior for the organization and employees. Typical norms incorporate culture, philosophies, and values of the organization. A sample norm for the organization might be: “The equality, dignity, worth, and potential of individuals will be recognized.” Sample norms for employees might be: “We will conduct ourselves professionally: responsibly, ethically, and legally.” “We will resolve conflicts at the lowest possible levels and with willingness to negotiate.” “We will support group decisions.”

Distribute a brochure or manual prepared by human resources that covers organizational policies, procedures, compensation practices, and benefits. Provide details on the following areas of interest:

If the industry you are in requires extensive coverage of safety rules and health requirements, provide a manual and a special safety and health audiovisual presentation. If only a few rules and requirements need explanation, they can be included in the policies and procedures brochure.

Explain procedures for such things as sending interoffice correspondence, ordering supplies, requesting checks, and filling out expense reports. Show the new employee how the telephone system works, how to use the copy machine, where supplies are kept, and so forth.

On the first day of employment, the supervisor should discuss the content of the individual employee's job in a private office. The discussion should cover the job description, work objectives, and performance expectations as well as a review of the performance appraisal process. This is the time to clarify any confusion over functions and responsibilities and to tell the employee how his or her job fits in with and affects others in the organization. The supervisor should emphasize the importance of this particular job, describing how it contributes to organizational success.

An early start on orientation is advantageous for both employer and employee. Here is why:

Send oriented employees a questionnaire, asking the following questions:

Interview supervisors for their thoughts on orientation effectiveness. Ask these questions:

Do not simply collect employee and supervisor feedback—use it! Revise your program as needed to address employee and supervisor concerns and to stay current with organizational changes. The result will be continuous successful orientation outcomes. You will know if your orientation program has been successful if you can say that the new employee:

These outcomes can become part of a post-orientation follow-up evaluation to answer the question: “How did we do?” Be open to any changes that are suggested, and continually strive for a more effective process.

New employees are interested in the total organization. They want information on organizational history; they want introductions to different departments and personnel. They want a feel for the corporate culture and structure; they want to know where they fit in. They want to know what the organization expects of them, and they want to know what to expect of the organization. And they want all of this early on so they can feel comfortable on the job as soon as possible.

Good impressions at the start are essential. When new employees are welcomed, made to feel wanted and valued, given complete information, trained, coached, and supported, their feelings about the organization are enhanced. If, however, they are ignored, their feelings about the organization suffer and it is likely they will never fully recover from that experience.

As the old saying has it, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Poor early impressions of the organization stick with employees and send them looking for work elsewhere. Orientation is not, however, a one-time event but an ongoing process—employees who experience a continued learning and growth environment within the organization are likely to remain happy and productive in their jobs.