4 Must Have Elements Of A New Employee Orientation Program

If you want your employee orientation program to run smoothly and produce successful results, there are certain components you should have in place. In this guide, we’ll talk about four core elements you should incorporate into your employee orientation program so your employees retain more information and feel comfortable on their first day of work.

1. Variety

More often than not, at least some parts of your employee orientation program will be boring. To hold your new employees’ attention and keep them interested throughout the entire presentation, introduce as much variety as possible in the way the material is delivered. You can give your audience the opportunity to engage with the presenter and the material through quizzes, interactive exercises, videos, and Q&A sessions. The more you can keep your new hires on their toes during the employee orientation program, the more they’ll pay attention—which means they’ll also retain more.

2. Flexibility

One way to convey respect for new employees right off the bat is to offer flexibility in your orientation and training programming. If you have the resources to do so, it’s great to provide the option to take orientation either in person or online. Having both formats available gives employees with different learning styles and comfort levels the opportunity to train in the most effective manner for them. It also shows that your organization is forward-thinking and truly cares about the success of new employees.

3. Introduction to Company Culture

Communicating your organization’s values, mission statement, and corporate culture is very important when you’re welcoming new employees. Not only will they gain a better understanding of their new position as it relates to the company, they will gain a better understanding of how the company interacts with the community. This will also help new employees feel more welcome and comfortable with their new co-workers.

4. Compliance & Law Overview

Sometimes presenters get so caught up in the company culture portion of the program that they don’t leave enough time to discuss relevant laws and compliance obligations. This mistake can be a costly one, and should be avoided as much as possible. It’s crucial that new employees are trained on all relevant compliance rules and laws and that updates are made available as needed.

Employee orientation is your best chance to help new hires understand how the company does business and get new hires up to speed as quickly as possible. Although no two companies will host the exact same employee orientation, there will certainly be similarities in structure and content. Knowing what information must be included is the first step to creating an employee orientation program or revamping the one you’re currently using.