4 New Employee Orientation Hacks That Work Every Time

When it comes to new employee orientation, it’s important for companies to attempt to stay on the cutting-edge of technology. There are many ways to do this, so if you’re looking for new ways to improve your employee orientation program, this article was written for you. Here are four things you can incorporate into your new employee orientation that are guaranteed to work every time.

1. Go mobile.

These days, people do anything and everything on the go. Whether on a smartphone or a tablet, everything from interacting with friends and family to working is done on the go. It only makes sense for you to tailor your new employee orientation to a mobile platform.

The benefits of mobile employee orientation: Taking your orientation to a mobile platform will offer many benefits, from increased ease of access to saved time. Online learning is cost effective and allows for on-the-job training before new employees are actually on the job.

2. Get social.

One of the newest and greatest ways that companies are stepping up their employee orientation game is by implementing a social aspect. Social platforms already consume a tremendous amount of people’s time each day so it makes sense to offer a social platform for your orientation.

How to use social media for your employee orientation: One way to do this is to set up a social media page like a private Facebook group for new employees. Within this group or page, your new employees will be able to connect by sharing thoughts, ideas, and feedback. Having the ability to interact with one another, and with you, will make new employees feel welcome and make it easier and more comfortable for them to navigate the first few days on the job. As an added benefit, these interactions will help your company improve its employee orientation program and will provide insight into what your new employees are thinking as they begin their careers at your organization.

If your new employee orientation is presented online, many learning management systems provide their own “site communities” that act much like facebook and other social networking sites. These site communities typically offer features like a wall for members to post messages, events, photos, forums, and polls.

3. Use video.

Using video in your employee orientation is not a brand-new idea, however, it is by far one of the most effective ways to increase engagement and improve the effectiveness of your orientation program.

The benefits of using video: Adding video to the employee orientation speaks volumes for effectively communicating with new employees. For one thing, the combination of visual and audio interaction will have a much greater impact. A well-produced video quickly captures the viewer’s attention, engages emotions, and will make a lasting impression.

Additionally, video is especially helpful for people who learn better by seeing something, rather than by simply reading material. New employees are far more likely to retain information that is presented in video format as opposed to when they are asked to open a PDF of the employee handbook and read every word.

4. Encourage feedback.

Finally, it’s essential that you ask for (and value) feedback from your new employees about your orientation program. Feedback, regardless of whether it is positive or negative, is extremely helpful. You should consider all feedback and use it to improve your employee orientation program for the future.

How to get better feedback: Ideally, your new employees should be able to provide feedback in the manner that is most comfortable to them, whether that is through a confidential system or in a public forum. Employees should initiate the conversation by asking specific and general questions about each component of the employee orientation program, including questions about the material and the chosen method of delivery. To spice up your feedback collection style, you can use polls, evaluation forms, suggestion boxes, or surveys—or you can ask your new employees directly. To encourage the most honest and useful information, you could even consider offering a small prize to new employees who offer the most in-depth or valuable feedback.

There’s no way around it, new employees need time to get used to their new environment and become successful in their new position. This simple truth makes new employee orientations a must. While the manner in which organizations host and conduct employee orientation can vary drastically, the best long-term results come when companies invest time and effort into creating and updating their employee-orientation programs.