From the new persons perspective, onboarding can be a stressful process. A lot of changes very quickly are always going to be somewhat stressful. However there are ways as an employer (and as a colleague!) that you can make onboarding not only less stressful but a bit more enjoyable too!
Create an onboarding plan
At Brown Paper Packages we believe that organisation is key when it comes to reducing stress. If the new employee in question has a plan laid out in front of them that they can follow, it’s much easier for them to feel comfortable in the new environment if they have a better idea of what their responsibilities are immediately. Nothing is more stressful than not knowing what you’re meant to be doing on the first day!
Connect them with a mentor
In our opinion assigning someone to help assist with any hiccups that occur when starting the job is essential. It not only helps them form a new professional relationship straight off the bat, but also lets them learn about how things are run at their new company in a much more efficient, and less stressful way. If we're being honest, none of us are experts at our job on day one. Regardless of previous experience, every company does things a little bit different! Mentors are the best way to help someone ease in to a new role.
Send some welcome gifts!
You probably guessed we were going to say this one… We believe wellbeing gifts for staff are always a good way of showing employee appreciation, but they can also be used to ease the pressure of onboarding. A gift is a great way to remind the new employee how excited you are to have them on board. Especially if they’re personalised – you can build your own gift box with us! So why not send them a care package?
Company Culture
Make sure the onboarding employee is filled in! Company culture is different at every corporation. To make sure settling in is as easy as possible, let the new employee know what’s what when it comes to company values, policies and procedures. It’s also important to make sure everyone on the team is welcoming. Nothing is worse than making the new employee feel isolated. Remember it's everyone's responsibility to foster a friendly environment at work.
Gamification
Make the process a bit more fun for everyone! Gamification is the process of adding game mechanics into a non-game situation. Perhaps you could create an event at the end of the month to award certificates and prizes to employees who have excelled in certain areas. We think our Brown Paper Packages would make for a great prize ?
Having a better onboarding process doesn’t solely reduce the stress on the new employee though, there are numerous benefits for both parties – improved performance, better retention, and improved employee satisfaction to name just a few. So we really think it’s vital to make new employees as comfortable as possible in their new work environment!
