Your new employee's first day!

Hiring managers, leaders in human resources and senior level people, even Mr or Mrs CEO...listen up.

It isn't rocket science and you've heard it before: first impressions mean everything.  

The little unknown, or forgotten, about a first impression in the work-force is that there are several first impressions when on-boarding a new hire.  The first phone interview, first in-person interview, and of course the first day. Here is just the super short-list of ideas to consider when you have a new employee starting:

1. Be sure that if the office starting time is usually 8 or 8:30 that you have instructed your new employee to be in after that, say 9 or even better, 9:30. 

2. Be sure your new employee's desk and/or office is ready to roll.  Has IT done their part to ensure sign-on and log-in information is at his or her fingertips.  Is the computer new and if not did you take the time to blow out that dusty keyboard, wipe down the screen, desk, chair, and maybe even put a nice new plant on the desk?

3. Did you send out an email last Friday reminding the office, or the team, that there is a new employee starting on Monday?  

Why do we mention just a few of these seemingly obvious tips? Horror stories, that's why.  Put yourself in our shoes for a second and imagine asking a candidate how her first day was and she answers, "well they took me out to lunch, which was great.  But I spent most of the morning waiting for log-on information.  I guess their help-desk person wasn't at work that day."

Instead, picture this: you awake on your first day of a new job having gotten an extra hour to fully prepare yourself, grab a nice breakfast and take some time getting to work without worrying about rushing.  You arrive to an office full of welcoming smiles who are obviously expecting you.  Your desk is ready to go and there is even a little jade plant next to your phone.  

What is that employee likely to say about her first day to friends and family and her former coworkers about her new job because everyone always asks:

"SO HOW WAS YOUR FIRST DAY?!"

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