The time between when a new-hire accepts his or her job offer to the first day at the office is very important. When utilized efficiently and effectively, this period of time can serve as a powerful resource in setting up a new hire for success.

A great use of this interim, is to have the new hire complete a company onboarding process. Having an effective onboarding process, not only leverages the manager’s time, but also provides a systematic structure for the new hire to get started in a new role – educating him or her on company history, vision, compliance, and role specifications. This is just a starting point to a great onboarding system — some companies may need less, some may need more.

What is perhaps more important is the role that the manager plays once the onboarding is complete. In the midst of learning about the company, and trying to fully understand his or her new role, a new hire can feel extremely overwhelmed in trying to grasp it all. That being said, once the onboarding process is complete, it is time for the manager to step up and take the reins. Furthermore, among everyone in the organization, the manager who is responsible for hiring the new person will have the largest impact on new hires who enter the organization.

Feel ‘At-Home’

As the manager it is important to help the new hire integrate into the company culture and begin fostering relationships with co-workers right away. While adjusting to the new position, he or she will most likely spend a lot of time working alone, so making it a point to make him or her feel welcome is crucial. When possible, introduce the new hire to those in leadership positions. By helping new hires create new relationships within the organization, they will feel more comfortable working alongside peers and asking for help when needed.

Setting Expectations

A new hire will not be able to effectively begin working within his or her new role without the proper guidance from the manager. During the hiring process, the job expectations were probably explained, however now they must be reiterated again and in more depth. After the manager paints the picture of the role and its expectations, the new hire should feel really confident in knowing what they need to do, how to do it, and ‘the why’ behind it. This is a very important piece of the onboarding process, and will give the new hire increased motivation to dive into his or her new role.

Continuous Coaching

Although a hiring manager’s support is most needed in the very beginning, a new hire greatly appreciates the ongoing and continuous support even after settling in. A new hire continues to look to his or her manager as a ‘go-to’ person when they have a question or need advice. As a manager, make it a point to connect with the new hire once a week or twice a month to check-in and see what further support you can offer. Furthermore, recognize when the new hire may be struggling with a project or having trouble blending in with the culture and offer a helping hand.

Throughout the onboarding process and becoming integrated with the company, the new hire is likely to experience less failure, he or she feels more engaged, and the company is able to create greater retention.