CaitlynBell
Each time a new recruit joins the team, it is the responsibility of the manager to introduce the new recruit to the team members and get him/ her settled into the office. The induction formalities like laptop, login information etc. are the responsibilities of the human resource department. Once these are taken care of and the new recruit is ready to work, that’s when the manager should make efforts to get the new recruit familiar with the rest of the team members.
Feeling comfortable in a workplace and opening up to the people around you is very important for work productivity. Only if an employee likes the work environment, knows the team members and feels comfortable, can he/ she feel open to share new ideas and challenges, resulting in higher work productivity. Time is of essence here. Within a week an employee should come out of his/ her shell and have a good professional relationship with the rest of the team members.
There are several unique and effective ways to get a new recruit into the circle of the team members and make some friends. Here are three such ways that will ensure a good bonding between a new recruit and the team members.
1. Team Introduction Meeting
Putting a new recruit on the spot and asking him/ her to introduce themselves to the team might make the newbee a little nervous. So instead, hold a team introduction meeting where all members of the team introduce themselves and tell the newbee a little about themselves. This will help the new member get to know all the team members and not feel awkward being the only one talking about himself/ herself.
2. Buddy Method
The buddy method is a very widely used method to get a new recruit familiar with the workings of a company. In a buddy method, the new recruit is assigned a team member who will act as a buddy to the new recruit. The buddy will be the go to person for the new recruit. He/ she can ask the buddy about anything and the buddy will help him/ her out with the culture of the company, tasks and plenty of other doubts and questions that a new recruit is bound to have upon joining a new organisation. The benefits of this method is that a new recruit will have a person to always go to in case of any doubts or questions. He/ she doesn’t have to worry or feel shy about being unaware of the company or the work that is expected of them. This method also ensures quick learning because a new recruit will be able to pick up things watching the buddy at work and a buddy will be able to quickly answer any queries that he/ she might have. A buddy method also ensures that the new recruit is able to make friends easily and quickly so that he/ she does not feel too lonely in a new work environment.
3. Activities Outside The Workplace
If you really want to break the ice and get the new recruit really comfortable in the team and the office, an informal meeting, out of office works really well. This could be a team lunch or one of the team away days, where the entire team goes out together to indulge in some team building activity. Corporate away days are a great idea not just for team building, but also a great way to induct a new recruit in your team. A day out for the team with fun filled activities will get the new recruit friendly and comfortable with the team members more quickly and easily. Nothing breaks the ice for a shy person and make friends like some outdoor activities. Activities like team sports, scavenger hunt or even some board games should do the trick and get your new recruit laughing with the team in no time.
Conclusion
The first week for any new recruit can be very overwhelming because he/ she has a lot to learn, starting from the names of the team members to the culture, rules and regulations of the new organisation etc. If he/ she is made to feel comfortable and welcomed into the team, the other tasks and learnings will become easier. So taking initiatives to ensure that he/ she makes friends and gets used to the work environment will go a long way in quickly getting the new recruit onto the job.
