New Employee Training

When beginning a new job, there are countless new things that a person has to adjust to. From new projects and clients to a new boss to something as simple as where the coffee maker is located, a new job always means that there is a lot to learn. No matter how much experience a person has, no one can ever know every policy of a new workplace the moment they walk in the door, and a company certainly cannot expect new employees to perform at their best if they are just thrown into a new huge project without even being trained on the material. In addition, adjusting to a new work environment is one of the biggest factors related to success in the workplace, so it is important for new employees to become acquainted with their fellow coworkers to help them feel comfortable in the unfamiliar environment.

However, an orientation program that is simply thrown together over a morning cup of coffee and lasts less than 45 minutes will not do anything to help new employees either. Ideally, orientation would last for several days, and allow the new employees to practice all of the tasks they will need to use when they are set out on their own. The orientation program is also the best time to inform the new employees of all the company policies and rules on things like dress code, vacations, sick leave, and overtime pay. Orientation also serves as a time for the new employees to get acquainted with coworkers, so the program should also include a few team-building exercises, even if it's something as simple as workplace related charades. Being able to interact with their new coworkers will allow the new employees to feel comfortable in their new environment, and if they feel comfortable they will certainly be able to do their job more successfully.

In addition to those topics, orientation should also be a time for the new employees to familiarize themselves with the office area itself and with the location of various places in the building. One of the first things covered in the orientation should be a tour of the building, so that all of the employees are able to find the payroll department, the bosses' offices, the restrooms, the break room, the cafeteria, and the supply room. Knowing where all of these places are from the beginning will save them from wandering around aimlessly trying to find them on their own later. Even the most experienced new employees won't be able to immediately know where these places are located without someone first showing them, and there is no better time than during orientation.

After familiarizing themselves with their new work environment and the policies of the company, the new employees should be trained in the way everything is done in the company. Every workplace has different methods when it comes to sharing important