According to Avito Rabota researchers, 65% of Russians have at least once thought about changing their place of employment. Popular reasons for leaving for a new employer include the desire to earn more, find a balance between work and personal life, get rid of routine, and overcome professional burnout and stress.
Many changed companies more than once, and each time their first day at a new job was, of course, very exciting. After all, you won't get a second chance to make a first impression. Moreover, the impression is formed not only by those who have already interviewed the candidate, but also by colleagues, managers, and future subordinates.
What is adaptation? Why is it so important in any person's career?
Onboarding is the process of welcoming new employees into a company and assisting them. For example, it may include helping employees fill out necessary paperwork, obtain business cards, and more.
While onboarding is typically thought of as steps that occur within the first few days of an employee's tenure, in reality the process can last a year or longer. That's why it's so important to have a clear, well-established process before you start.
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Preparation
Preparation for going to work begins at the interview, or, in extreme cases, at the moment of accepting a job offer. If these stages are behind you, and you have not asked the necessary questions, then find a plausible excuse to call the company and, at the same time, clarify the missing details.
What you need to know at the interview to prepare for going to work:
- Who will meet you in the office on your first day of work? Who should you contact in case of unforeseen situations?
- How and when you will learn about the company's induction procedures. Perhaps they will tell you about them directly during the interview.
- The exact start time of work and the daily routine in the company. If the time your employees arrive at the office fluctuates between certain hours, then you need to agree with a specific person on the exact date.
- What is the company's dress code?
- Do you need to bring documents on the first day, and if so, which ones? How the registration process will be organized.
- You can clarify what software you will need to use in your work.
Process the information received and write it down in a notepad, phone or PDA, which you will definitely take with you. It is best to immediately get yourself a tool for recording information, which you will use during the trial period.
According to the points that we cited above, prepare in advance for the first working day: get yourself in order, prepare your clothes, check all the documents and put them somewhere where you won’t forget them (it’s better to go straight into your bag, you can put it on your keychain), look through programs that you will use. On the morning of your first working day, you won’t have time for the iron and other worries - don’t put everything off until the last minute.
You, of course, studied all the information about the company before the interview, but now it would be a good idea to update your knowledge and read the latest news. You will soon be bombarded with a huge flow of new information; it will not be amiss if you learn some of it in advance and free up some energy for yourself. If, when signing an agreement to go back to work, you were given some papers (a young fighter’s course, a code of ethics, internal labor regulations, or something else), then you need to work through them in the most serious way. Write down your questions and unclear points.
If you have foreign-speaking colleagues at work, it would be good to practice your English. Ask your family or friends to talk to you, watch a movie without translation, and so on.
It is best to go to work on Wednesday-Thursday, then after a short week you will have the weekend to overcome the consequences of the first working day and meet your first Monday fully armed. If you have the opportunity to vary the release day, be sure to use this advice.
If you feel nervous, make sure that you have everything ready and in perfect order, relax, do a little auto-training or meditation. Avoid parties and alcohol. Go to bed before midnight and set the right number of alarms. Tomorrow you will be ready for any surprises.
What makes sense to do before the employee starts working?
So, let's take a closer look at this point. It is advisable for you to take the following steps:
- Application for a vacancy. Send it to HR.
- Job offer. Send a formal letter. It must be signed by the new employee's supervisor.
- Paperwork. Send the new employee all the necessary paperwork.
- Basics. Submit information regarding parking, building access, and dress code. Introduce it in advance so the new employee doesn't have to worry about it.
- Description of work. Submit a job description that reflects what you learned during the interview process about the employee and their capabilities.
- Access to the portal. Make sure that the new employee can access the company website to stay up to date with news and exchange messages with colleagues.
- Welcome notes. Send the employee at least two welcome emails. One should be from the direct manager and the other from senior management.
- Advantages. Provide the employee with details of the benefits package, including vacation, sick and personal days, as well as the possibility of promotions and salary increases.
- Make sure the new employee's workspace is ready.
- Welcome to the team. Let other employees know that someone new will be arriving soon and encourage them to stop by and say hello.
What to pay attention to in the first week of work?
To begin, develop training material that covers both short-term and long-term learning.
Monitor your new employee's progress as they complete their first projects. Ask how you can help.
Don't forget to take care of your mentor as well. He should be an experienced and reliable member of your team.
It is important to teach the new employee to get along with the manager. Start with a conversation about the employee's role in the team.
Be sure to explain expectations for the next month. Inform the new employee about the likely workflow. Determine how involved he already is in some of the company's long-term goals.
Organizing an introductory session is also an important stage in adaptation. It should involve HR staff, co-workers, other new hires, and perhaps one or two senior managers. Emphasize the new employee's contribution to the future of the company. Video presentations and slide shows are helpful. These activities should be fun and interactive. Avoid pushing a new employee to speak if he is not yet ready to do so.
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Pay attention to control over the execution of documents. Meet with the new employee to make sure all paperwork is in order.
A complete and structured first week of onboarding will help the new employee settle in so they are ready to contribute at a higher level.
How to get used to a new meeting?
Imagine a tree that is being replanted. This is serious stress for the plant. When a tree is dug out of the ground, most of its roots are usually cut off for ease of transportation. In a new place it should take new roots. Likewise, when you move to a new congregation, you experience stress. You had deep roots in your previous congregation—strong friendships and a familiar spiritual routine. Now, to adapt to the new environment, you need to put down new roots. What will help you with this? Following biblical advice. Let's look at some of them.
Those who regularly read God's Word "will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which bears its fruit in its season, and whose leaves do not wither." According to the Bible, such a person “will prosper in everything he does” (Ps. 1:1-3).
To prevent the tree from drying out and getting sick, it needs regular watering. Likewise, for a Christian to remain spiritually strong, he must regularly draw strength from God's Word. Therefore, continue to read the Bible every day and attend meeting meetings regularly. Maintain your spiritual habits by organizing family worship and conducting personal study. Whatever you did to develop a friendly relationship with God in your old place, you need to do in your new one.
“He who strengthens others will also be strengthened” (Prov. 11:25, New Russian translation).
Active participation in service is something that can give you strength and speed up the process of adjusting to a new place. “Soon after we moved, my wife and I began serving as auxiliary pioneers, which was very helpful,” said an elder named Kevin. “We got to know the brothers, the pioneers, and learned a lot about the congregation area.” Here's what Roger, who moved 1,600 kilometers from his old home, says: “The best way to get used to a new congregation is to preach as often as possible. Also, tell the elders that you are ready to help in any way: cleaning the Kingdom Hall, urgently presenting a task at a meeting, or giving someone a ride to the Hall. You will quickly find new friends in the congregation if you spare no effort for the sake of others.”
“Open your hearts in response” (2 Cor. 6:13, New Russian translation).
Look for opportunities to show brotherly love. When Melissa, her husband and daughter moved to another congregation, they began looking for new friends. Melissa shares: “We arrived at the Kingdom Hall early and stayed a little late after the meetings. Thanks to this, we could not only greet the brothers and sisters, but also talk to them.” This helped the whole family quickly remember everyone's name. Also, to strengthen the bonds of friendship, Melissa’s family invited their new acquaintances to visit. She adds: “We exchanged phone numbers so we could be called to preach or something.”
If you feel intimidated by the thought of talking to strangers, start small, like smiling. Smile, even if you don’t really want to at first, and people will be drawn to you. The Bible says, “A joyful look makes the heart glad” (Prov. 15:30, Interpretation). “I'm very shy by nature,” says Rachel, who now lives far from home. “Sometimes I have to force myself to talk to brothers and sisters in a new congregation. In the Kingdom Hall, I look for someone to talk to who sits alone and doesn’t talk to anyone. I see him as a shy person like me.” Why not make it a goal to talk to someone new every time before or after a meeting?
On the other hand, you may find it easy to meet new people in the first few weeks. But then, when the feeling of novelty wears off, you will need to make an effort to continue looking for friends.
When transplanted, trees experience stress, but then they develop new roots.
First year of work: continuing adaptation
During the first year, continue to review, always encouraging the employee to think long term. You can ask him a question: “Where do you see yourself in five years?” In fact, it doesn't have to be asked during the interview process. It is relevant at any stage of work.
It's a good idea to offer professional development opportunities within the company, at a local educational institution or online for the employee so that they understand that their development and growth is important.
Also use an external consultant to provide training to new employees. While these types of external coaches are typically associated with executive onboarding, they can strengthen employees at all levels of the organization.
Finally, evaluate what worked and what didn't during onboarding. Find out the employee's opinion in an informal setting or through a simple survey.
