When you hire new employees, you need to get them to work as quickly as possible. You also need them to understand their accountability, your policies and your mission. A well-organized orientation meeting can help employees become productive more quickly than simply placing them at their work stations and hoping for the best. A disorganized orientation meeting can waste valuable time and give new hires the impression you lack purpose and direction.
Your business runs most efficiently when everyone understands who they are accountable to. Include an organizational chart with job titles on it so that employees can see where they fit into your system of accountability. Emphasize that the person an employee reports to can also answer questions he has about specific tasks.
Cover everything from dress code to sexual harassment policies in your orientation meeting. Make it clear which policy violations can result in termination and which ones can result in minor disciplinary action. Include a discussion of acceptable absences, tardiness and vacation time. You should give attendees a sense of the kind of work environment you expect in terms of language use and idle chatter. Include some guidelines on meeting etiquette.
Go over your mission statement in detail, and explain how you expect it to affect the everyday performance of employees. Make it clear that you take your mission seriously and that you expect new employees to understand the mission and how it relates to them and your customers.
Allow some time during orientation for employees to become familiar with their individual work areas. Explain what personal touches are allowed in cubicles and on desks, and clarify your expectations for a clean work area.
Provide employees with a tour of your business premises, pointing out restrooms, break rooms, cafeteria facilities, fire exits and managers' offices. Show where each department resides and indicate where your own office is.
