How do you Retain and Hire your New Employee? With a Good Welcome and Integration Plan

At last! You've carefully gone through all the stages of the recruitment process and feel that you have the right candidate in your hands.
You've completed the hiring process and set a start date? Perfect!
But are you ready to welcome him/her to the team? Have you planned his welcome and integration? Will you opt for a formal program or an informal style?

One thing's for sure: this program must reflect your company's image. Whichever approach you choose, there are a number of key elements you need to focus on in order to make a success of this important stage in the retention and commitment of your new employee.

The Benefits of the Welcome and Integration Program

A few figures to start with: 17% of employees leave within the first 3 months, 23% before the end of the year, and 33% are already looking for a new job within six months of starting.

Need we say more about the importance of creating and implementing a welcome and integration program, and thus making the time, energy and money invested in the recruitment process pay off?

A real added value for both the new employee and the company, the welcome and integration program has many advantages:

Lower turnover;

• Faster achievement of productivity levels;
• Sense of professional effectiveness;
• Organizational commitment;
• High job satisfaction and employee well-being;
• Lower stress levels for new employees.

Stage 1: Pre-integration

Often overlooked, this step creates a first contact with the new employee and bridges the gap between hiring and starting work. Here are a few simple, inexpensive examples that can help to quickly create a sense of belonging:

Send a welcome e-mail with information for the first day on the job (arrival time, contacts, welcome lunch, etc.), as well as directions to the neighborhood (parking, restaurants, public transit, etc.).
Send administrative forms, the employee handbook and some basic information about the company. Of course, this should be followed by a phone call to answer any questions. This also saves time during the induction process.
Organize a meeting with the team in an informal setting, to break the ice.

How can you ensure that the new employee feels expected on his or her first day?

Simply by preparing for their arrival before the big day:

• Draw up a list of tasks to be carried out by you or your team members, so you don't forget anything.
• The basics: make sure the workstation is clean and functional, that passwords and access codes are created, and that colleagues are notified of the new employee's arrival.
• Also, simple gestures such as a word from the team to welcome the new member to the team, a welcome kit on the desk - pencils, notebook, mug or other goodies.
• Identify a buddy within the team to whom the new employee can turn with questions, and advise this person of the importance of his or her role.

Stage 2: Starting Work

On the big day, it's highly recommended that the new employee is welcomed by his or her immediate superior, but above all, make yourself available and avoid disturbances during the welcome.

On the program (non-exhaustive list):

• Presentation of the personalized welcome and integration plan ;
• Company presentation and organization chart;
• Administrative documents, regulations and internal policies (if not covered in pre-integration);
  Site visit with introduction to the department and immediate colleagues;
• Presentation of the position and expectations of the new employee;
• Introduction of contact persons;
  etc.

Stage 3: Training Plan, Follow-Up and Feedback

After the welcome and integration into the company, the team and the job itself, the weeks that follow are crucial, since this is when the “real” work begins.
It's a good idea to draw up a training and job integration plan, and hold regular follow-up meetings to ensure that everything goes smoothly and that professional and social integration is optimal.

The new employee is a key player in the success of his or her integration, and his or her involvement is essential.
Involve them in the process by giving them certain tasks to perform or information to obtain. You could give him a “check-list” of essential information to obtain in the first few weeks, and use it at follow-up meetings. It's a good idea to get feedback during the process, to ensure that the training plan is effective, and to make any necessary adjustments.

Step 4: Measuring Effectiveness and Making any Necessary Adjustments

The effectiveness of the process can be measured by establishing key indicators. For example, you could measure the acquisition of skills and knowledge by assessing the quality of the new employee's work at various points in the first year, or measure the effectiveness of the chosen strategy by tracking changes in turnover rates, absenteeism and reasons for leaving. You can also use an evaluation grid.

These indicators will enable you to monitor and improve your induction and integration program on an ongoing basis.