How to Design New Hire Orientation Seminars

Holding new employee orientation seminars in your company ensures that a new hire's first day on the job flows more smoothly. The seminar can take just one day and should include all of the new hire's intended supervisors. Let the following steps guide you in planning effective new employee orientation seminars.

Instructions

1. Prepare new employee orientation seminar materials that managers can distribute to new hires. Most materials consist of organization charts, emergency contact information, benefit summaries and vacation schedules. Tell managers they can tailor the materials to their department's own specific needs with approval from the human resources department.

2. Explain that new hires need a work area with tools in place on the first day. Have managers brainstorm a checklist they can use to prepare for this.

3. Request that managers consider what kind of impression they want to make on new hires. Ask managers to explain in writing how they plan to make the impression.

4. Advise managers to plan a welcoming activity for new hires. Invite new hires to a small breakfast or lunch with their new co-workers.

5. Have managers brainstorm the specific techniques they plan to use on the first day to ease the new hire's nerves.

6. Suggest that managers assign an office buddy to the new hire. The buddy must have enough experience with the office and the particular department so that he can guide the new hire through the orientation process.

7. Reassure managers that human resource personnel plan to take active roles in the new hire orientation. Distribute a specific plan explaining how human resources intends to supervise the process.