Inspire New Employees in 2024

In our world today, it can be a bit more difficult to onboard, train, and welcome new employees. With most companies executing either a fully-remote or hybrid working environment, getting to know your new hires is not like it used to be. Without daily face-to-face interaction and conversation, it can be hard to connect with new team members and make them feel excited about joining your office. Finding the right talent for the job was the first step, and now making sure that talent gets off to a great start is the next.

According to Zippia.com, it can take new employees up to six months to feel part of the team. We’ve laid out a few tips and tricks to make this process a bit smoother (and hopefully shorter!) than usual, especially in the world we live in today. A happy, inspired employee results in better work, a better environment, and all-around improved company culture.

Set Specific and Achievable Goals

A great way to show your new employee that you’re committed to their success and invested in their well-being is to set specific goals. It’s never too early to set goals, and there’s never a goal too small to set. By setting these goals early on in their time at your company, it will prove to the new employee that they are working for an employer who wants to see them succeed. 

Lay Out Measurable Goals

When there’s a goal to reach and something to prove, inspiration is inevitable! A new team member will thrive off of wanting to prove to you that they can accomplish whatever comes their way. An easy way to start setting measurable goals is to look at quantifiable aspects of the new employee’s job and create realistic deadlines that will neither pressure nor cause stress but will motivate them to work hard nonetheless. 

Plan Out How to Achieve These Goals

An important part of goal-setting is to have a plan of action in place if things don’t go as planned. There will be challenges in every project. Make sure your employee knows that they have resources available during these times and that they know what authority they have when it comes to decision-making. This will remind them of the value they hold, therefore inspiring them to complete the task at hand.

Ensure Everyone is On the Same Page

After all, you are a team! Make your new employee feel part of the bigger picture. Employees often leave companies when they feel as though certain pressures or failures solely fall on their shoulders. Make it known that each individual is responsible for their respective responsibilities, but remind them that when one person on the team wins, you all win. Start each project and set each goal with the bigger picture in mind.

Be Transparent

It’s important to lay a solid foundation from the beginning. Being open and honest about what you expect from your new team member, can eliminate both confusion and possible hurdles in the future. Laying out expectations is a great segue into human resources topics, and will also make your new employee feel informed to the fullest extent about their new position. 

Communicate Openly and Daily

Setting aside time to touch base with your new employee routinely is crucial, especially in the early stages. If you don’t, your new employee may feel as though they do not have the opportunity to ask questions, clarify expectations, or even feel as though you are too busy to help them get moving.

An easy way to accomplish this tip is to start your morning with a quick touch base, allowing both of you to start your day with a clear head and clear goals. Also, make sure to emphasize that your door is open, and so is your inbox. Even if your employee doesn’t need much support right away, knowing that you’re open to help is going to give them peace of mind, resulting in better work.

 

Celebrate Successes

Positive Affirmations

A simple great job or thanks for going the extra mile on this can go a long way! In a remote world where you’re not able to swing by someone’s desk or visit with them in the break room, make sure this act isn’t forgotten. It doesn’t take long to send a quick Slack message or even an email, so be sure to reflect for a few minutes each day on the positive actions your employees took that day.

Corporate Gifts and Logo-Branded Presents

We don’t want to brag, but this is where we come in because being good at this part is our number one job! It’s no secret that receiving a gift blows many other methods of recognition out of the water. That’s why we offer a huge selection of corporate gifts that you can use to acknowledge your team members. We have everything from small value items, such as Koozies and corporate notebooks and stationery, to big items, such as custom coolers and premium corporate apparel. 

Reward Employees for Good Performance

Compliments

The best thing about giving your employees compliments? They’re free, and you can never run out of them! A simple compliment or acknowledgment of time and effort put into a project is such an easy way to boost the morale of your new team member. Complimenting the individual’s contribution to a team project, or complimenting something they did behind the scenes, it’s a sure way to motivate them to continue their efforts. 

Department-Wide Acknowledgement

If your team has weekly meetings, or follows a practice of giving shout-outs through email or Slack, make sure to include your new team member from the get-go. These shout-outs can be as simple as introducing them to the team initially and then acknowledging them for making it through orientation or even completing their first project for the company. Similar to a compliment, this type of acknowledgment is free and holds a lot of value in the eyes of a new employee. When they see that their whole team is aware of their hard work, it will inspire them to reach new heights.

Custom Merch

A fun way to reward your employees for good performance is to create a contest or make it known that there is a gift on the line. If your industry doesn’t allow for incentive-style contests, simply surprising your team members with custom merch is a surefire way to make them feel the love, and want to work hard for you. 

Why Engaging New Employees Is Important

It may sound like a sideline task to put tons of energy towards making a brand new employee feel welcome, aside from all of the important onboarding, HR, and training you already must complete, but trust us when we say it’s worth it. The benefits of going the extra mile to inspire your new employee right off the bat will begin to show immediately, and they will linger throughout the time that individual is at your company.

A few benefits of inspiring your new hire include increased engagement, a higher quality of work, increased employee retention, and boosted employee morale. These side effects of completing any of the tips listed above can also rub off on current employees, making your team more motivated than ever. 

Contact Us

If you’d like to learn more about our favorite picks for inspiring new employees, welcoming a new employee, or any other resources we have available, reach out to us as we are here to help!