When they join you, start your employees off right.
Making sure that a new employee fits into the culture of an organization is just as important as ensuring they have the knowledge and skills required to perform well. Sometimes, even if a company strives to hire for fit, a new employee may not assimilate into the culture as quickly as their leaders—or they themselves—would like.
Whether a new team member is getting along well in their new role or is having trouble fitting into the culture, it’s up to the team leaders to guide them and help them grow. Here, 15 members of Forbes Coaches Council discuss concrete ways leaders can give every new hire an immediate and lasting sense of belonging.
1. Remind Them Why They Were Hired
Rather than being frustrated by someone’s failure to assimilate, I encourage leaders to leverage the differences and unique strengths of each team member. Leaders can give new hires an immediate and lasting sense of belonging by coordinating with interviewers to share the specific positive feedback and strengths that emerged in interviews and reiterate why those strengths are so critical to the team. – Kayla Cartwright, ADAPTOVATE
2. Share A Personal Detail About Yourself
Sharing culture can be a great way to help a new hire assimilate quickly. Leaders can share something about their personal life, highlighting culture, and have the new employee reciprocate. During this discussion, leaders can take time to explain some of the “work family” culture and how the new employee fits right in based on the conversation. – Jarret Patton, DoctorJarret PLLC
3. Allow Yourself To Be ‘Seen’
Employees are human. They want to believe, feel and see that they are working with and for other humans. Leaders can support a culture of belonging by allowing themselves to be “seen”—showing their own weaknesses, fears and frustrations. The more leaders show up in a human way, the more all employees will believe that it’s okay for them to be human as well, which increases a sense of belonging. – Yvette Costa, Velocity Advisory Group
4. Have Culture Immersion Check-Ins During The First Month
I recommend culture immersion check-ins throughout the first 30 days. Pair the employee with a variety of colleagues, say two per week, for a month. The focus of the conversation should be on culture and navigating company practices. At the end of each conversation, have the employee restate their insights to ensure understanding. Then, each week, let the employee verify their progress with their manager. – Karan Rhodes, Shockingly Different Leadership (SDL)
5. Make Them Feel Needed And Known
Two things will help new employees feel like they belong: Make them feel needed and known. If they feel needed (that is, that their efforts will make an impact on something bigger than themselves) and known (that is, that the company sees them as a unique, valuable person, not just someone who fills a role), they will very quickly feel like they belong at the new company. – Cole Taylor, The Starting Line
6. Provide Clarity About Their Strengths
Provide clarity about the new hire’s strengths and why they were hired. Give them examples of what “right” looks like inside the team based on company values. The clearer the picture, the more likely they will immediately get it and know how to feel seen, valued and heard. The early time managers spend with new hires is a great time to build good rapport up front. – Shelley Smith, Premier Rapport
7. Be Mindful Of Psychological Safety
Belonging begins with psychological safety and inclusion. While helping new employees learn the company’s culture is vital, leaders should also be mindful about how the new employee is introduced within the organization to ensure a strong start to their performance. This includes coordinating with them to meet other key employees and assigning them early quick-win projects to build their confidence. – Julianne Cenac, The Leader Channel
8. Hold Weekly Check-Ins With Them The First Three Months
Create a ritual of informal weekly check-ins during the first 90-days. This becomes a sacred space for the leader and employee to continue the process of getting to know one another. This time invites the employee to share what they have experienced and observed and ask questions about implicit cultural norms. The impact of this dedicated time is the cultivation of safety, trust and belonging. – Angela Cusack, Igniting Success
9. Send A Gift With A Handwritten Card
Remember the human touch, especially if you principally work remotely. Send a gift with a handwritten card. Reach out for a conversation early and ask the new employee what would help them get settled. And don’t be “one-and-done” about it; put in regular time to connect and chat. The time you invest will be repaid many times over by developing an engaged and productive team member. – Gary Crotaz, Gary Crotaz Ltd.
10. Hire For Value-Add And Celebrate Uniqueness
Rather than hiring for “fit,” hire for value-add. Empower new employees with information and a clear integration plan. Creating a sense of belonging takes intentional effort and ongoing communication. What motivates the employee? What matters to them? What makes them feel belonging? It takes a culture of safety, diversity, true allyship and openness. Genuinely celebrate their uniqueness. – Manisha Dhawan, MPath Coaching
11. Work Together On A 90-Day Plan
Jointly create a 90-day plan. This ensures expectations are clear and provides a roadmap the new employee can follow. Include people they should meet, processes they should learn and agreement on key accomplishments and milestones to achieve. With this guidance, they gain a sense of purpose early on. Furthermore, they feel connected to the organization quicker, and that will extend well beyond 90 days. – Shelley Hammell, Sage Alliance, Inc.
12. Be Present From Their First Day
One of the most important things managers can do for new employees is to show them they care. Show up on the employee’s first day, introduce yourself and let the new hire know how much you’ve been looking forward to them joining. If managing remotely, use Zoom or Microsoft Teams to welcome them personally. Schedule recurring one-to-one meetings to get to know them better, and introduce them to their peers. – Dennis Kight, it works! LLC
13. Assign A Mentor Or Set Up A Buddy System
One of the best ways to integrate and assimilate a new hire into an organization and its culture is to assign a mentor and/or set up a buddy system. Having that one “go-to” person in their corner to ask questions of, help solve issues or help to assimilate into a new role will make a world of difference in today’s fast-paced virtual working environment. Feeling welcomed and invited into the inner circle is essential! – Izabela Lundberg, Legacy Leaders Institute
14. Inspire Via Intense Emotional Events
To anchor a feeling of belonging, create an intense emotional event that inspires a feeling of genuine love and safety. This can be achieved through an experience (or even showing a video) where employees are having fun or doing something meaningful, such as volunteering together. The key is to engage the heart and express to the applicant that they are wanted, valued and a member of the “family.” – Vered Kogan, Momentum Institute
15. Have Nonwork Conversations
Get to know them on a human level. Empathy is walking in the shoes of others. Leaders need to stay connected and make sure they have time in their calendars for nonwork conversations, where they should ask questions to really understand the person they are leading. Once you truly know them, you can lead them effectively, and they feel that sense of belonging and value as a human, not a result. – Alex Draper, DX Learning Solutions
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