First Impressions Count…

Ever wonder what you'd think if you were invited to join a friend and others at their place for dinner; the date and time are set and you turn up promptly, on the day and right on time to find they've not got anything ready, and are almost surprised you're there...??

This is the sort of thing that happens all too often in the workplace to new starters or 'joiners' as they’re often called in office management and IT speak. Not only can it leave them feeling negative towards your company, but also unmotivated and somewhat like they are a burden on your staff who simply aren't prepped for their arrival. Not to mention the firefighting that ensues to try and get them set up, as well as the time and money spent in doing so.?

Think about the effort that 99.9% of new joiners will make on their first day, and in the run up to it. There are plenty of blogs, tips and articles on this very topic such as this one on 10 Steps to Make a Great First Impression at Work – but it’s a two-way relationship and we as the Office Manager or HR representative , on behalf of the employer must do all we can to give just as good an impression in return (especially now in this hybrid, Gen-Z generation when expectations are higher than ever).

And of course, the frustration and continued negativity spread among the teams who must put all hands-on deck to get things ready for them with no forewarning.?

Pause and look again: If we re-start and focus on where the chain of events commences and we show you how easy it is to solve, you’ll likely ask yourself “why allow this to happen?”. The solution is so simple, less disruptive and far more welcoming for your joiner.

The Line Manager always knows they're hiring, who and most of them time when they'll start. HR (if applicable) generally always know when someone is joining, so why are IT and Office Management / Reception / Security etc. the last to know and all too often, far too late??Typically, in larger firms, this has been my experience at least.

As an office management consultant and accredited trainer and speaker, I strongly advise office managers to regularly connect with hiring managers and HR to ensure they have a pipeline of hires, even before they're named, if possible.?And once they are named, you communicate who, what team, when, what do they need in terms of software access, and IT kit.?It’s also a great way to manage capacities and stock too!

Using something like a shared list in Excel that's accessible to all back-office functions, or a SharePoint site, Google Sheet or Smartsheet if you have the budget for it, that HR update and the office management function and other support teams can access and 'check-off' tasks is really easy to implement. Or another way is using email templates - HR and / or the hiring manager can send to you and IT, with all the relevant information as soon as the hire is confirmed.?

Whatever you choose to use, there are plenty of options and apps at our disposal to simplify the communications on people coming into the company, whether we know their name and start date or not. The hiring pipeline I mention above is such an effective way of managing capacity and desk space, whether you’re in a hybrid/hot desk model or a fixed, static model as it’s commonly known with 1:1 desk ratios. It can help you manage your equipment and stock too, what do you need in the storeroom because X amount of roles are being hired for right now and could start any time soon. Such a great way to get and stay ahead of the madness around this particular task (of many) that office managers are generally responsible for.

So, being this proactive and using this sort of tool or method does allows the office management team to effectively plan desk space and take care of any moves required to make room. It will also allow them to liaise with IT, if appropriate to order kit in time, set up mobile or desk phone (IP) contracts and subscriptions necessary, plus prepare their account, process compliance checks and create induction packs. These things are?going to give the best first impression your firm can give to that new employee who you've spent months waiting for, and time and money recruiting.

Have you ever wondered what first impression your firm gives to new joiners? Is it the forgotten invite to dinner or the open arms "we've been expecting you" welcome? We know which we'd prefer on arrival…

For more support with your joiner and leaver processes, check out The Office Management Portal for tips and templates.?We'd love to welcome you, plus it's free!