Welcoming a New Employee

Congratulations! You have added a new member to your team.

Onboarding is more than just orientation. Orientation is typically a few days of completing paperwork, reading guides and policies, and learning about the institution’s history, strategic goals, and culture.

By contrast, onboarding is 3 to 12 months dedicated to welcoming, acclimating, guiding, and developing new employees.

Let's start with a checklist to help prepare for the first day.

Preparing for the First Day

Assign the New Employee a Peer Partner

Learn more about participating in the Peer Partner Program.

Send a Welcome Email to the New Employee

Once the candidate has accepted the offer and successfully completed the background screening, send a welcome email. Waiting until the employee’s first day is a missed opportunity to build on the excitement generated during search and selection – often stalling the new hire’s enthusiasm to begin their new position at Fordham.

Include information about parking and public transportation. Indicate the location of the closest University entrance to their office, if applicable. Review the office protocol. List important contact information and encourage them to reach out if they have questions.

Ensure the New Employee is Ready to Go

  • The new hire’s office is clean, set up and includes office supplies.
  • Any required accommodations have been addressed.
  • A training schedule is established, if appropriate.  

Download a more comprehensive checklist.

Send a Welcome Email to Your Team and Copy the New Employee

The day before the new hire starts, send an email to your team, copying the new hire. The email should be upbeat and welcoming. It should provide a brief introduction of the new person, their role, and a few resume highlights. 

During the new person’s first day, invite your team to stop by and introduce themselves. If you are able to plan a team breakfast (lunch, coffee, cookies, fruit or whatever makes the most sense for your unit), use the email as a reminder of where and when you’re having the welcome event. 

This positive message will let your new employee know that their colleagues know of their arrival, making them feel part of your team. Additionally, your team will be reminded of the new person’s arrival and will now have their name and email address.

Create an Agenda for the New Employee’s First Day

Providing a clear outline of meetings and tasks for your new employee’s first day will demonstrate that you are prepared and took the time to carefully plan out the schedule. Send the agenda to all involved a few days before the first day.

Read some tips for welcoming a New Employee on their first day.