Why conduct orientation programs for new employees?

Orientation is the formal process of introducing new employees to the organization, their supervisors, coworkers and jobs. There will always be an informal process that may support or conflict with the formal process.

To show new employees to their work area, demonstrate the job and leave them alone with instructions to "ask for help" if they need it is not an adequate way to introduce them to the organization, inculcate them into the organizational culture and develop them into productive, hard-working employees. If you don't do a better job of orienting new recruits than this, coworkers will do it for you.

The information coworkers pass along may or may not be counterproductive. Established employees may unfairly treat or "haze" the newcomer or present a cynical view of the organization's mission and values. The new employee may hesitate to ask questions of a busy supervisor and may fear appearing foolish.

Turnover indicator. Because these and other problems are not always dealt with effectively by employers, the turnover rate of new employees is much greater than that of more senior employees. If new workers are left to feel unwelcome, unappreciated and unable to perform their job, many of them will leave and others will not make an effort to be exemplary workers.

Before the first decision on the content of an orientation program is made, designers should address the following keys to developing effective programs:

• A comprehensive process. The orientation program will be much more effective if it is a recognized part of a comprehensive process. Communication systems, management techniques and business challenges must be considered when designing an orientation program.
• Coordinated with management. Orientation must be a cooperative program between line management and human resources staff. If management is not involved and instrumental, the orientation program may be no more than a discussion of benefits and policy "do's" and "don'ts." Managers should have an equal voice and role in design, implementation and evaluation. Managers should be performing tasks such as completing checklists of activities for the new employee, introducing the employee to the work group, facilitating support programs, and providing training support.
• Planned in advance. Effective orientation programs must be planned. Specific goals should be established, measurements should be made, evaluations should be incorporated, and the program should be formally evaluated periodically.
• Provide for follow-up. Follow-up activities at several points after the program are crucial.

Remember there are multiple orientations happening at one time. At the beginning of an employee's new job, there are a minimum of three "orientations" occurring simultaneously. Whether or not a organization influences or controls any of the programs is the organization's decision. These "programs" are:

• Individual. The collection of impressions that the former applicant, now new employee, has gained through the recruitment and selection process will form a basis for the employee's opinions of the organization.
• Organization. The experiences the employee has from the first day of work and the way in which he or she was introduced to the work group will make a lasting impression. Compare the following situations: a new employee is handed a stack of papers and told to fill them out, or a new employee is escorted into an organized presentation designed to introduce the organization and answer questions. How would you feel? What would be your lasting impressions?
• Work group. Coworkers will advise the new employee of the real rules in many different ways. If the workplace is unfriendly, insular and rigid, the new employee will know what kind of behavior is expected. If the supervisor is distant and uninvolved, the employee will develop an impression that will reflect on all management at the organization.

Although the employer cannot exercise direct control over the "unofficial" orientation programs that occur in the workplace, there is much the employer can do to ensure that the formal orientation process is consistent with the values and culture of the organization. The risk to the organization is that the formal process will be dramatically different than the reality in the workplace. In that event, generally, the formal program will be discounted by the new employee and ultimately ineffective.