New Team Member? How Do You Make Introductions Fun and Engaging?

Hi All, can anyone suggest innovative ways for conducting team introductions when there is a new joiner in the team?

Thanks,
Priya

Introduction Methods for New Team Members

An introduction may be personal or on the cloud.

Personal Introduction

In a personal introduction, a representative from the talent acquisition or training & development team may introduce a new member in the following ways:

- By taking the new joiner to the workplace of their teammates and introducing them to the team.
- The introduction may also be done by the new joiner's reporting manager, who gathers all team members to introduce the new team member.
- It may also be done by inviting all the new joiner's teammates to a place like a conference room for high tea (light refreshments).
- Most commonly, a friendly team member (also called a buddy) may accompany the new joiner and introduce them to everyone in the team or office/building.

Cloud-Based Introduction

On the cloud, the introduction is necessary when other team members are located in different parts of the company. It can be done by sharing the new joiner's details (including a picture) on the intranet or ERP software, providing information such as education and experience. In the absence of ERP software, an email with a brief introduction of the new joiner may also be sent to the relevant departments or the entire company.

The introduction should take place on the new joiner's first day.

Warm regards,

Umesh Chaudhary

[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Innovative Team Introductions: Key Considerations

First things first, what is innovative? Are you looking to break new frontiers, or make an effective introduction so that the team, with its new member(s), can get on with doing whatever it is that they do best? Will the introduction be face-to-face, online (virtual), or passive (emails, etc.)? What is the construct of your team? What is the team's core business? What other innovative practices does your company engage in?

There's a lot more information you need to provide here to elicit helpful responses. But first, you need to really answer the question: 'Do I want an introduction that is innovative, or one that is effective and works for the team?'

Look forward to more from you. Take care and have fun!

Regards

I love this process of introducing new joiners to the team. Always keep in mind, the employee looking up to the team is hoping for a positive impression on the first day. Therefore, the introduction should be relaxing and comfortable on the first day.

- Inform the employees of that team even before the new employee joins. The NJ (New Joiner) should feel surprised to receive warm greetings as a welcome.

- You may ask the team to prepare a card with their name, designation, and a welcome message which will make the new ones feel welcomed.

- Plan the day. The employee is likely to get bored if the day is not structured with challenging tasks provided to them.

- Take a tour of the facility - leave them with a couple of people from their own team who can help the new employee understand what is happening around. This will familiarize them with the company.

There are many other ways by which you can make new employees feel appreciated. These are the ideas I have in mind for now. Let's wait for the rest of our team to respond with their suggestions.

Good Luck!

Innovative Ways to Introduce New Joiners

An innovative way to introduce a new joiner to the team will depend a lot on the number of joiners, the experience they have, and the mode of introduction (face-to-face or virtual over email). However, I would suggest that a mailer be sent to everyone in the office to announce the arrival of a new team member.

Moreover, it is essential to introduce the existing team members, especially the teammates and individuals with whom he/she will be sharing the workplace or desk.

I recently visited an organization for an interview and observed their induction process. The HR was facilitating the new joiners and introducing them to each other (they were a group of new joiners). Subsequently, she provided an overview of the company, its working culture, motto, etc. She then guided them on a tour of the company's infrastructure, introduced them to each department, and allowed them to engage in brief conversations with staff, introduce themselves, and ask any quick questions they might have.

The new joiners were also taken to meet the CEO and the Director, who welcomed them, congratulated them, and wished them luck in their new roles. The culture was exceptionally welcoming and enthusiastic, reflecting positively on the organization.

Although I did not progress past the interview round, the experience left me feeling appreciative of being considered for a role in a company that motivates and warmly welcomes its employees from day one.

Thank you.

I do not visualize much scope for innovation in introducing a new employee. The risk in attempting innovation in such simple matters is that the element of novelty may make the whole introduction look weird, which may cause the new joiner more discomfort. Another risk is that a grand novel exhibition of introduction may raise employees' expectations about the culture, environment, and team dynamics. If they find an environment contrary to this from the next day—for example, if they do not get a role to their satisfaction—their chances of leaving the organization will be greater. Then, it will be a grand beginning but a damp finale. One should take into account all these factors before attempting novelty in the introduction. It is better to keep it simple.

Objective of the Introduction

The objective of the introduction should be to make the employee feel at home on the first day and to acquaint them with the basic work environment. If the employee is able to gel well with their team, the objective of the introduction is fulfilled.

Regards,
B. Saikumar
Mumbai

I believe there are many great responses already. I would like to add a few comments, if I may.

Although the 'best' time to do the introduction is the first day, this option may not be the most effective if everyone is not available. A consideration may be to determine delivery via various methods independently or in concert—tele/webcast, email, personal introduction, etc. Of course, the idea is to get the 'newbie' on board as soon as possible, and the comfort of belonging will aid greatly in the transition. Even though there are textbook answers to everything, we need to be aware of social and group dynamics when bringing someone into the loop. These 'political' variables will play heavily, especially if the new addition is due to internal difficulties. With this being now acknowledged...

Points to Ponder

The effectiveness of notification to others is what's paramount, with timeliness as a very close second; innovation may not be appropriate in all cases.

Regards

In the first few days, a new employee may also be a bit nervous. If they are first-time employees like trainees, even communication could be a problem. Hence, your sole aim should be to put them at ease, instead of creating an embarrassing moment for them in the name of innovation.

In the name of innovation, it is possible you may even miss out on important activities lined up, such as briefings on the company's various policies, dress codes, procedures, dos, don'ts, etc. So please be clear, as our friends have pointed out above, on what you want to achieve ultimately!

Best wishes

I will tell you about my experience, and I have found it effective. This approach works for both individual and bulk joiners.

Prepare an Effective Induction Plan

1. Prepare a proper induction plan. Ensure the induction includes a small interaction with all the departments. Inform the staff members who will be interacting on behalf of the team. Include the HR book that contains our Vision, Mission, and Value booklet, Org chart, and Induction feedback form, which I made sure to complete after a week. You can also add other necessary documents like the extension list, etc.

Welcome Note and Reception Preparation

2. Prepare a welcome note with the name and place it at the reception a day before the new joiner's arrival. This way, the team will know that someone is joining.

Tour and Introduction to Facilities

3. Take the new joiner on a tour of the premises and show them our library, canteen, training room, and the monthly notice board, which features our latest event pictures, etc.

Innovative Introduction Method

4. I innovated this introduction method by chance. When I was new myself and had to introduce my new accounting manager to everyone, I came up with what has been my best introduction method ever since. I asked my staff to introduce themselves to our new joiner. I made everyone stand up, shake hands, and greet the new joiner. This has been the most memorable part of the induction for all new joiners, believe me!

Buddy System for New Joiners

5. Introduce the new joiner to their buddy and instruct the buddy to proactively assist the new joiner, taking them to lunch as a regular team member (we had a common pantry) to help them integrate into their respective team more easily. Many new joiners are left alone during lunch, which can be a very awkward moment, in my opinion.

Welcome Email to the Team

6. Send a welcome email to all, including the branches, along with his picture. Introduce him professionally and personally, mentioning details like the previous company, hobbies, etc. Make it as interesting as possible; you can have a casual chat before preparing your draft.

Complete the Induction and Gather Feedback

7. Ensure that you complete the induction as planned and gather feedback.

All of these steps would take my entire day, and by the end of it, the staff would no longer see the new joiner as a stranger. I believe that the personal touch and effort put into making the staff feel comfortable and welcome is what truly makes a difference.