Starting as a Senior HR Manager: What Should My First Day Presentation Cover?

Respected Seniors,

I am going to join as a "Senior HR Manager" in an IT Company. What kind of presentation may I give? What are all the topics and points I can include in the presentation? What should I expect from the employees? I would like to give a presentation on the first day.

Guidance, please.

Regards,
Lalitha

Dear Lalitha, If you are going to join as "Senior Manager - HR," then on the very first day, why would you like to give a presentation? You need to understand the system and process of each department. For this, rather than giving a presentation, I recommend you take notes and understand as much as possible. Please remember the famous proverb that Stephen Covey has propounded - "first understand and then be understood."

There is a risk in giving a presentation right on the first day. While you may like to bring a good amount of changes, what if the staff is not ready to accept those changes?

Lastly, as an HR professional, you need to understand the culture of the company. You need to understand "over here what is important or what is valued most" or who calls the shots or who are intransigent.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

What learned member Shri Dinesh has written is valid. Report to the company after meeting all concerned officials of your department and your HOD. You can then move around meeting other HODs. Make yourself fully familiar with the company offices, facilities, etc. Spend the first few days getting to understand HR policies adopted and other relevant matters. Once settled, you can start working and make a positive contribution to the organization.

You can make a meaningful presentation only when you have thoroughly understood the organization—its business, departmental functioning, key people and their jobs, current HR policies and procedures, performance expectations, and the gaps, compensation structure, employee expectations, and a host of such vital aspects that have a bearing on your job. The correct understanding will lead you to areas of priority where you can add value. Once you have crystallized your thoughts on what contribution you can make and your time-bound plan for it, then prepare the presentation for the Senior Management Team, which will carry a lot of substance instead of attempting to do it on the very first day of joining.

Regards, Vinayak Nagarkar HR Consultant