10 Tips for Onboarding a New Team Member Successfully

It’s always exciting when a prospective new hire accepts an offer. A talented team member adds new value and energy to the team. However, onboarding a team member is challenging without a solid strategy and process. HR’s orientation is a very small part of the overall integration. The best leaders know that it takes investment of time and energy to onboard a new team member.

Use these 10 tips to set your new team member up for success and strengthen your team.

1. Clearly articulate the work scope, objectives, and key responsibilities.

The first thing a new hire expects to learn from the leader when starting a new job is his or her area of ownership and the expectations. Clarity about ongoing responsibilities, projects, and the expected results of the work are key. By showing that you have prepared and that you can clearly articulate their work scope, it shows that you value their work and contributions. On their first day or during the first week, clearly articulate the work scope, responsibilities, and objectives. An engaging and efficient way to articulate this is by creating a Role Map, as I suggest in the Awake Leadership guidebook.