5 WAYS TO ENGAGE NEW RECRUITS BEFORE THEY BEGIN

Your recruitment activities have proved successful and your preferred candidate has accepted your written offer of employment. Congratulations, but what happens next? Most often very little contact or activity takes place between job acceptance and your new recruit’s first day at work.

Notice periods can be up to six months, but more usually it can be 8 to 10 weeks before your new recruit joins your organisation.

Rather than just an empty silence during the notice period, we strongly advise some key activities to ensure your new recruit turns up on day one, raring to go and excited to be part of your organisation.

1.       Agree a Pre-Work Challenge

This can and should only be done by mutual agreement. However, where possible, it helps to get the new recruit thinking about your business and achieving immediately. Not a massive project, but select a task or challenge that is relevant to both parties.

2.       Keep Them Up To-Date

Again done best with the new recruit’s agreement, but a 15/20 minute telephone call every two weeks can keep the new recruit up to-date with activities and results at their future employer. So easy, so simple but rarely done!

3.       Develop The Induction Plan

Do not wait until they arrive, set up a relevant and appropriate plan of induction for your new recruit. Talk to him/her about your induction plans and ensure they buy into the plan before they arrive.

4.       Establish A Buddy System

Nominate a buddy for your new recruit. The buddy can meet them on day one, welcome them to your organisation and show them around, so the geography of your office / factory quickly becomes familiar. The buddy can and should quickly ease them into your organisation and be available for help and answers during the new recruit’s early days.

5.       Include Them In Key Events

Actively consider the new recruit as part of your team even though they do not physically join you for a few weeks. With their agreement copy them into key written communications such as reports, meeting minutes or forward plans. If you or any of your team is arranging an out of work hours social event, consider inviting your new recruit.