Discover what you should cover on day one of your induction to welcome new starters to your workplace and make them feel a valued member of your team.
A new starter's first day should be focused on welcoming them and making them feel comfortable.
On their first day you should introduce your new starter to:
- the organisation
- the workplace
- the team
- the role.
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This list can be used to ensure your induction plan covers all the recommended aspects on your new starter's first day.
Learn more about what we recommend you focus on around:
Meeting and greeting your new starter, putting them at ease and giving the right impression of your organisation is critical to their retention.
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Use this form to ask your new starter to provide any information that will help you to recognise and respect their needs.
Top tips for day one
- Providing a named person to meet them when they arrive - ideally someone they have met during the recruitment process
- Ensuring key people are available to meet your new starter to support a sense of belonging. This could include senior leaders, managers, team leaders, peer supporters and human resources (HR) colleagues
- Focussing on opportunities to build rapport and find out what your new starter likes and is looking forward to
- Sharing what makes your workplace special, including your values, purpose, what you want to achieve and how they’re an important part of that
- Promoting any staff benefits and wellbeing support and share how to access these
- Discussing any learning and development opportunities your new starter will require or can access for their role, including any digital support they may need
- Discussing any flexible, blended or parent and carer working options you may have.
Use our resources for guidance on flexible working and how to support your staff with wellbeing.
Peer support
Peer support from colleagues will be invaluable to making your new starter feel supported. Being connected to people who have been through the induction process will be particularly helpful. Explain the peer support you’ve organised, how it will work, and the benefits the support will provide. Use our guidance on peer support.
Day one is an opportunity for your new starter to meet their supervisor or manager, to understand their role and what you expect of them, as well as what support they can expect from supervision and one to ones, during and after their probation. It may be helpful to explain the difference between supervision and one to ones and how they work in your organisation.
The first supervision should address:
- the first week schedule of activities
- what is expected during induction
- information about their team or department, including ways of working, structures and guidance documents
- plans for opportunities to meet with team members so they feel they belong to a team – this could be via email introductions, in person meetings or virtually if teams work remotely
- clear expectations of conduct, behaviour, and any key policies and procedures to become familiar with in the first couple of weeks
- paperwork including ID cards, payroll, driving documents and signed contracts - use your pre-arrival checklist to ensure everything has been completed
- setting up your new starter on any systems they need access to - including passwords, access rights, and necessary equipment
- any reasonable adjustments or preferred ways of working
- any questions or concerns your new starter has.
Take your new starter through the planned learning and development they’re expected to complete during their induction, but try not to overload them on day one.
Be clear about the mandatory elements and allow time for reflection and opportunities to familiarise themselves with the requirements. Ensure your induction plan introduces each aspect of the role gradually allowing time to review their understanding before moving on to the next thing.
Ensure all online learning provision is identified and details given about how and where to access it, as well as required passwords and login details.
Digital confidence
Assessing the digital confidence of your new starter will help you to identify what resources or training they'll need so they can access everything in their new role. Use our resources about digital confidence.