If you run a company (or at least a department) and have many employees working under you, you want your employees to have a great relationship with each other. It makes your job easier as a manager or head of a department. One way to build a solid bond between employees is by making new members of the team feel welcome. A great way to do this is by introducing them before they walk in on their first day.
In this article, we will go through why you should introduce your new team members and how to go about the process.
The process of welcoming a new employee is part of a process called onboarding, which is a mechanism that allows them to acquire the required skills, knowledge, and behavior to enable them to work better. The introduction can be done in a meeting with others before they join the team or in letters or emails to the other guys.
There are many benefits that come with onboarding a new team member. Some of them are:
- Makes it easier for them to socialize with the others
- Helps increase their credibility.
- Helps alert the others where the new employee might need help before they walk in.
Download Free Templates
Why Should You Introduce a New Employee
Introducing a new employee has countless benefits for the organization, its clients, and the employee. The introduction must not be formal, elaborate, or serious. However, it must serve the purpose of integrating them with the organizationโs system and work layout. This tends to ease them into the organizationโs workflow and has numerous benefits.
Some of such benefits are:
It decreases the new employeeโs anxiousness
Every employee was once the new kid on the block, and although the feeling wasnโt nice, they did not know how to interact with a newbie. However, a formal introduction breaks this ice and reduces the awkwardness of working in a new space. This also helps to reduce anxiousness and helps them to fit into the status quo.
It helps them to work efficiently
Nothing makes work more efficient than a team that works in sync with one another. Introducing new members makes them become a part of the team faster, and this helps them feel comfortable enough to ask for help when it is needed. All of these make work more efficient in a company.
It leaves a good impression
An introduction of the newcomer to the other workers gives them a sense of importance and value among colleagues. It also goes to tell about your estimation of them and will set the pace for others to treat them with respect and dignity.
Impact of a good working place
In all, the introduction will make the working space more orderly as each person knows their colleague, and this mutuality makes for a conducive and healthy business space.
How to Introduce a New Member
Whether you choose to introduce yourself physically, through letters, or by email, there are some important parts of the process that must not be left out:
Tell the new employeeโs name
Tell the others what the name of the employee is. Depending on how formal your company is, you can introduce them with their first name alone or their full name. Telling the others the name of the newcomer is very important.
A brief introduction of their educational background
Another important piece that must be said in an introduction is their educational background. However, try to keep it short and brief and stick to the important certifications that have a direct impact on the job.
Put emphasis on their achievements
Their achievements in the field are more important than their educational certifications as it helps build credibility and trust among the other team members. Ensure you emphasize how credible the new member is in the industry.
Finally, show your faith in them
Most teams will be a reflection of the leaderโs beliefs. If you sound unsure of the newcomer, most of the others will feel unsure. Stress the fact that you believe they will be a perfect fit and do a great job, and you will increase the confidence of your team.
Via email
You can introduce via email by sending an email to your team with a subject line like โWelcoming (New Team member) to (department name).โ Use the above-mentioned steps to introduce them to the rest of the team in writing.
Examples: Introducing New Member with Different Departments
There are different times you need to send a letter or email of introduction and different people you need to send them to:
Introduction with internal team
When a newcomer is joining a team in the company, probably from another department or elsewhere, you can introduce them to the rest using a letter or an email.
Sample letter
Hey team,
I am happy to announce that (new team member) will be joining the (department name) to help with (section). (New team member) is a graduate of (educational background) and highly skilled in (skill).
I am very confident (the new team member) will have what it takes to help us with our efforts to make this team the most profitable team in the company. I hope you give (new team members) all the support they need.
Join me in giving them a team welcome!
Sample Email
Email headline: Welcoming (new member) to (Team name)
Hey team,
I am happy to announce that (new member) will be joining the (Team name) team to help with (section). (new member) is a graduate of (educational background) and highly skilled in (skill).
I am very confident (the new member) will have what it takes to help us with our efforts to make this team the most profitable team in the company. I hope you give (new members) all the support they need.
Join me in giving them our team a welcome!
Introduction to the company
If you are in charge of a company, when there is a new member, it is important you take out time to send letters and emails introducing them to the whole company.
Sample letter
Hi guys,
Iโm pleased to inform you that (new employee) will be joining us at (company name) to work in the (department name) department.
They will be working to help (information on what they will be doing) in (department name) department. (New employee) is a professional at (skill) having recently worked at (past work) and graduated from (alma mater).
I call on you to give them all the support they will need to succeed in this company.
Sample Email
Email heading: Welcoming (new team member) to (Company name)
Hi guys,
Iโm pleased to inform you that (new employee) will be joining us at (company name) to work in the (department name) department.
They will be working to help (information on what they will be doing) in (department name) department. (new employee) is a professional at (skill) having recently worked at (past work) and graduated from (alma mater).
I call on you to give them all the support they will need to succeed in this company.
Introduction with the client
When you have a new employee, especially one that will be working with your existing clients, it is important to introduce them to your client for easy and smooth sailing work.
Sample letter
Dear (Client)
As our valued client/customer, it is important we keep you abreast of certain developments in our company, especially when such developments affect you. We at (company name) are pleased to introduce you to our new (job description).
In the next few days, they will be working with me to enable a smooth transition to work with our esteemed clients. Please assist them as much as you can when they come to work with you and feel free to call on us if there is any slight challenge.
Thank you for your understanding. We plan to use this to help serve you better.
Sample Email
Email Heading: We wish to introduce you to our new (job description)
Dear (Client)
As our valued client/customer, it is important we keep you abreast of certain developments in our company, especially when such developments affect you. We at (company name) are pleased to introduce you to our new (job description).
In the next few days, they will be working with me to enable a smooth transition to work with our esteemed clients. Please assist them as much as you can when they come to work with you and feel free to call on us if there is any slight challenge.
Thank you for your understanding. We plan to use this to help serve you better.
Best Time for Verbal Introductions
If you want to introduce your new employee verbally, here are some places you could do it:
Team lunch
You can introduce a new member at lunch to other team members. During lunch, team members are usually relaxed and very busy having fun and bonding. What better time to tell them that there is going to be another friend in their space soon?
Ice-breaking games
Playing games to reduce workplace tension is a common thing among many employees in companies. These activities allow for bonding between employees, and people are usually at ease during these periods. This makes it a great time to tell the team that there is going to be a fresh addition to the team.
Orientation
You can organize an orientation program for newcomers and use that opportunity to introduce them to the rest of the team.
Zoom Meeting
No thanks to the global COVID-19 pandemic. People have been forced to stay at home and work from there too. With Zoom meetings, you can add new employees and introduce them to other members of the team. Though itโs not as ideal as a physical meeting, it can do the job.
Tips to Follow
There are a few tips and tricks you can use to make your introduction go smoothly. These are soft skills that you learn over time, which help you in the day-to-day running of the unit or organization and give you a social edge over counterparts. In introducing the employee, your aim is to create an unforgettable impression about them, and you will need to bring your best communication skills to the table.
Here are a few tips to help you achieve this:
Pronounce their names properly
If you donโt know how to pronounce the name of a newcomer, call them and ask for the correct pronunciation. When they tell you, repeat it to yourself and learn it.x*sad When a person sees that you are serious about getting their names correctly, it helps them feel more comfortable. When announcing the name, pronounce it correctly and make corrections if you make any mistakes.
Show a friendly mood
Be friendly to the newcomers when you are welcoming them to the fold. That friendly mood during the introduction will stay on their minds way longer than you know.
Tell your team to encourage the newcomer
As a leader, set the tone for how you want a newcomer to be encouraged and welcomed so that your team members will help them feel at home.
Show respect for their culture
There are many people with different cultures in every organization. As much as you can, try to respect the culture of the newcomer and donโt make statements or act in a way that undermines the values of the newcomer.
Frequently Asked Questions
An employee onboarding process is a process by which an employee acquires the skills and behaviors necessary for them to thrive in a new environment.
You can get away with not introducing newcomers to the team, but it is better you do for better relationships between the team members.
The benefits of introducing a newcomer are enormous. Introducing them helps make integration possible, and their integration can lead to the creation of an internal network between them and the old employees. This makes them feel more comfortable in the workplace, and when a person is more comfortable, they become more productive.ย