What You Should Include in Packets for New Hires
Posted October 16th, 2015
Giving your new hires a packet of important information is more than just a formality. It is an essential professional courtesy and an integral part of your onboarding strategy. The more information they have and the easier it is to reference, the quicker your new hires will be able to make a meaningful impact at your company. Make sure all your new-hire packets have the following important elements.
Welcome Letter
Including a welcome letter is a way to warmly introduce the company to the new hire and frame the packet as a whole. Be sure to offer a personalized greeting, briefly describe the company and the company’s mission, and include contact information for HR staff that can answer questions. If you use a form welcome letter, review it periodically to ensure it’s still up to date.
Information Form
In the rush to get a new hire started on the job, important details may have been overlooked. Include a simple form in your packet that asks for information like birth date, mailing address, emergency contact, medical concerns, etc. This information should then be made a part of the new hire’s personnel file.
Tax and Banking Forms
One of the most important tasks your new hires will need to complete is filling out any relevant tax and banking forms. Include these in the welcome packet, and emphasize that they need to be completed and returned before a specified time. Employees tend to feel more comfortable on a new job once they have been assured that payroll has been taken care of.
Employee Handbook
Your employee handbook should introduce the new hire to important information and concepts. But too often these handbooks are overstuffed, dry, and rarely consulted. Turn this into something the employee will actually use by making it concise, relevant, current, and easy to navigate. The new hire should also have an actual person they can turn to when something is not made clear by the handbook.
Benefits Information
The details of benefits packages can be lengthy and confusing. Pass this information along ASAP to give your new hire plenty of time to evaluate and review. Also, be sure to point out any documents that they may need to complete and return.
Directory
Even in the digital age it can be helpful to have an actual printed directory to consult. Make sure yours lists phone, email, and mailing addresses, clearly identifies hierarchies and points of contact, and contains up-to-date information.
Providing a quality packet of information shows that you understand the confusion of a new job and care about the success of the new hire. Discover other ways to both improve and expedite your onboarding process by working with Bayside Solutions.
