We put considerable time, energy and money into finding the right person. We discuss their experience, what they could contribute and why our business would be a good place to work.
Their arrival is our opportunity to begin delivering on those conversations.
Does the experience reflect what we promised? Have we made room for them? Are we ready to help them settle in?
My interest in this began years ago, after reading The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath. One observation in the book felt particularly relevant: “The lack of attention paid to an employee’s first day is mind-boggling.”
It prompted me to think about what a little more preparation and care could change. So I asked people I worked with what they remembered about their first day at work.
What stayed with me were the little things. Having lunch alone. Opening a desk drawer to find no stationery. Arriving to discover no one knew they were starting. Finding out their manager was away and nobody quite knew what to do with them.
These were the details people still remembered.
I began thinking more deliberately about the experience. How would someone feel walking through the door? What would show them they were expected? What might they remember when they went home that evening?
I put a lot into improving that first-day experience. Over time, that curiosity grew into a deeper interest in the whole employee lifecycle and the moments that shape how people experience work.
Today, I help the businesses I work with put that thinking into practice, in ways that suit their team, their resources and how they operate. The details will look different in each business. The intention remains the same: helping someone feel expected, welcome and supported from the start.
For a small or growing business, this doesn’t need a big budget. The investment is in being intentional with people’s time: deciding who will welcome the person, making space for introductions and setting aside time to explain, listen and check in. Those actions begin to give meaning to what was said during recruitment.
The welcome begins before they arrive
Starting a new job can feel remarkably like being the new kid at school.
Someone shows you where to sit and explains a few things. Then you find yourself in the playground, trying to work out who is who, where you belong and whether there is someone you can turn to.
Experience and seniority do not necessarily remove that feeling. You can be capable and confident in your work and still feel uncertain walking into a place where everyone else knows the routines, the relationships and the unwritten rules.
A considered welcome makes space for that.
It begins before the first day, with a conversation and practical information. What should I wear? Where can I park? Who will meet me? What time should I arrive? What usually happens at lunch?
These might seem like small questions from inside the business. For someone preparing to join it, the answers remove some of the unknowns.
Preparation also means making sure the team knows who is arriving, what they will be doing and how their role connects with everyone else’s.
A new starter should not have to explain why they have been employed to colleagues who have not been briefed. A comment such as “I’m not sure why you’ve been brought in” can leave them navigating an awkwardness that better communication could have prevented.
One thing I learnt was how much it helped to prepare the existing team. When people knew who was joining, when they would meet them and how they could help, they were more willing to participate.
Someone new joining can also create uncertainty within a team, particularly when people are unsure what the appointment means for their own work. Sharing information beforehand gives them time to ask questions and feel part of the process.
Make room for the person
By the time someone arrives, there should be a person ready to welcome them, with the time and attention to do it properly.
Their workspace deserves the same care. Where relevant, have their desk ready, laptop set up, access to systems arranged and basic stationery available. A personal welcome letter or email can add a thoughtful touch. These simple preparations help someone feel expected and give them what they need to get started.
Where the role allows, arranging a slightly later start can give the manager time to get settled first. Introductions should be planned, and the people involved should know what is expected of them.
In the first days I helped organise, I paid attention to the ordinary moments: being met by the person named in the pre-start call, having somewhere to put belongings, getting a coffee and meeting the people nearby. Introductions extended beyond the immediate team, because everyone mattered.
Time with the manager helped explain the induction plan and early expectations. A check-in at the end of the day gave the person space to ask questions and know what to expect tomorrow.
A buddy outside the reporting line also gives a new starter someone to approach with everyday questions. And lunch deserves a little thought. An invitation offers company without making someone feel obliged.
Of course, real life happens. A train is delayed. Someone wakes up unwell. An urgent issue needs attention.
That is why the welcome needs a backup plan. If the manager is unavailable, who will step in? Do they have the plan and know what needs to happen?
A new employee’s experience should not depend entirely on one person being there.
Even with preparation, the day may not run perfectly. A thoughtful first impression can create some goodwill when a meeting shifts or something is missed. When someone has already experienced your care, it is easier to see a small mistake as just that. Acknowledge it and follow through. The intention needs to remain visible in your actions.
Give them time to find their feet
Once someone has arrived, it is tempting to fill the day with everything they need to know.
Give them time to settle, ask questions and absorb what they are hearing. Begin explaining the role and its early priorities, knowing that understanding will develop over the weeks ahead.
Alongside the position description, help them with the things it cannot tell them: how people ask for help, how the team communicates and the everyday habits that shape working life. These conversations can happen gradually, as the information becomes relevant.
The way someone is greeted, whether their manager is present or distracted, and whether colleagues make time for them all shape the experience.
A small welcome item can give the day a tangible reminder. A product connected to the business or a thoughtfully chosen welcome bag can say, “You are part of this team.” Its meaning comes from the welcome around it.
There is no need to spend money on a gift to make someone feel valued. Having someone ready to meet them, listen and help them find their feet can communicate that just as clearly.
Give the first day somewhere to lead
My approach is to have at least the first four weeks mapped out, with room to adjust as we learn more about what the person needs. That means introductions booked, training organised, early priorities considered and time set aside for regular conversations.
It does not mean filling every hour. There needs to be space to absorb information, try things and ask questions.
If someone is expecting a new starter for a meeting, they should know why they are meeting and what they can help them understand. Being told, “Oh, was that today?” or repeatedly having introductions postponed can leave someone wondering whether there is room for them in everyone’s busy day.
Preparation shows respect for everyone’s time. It also gives the new employee reassurance that there is a plan to support them.
A clear plan, shared responsibilities and a few useful prompts can make this easier to put into practice, particularly in a busy business where recruitment is only one part of someone’s role. They give people a starting point, with room to make the welcome personal.
For me, the aim of the first day is quite simple. I want someone to leave feeling welcome, knowing there is someone they can turn to and looking forward to coming back.
They don’t need to have everything figured out. There will be time to learn the role, understand the business and find their place in the team.
The first day is about giving them a reassuring start.
