When you bring on a new employee to your team, the first few weeks are extremely important. Those initial impressions and moments can shape the entire trajectory of that person’s tenure with the company—whether it’s brief or lengthy, good or bad, mutually beneficial or filled with conflict.

Employers aren’t likely to skip foundational things with a new employee, like setting up their computer or giving them a copy of the employee handbook. There are other steps, though—steps often overlooked—that are just as critical to setting the stage for an employee’s success.

Here are four important principles to keep in mind when you are onboarding new employees:

Set conscious expectations – The training that you provide in those first few days is setting up expectations for the new employee. You’re training them on more than just the work that they will be doing; you’re also introducing them to the culture of your company. Signals are being absorbed by the new person when it comes to things like the degree of organization, the amount of joking versus serious discussion, and whether meetings begin and end on time. Consciously or not, he or she will form lasting impressions during the training period of what is expected down the road.
Be open and honest – Ideally, your new hire will last and prove to a be a valuable addition to your team. Be crystal clear during the training period on what the job requires. Employees are more likely to stay if what they hear during the first weeks of training is consistent with their experience down the road. Clarity and consistency build trust, which, translated over time, leads to loyalty.
Set high standards – You can always scale back the pace or the amount of work that you’re expecting from a new employee, but it’s very difficult to get someone to significantly increase their output once the initial standard has been set. Establish a fast pace and continue to put new things in front of your employees. If they can keep up during those first few days, when everything is new, you can have confidence that they’ll continue to be effective team players in the weeks and months ahead.
Look ahead - Equip your new employees for today while inspiring them for tomorrow. Give them a vision of where the company is headed and how they fit into that picture. Offer opportunities for ongoing training that extend beyond the parameters of their current position. Help them grow towards where they want to be.

Setting the stage for an employee’s success is just one of the ways you can make your business an exceptional place to work. At the ReWild Group, we’ve identified through research the 11 elements of an exceptional business. Learn more about them here.