Think for a second about some of the “first days” you’ve had in your life: your first day of school, your first day of college, your first day on the job…. Remember how you felt? First days tend to be exciting and full of promise but you probably felt a little nervous or uneasy too, right? Right before starting a new job, people usually ask themselves questions like:

What if I don’t perform well?
What if I don’t like my boss?
What if my boss doesn’t like me?
What will the other employees think of me?

It’s completely natural to think about all these things (and more) before starting a new job—and even for the first few days or weeks. Management can do so much to alleviate these concerns, and it all starts with an employee orientation program that welcomes new hires with open arms. When organizations take the time to properly welcome and embrace new employees, everyone wins in the long term. Here are five reasons employee orientation helps new hires feel more comfortable and secure as they begin their new position.

1. It answers their questions.

Odds are that when your new employees show up for their first day of work, they‘ll have a ton of questions. The odds are even better that, as they learn more about their new position, they’ll have even more questions. Employee orientation gives new hires the opportunity to get all of those questions answered in a no-pressure environment. Plus, as an added bonus, knowing all the questions new hires have will help management improve the employee orientation program content for the future.

2. It helps them become acquainted with co-workers.

For those that struggle with any level of social anxiety or with getting to know new people, employee orientation is an easy way to get some of the awkward introductions out of the way. Incorporating breaks into the employee orientation program allows new hires to mingle and casually chat with one another. If your employee orientation is presented in person (and if the group isn’t too large), it might be a good idea to have everyone introduce themselves at the beginning of the program and share a little about themselves. You may even implement a more structured meet-and-greet to encourage relationship building.

3. It provides a strong knowledge base about their position.

The main goal of any employee orientation program is to lay a solid foundation for new employees. This will empower new hires and propel them to success. A major part of the foundation is the knowledge base they need to perform their job duties properly and efficiently, on the path to becoming a contributing employee.

4. It helps them be more successful.

There are several factors that go into an employee being successful in their new position, and employee orientation is the best way to set a new employee up for that success. Employee orientation provides the information, support, training, and guidance all new employees need for a thorough understanding of the company, their position, and how to be a successful member of the team.

5. You’ll make them feel wanted.

At the end of the day, you never want someone to feel like a burden or as though they’re not welcome at your organization. Feeling unwelcome or unwanted will only hurt their performance and could lead to increased turnover rates. Employee orientation programs that focus on the employees, just as much as the organization, tell new hires they’re valued members of your team. Companies that carefully craft employee orientation programs to not just inform employees, but also to welcome employees, are on the road to long-term success. A warm welcome will go a long way to getting employees off on the right foot.

Why Your Employee Orientation Should Begin With a Warm Welcome