Successfully orienting an employee to your department involves three critical phases: pre-arrival, arrival and long-term.  The following are descriptions of these phases with suggested orientation tasks for each phase.

Pre-arrival

Employees' first impressions of a department are formed during the hiring process.  Department's must ensure that their interactions during this period are positive and consistent.  The following are pre-arrival tasks that will help achieve these goals. 

1. Contact the new-hire with employment and arrival information. 

• Send a Welcome Letter to the new-hire confirming position, title, salary, supervisor, when and where to report
• Call the new-hire to confirm the start date, time, location, parking and dress code

• Submit appropriate paperwork to Payroll and Benefits Administration 
• Prepare the work area 
• Assemble a department orientation packet 
• Notify department staff of arrival
• Select and train an orientation "buddy" 
• Create a department orientation schedule

Arrival

The phase begins once an employee arrives to work on their first day.  One of the most lasting impressions employees have of their department is how they are treated during their first several weeks on the job.  Based on these experiences, new-hires learn how a department values its employees.  The following are suggested post-arrival tasks and strategies to help successfully assimilate an employee into the department.

1. During the first day

• Greet the employee and introduce the employee to co-workers and work areas
• Introduce the employee to their "buddy"
• Review the information provided in the department's orientation packet
• Review the job responsibilities
• Review the first week schedule of activities
• Assign the first project and schedule a feedback session
• Obtain a parking pass and Duke ID

• Review the department function, mission, vision and culture
• Insure the employee understands the relationship between their job, the department and the institution
• Explain the employees work relationship with others in the department
• Review current, 90 day, 6 month and 1 year department priorities
• Describe customer service expectations
• Introduce Duke's guiding principles
• Explain applicable department policies, work rules, work schedules and time away from work procedures
• Insure the employee is trained on safety and emergency procedures
• Schedule technical training as necessary
• Review pay policies and schedule

• Meet regularly with the employee to answer questions and insure that they are becoming acclimated to the department and position responsibilities
• Discuss the guiding principles and how they employee has seen them "in action" within the department
• Insure the new-hire has signed up for benefits
• Encourage the employee to visit special Duke locations and events 
• Discuss/support community service initiatives
• Establish performance goals with the new employee

 

Orientation does not end after the first month of employment at Duke.  It is an on-going process that can last from three months to one year.  To achieve orientation success, departments must utilize strategies that focus on the long-term assimilation of an employee.  The following are elements to include when creating your department's long-term orientation strategy. 

• Celebrate the completion of the 90-day probationary period
• Regularly review the progress of the employee
• Encourage feedback from the employee
• Assess the department's orientation process