Don’t disappoint your new team member with a terrible first day – or week.
“A first day isn’t an event. It is just another day of long orientation and a day of lost work.” That is how so many managers think – even if they won’t admit it out loud. Take a step back and think about the impression you are giving your newest team members.
Are you showing them that you value their time and the commitment they made to you? Or, are you showing them that they will never matter and need to be grateful that you are employing them? No, really stop and think about it.
Does the new hire have the following?
A working computer at their work station, fully loaded with all the software they will need and with enough processing power to use that software.
A phone, phone list with titles, and a map of the office where everyone sits
Email set up, with a welcome email that explains where to find
How to use the phones
How to set up email signatures
Time card login info
Any training documents needed for software
Schedule of training for the first week
Who they should contact for questions, their email, and phone number
A desk with the basics needed to do their job
Pen and paper should be obvious but do they need a stapler, a headset, or even a pencil? Think about this persons job and what they will need.
Logins for any software systems they may need and the steps to reset their passwords.
This is the basic, no new hire should arrive to a computer that has no email and that they have to spend hours with IT to ensure that they have the systems needed. Or worse yet, a desk without a computer.
So many companies talk about how they value their staff, team members or employees but never follow that up with actions.
Treat your new employees like a customer – be fully prepared for their arrival with everything they could need. This will show them that you value them and their time and are excited about them coming to your team.
This is their first impression of your business outside of the interviews, don’t send them to their desk with nothing to do. There is a high probability that they will get right back to job hunting and the quality of the candidates you receive for future jobs will drop with each bad experience.
If you went to a gala dinner and there were no chairs at the tables and the food came without silverware you would be outraged – so why are you treating your new hires this way?
Site Visits are when you look over a venue before you sign a contract to host your event at that location.
Why do the site visit?
You can see the venue in person. We have all booked the hotel that has beautiful pictures and arrived to find that they used clever camera angles and outdated photos. Seeing the venue in person can make all the difference.
You get a better feel of the space. You see if there is enough room to have your event, look at the parking your guests will be using, see any obstacles, and observe the on-site staff at work. You are also able to observe the flow of the space and how people will move around.
Peace of Mind. As an event planner, this is huge for me, knowing what I am walking into makes all the difference. If I know the venue, I am calmer and able to cut the items I pack by about half. If I do not know the venue, I have a whole box of contingencies that I bring along from pens, zip ties, duct tape, and extra decorations.
When to do the site visit?
Do a ton of research before you consider doing site visits. You will want to read reviews and read venue websites for restrictions such as required vendors or hard cut off times.
Narrow your list to your top three venues and contact them. Ask them to send over pricing, rules, and venue layouts. Ask them for a list of past customers that will speak with you about their experience.
If you feel comfortable with the venue, schedule a site visit before you sign a contract.
What to look for during the site visit?
Does anything odd stand out?
If they provide tables and chairs, are they sturdy? If they already have a table set up – ask for them to pull out one more just to ensure.
Do you still like the venue?
Do you like the on-site team?
For most small businesses, you will be hosting events within your driving distance. I consider driving distance 2 hours. If this is the case, always do the site visit. If you are hosting an event out of town and have the funds to visit, always do the site visit.
If you cannot make the visit but are still set on having your event at the venue I would suggest the following;
Do you know someone in the area of the venue that can visit it for you?
Will the venue manager do a video call and walk you through the space?
Does the venue have stellar online reviews?
Site visits can be the difference between a perfect event and a catastrophe. Do them whenever possible.
A quick side note, speak with your accounting professional on how business travel can affect your taxes. Some travel is tax deductible but please confirm with your accounting professional before assuming this. Each state and industry have their own regulations to follow.
