Workplace

At many companies, the recruitment process doesn’t stop when a hire is made, said Rhymer Rigby in the Financial Times. Some roll out the welcome wagon for new hires, with assigned “buddies,” detailed orientations, even goody baskets. Fans of the trend, known as “onboarding,” say a well-planned company introduction brings rookies up to speed quickly and also serves as a crash course in company culture. Organizations just need to take care not to go overboard, says Paul Armstrong of management consultancy Penna. “You don’t want them to feel as though they’ve been abducted.”

Still, many employers hardly go to great lengths to show you the ropes,

said Anita Bruzzese in the Hartford Business Journal. It’s up to you to make the first days productive. Instead of sitting at your desk, pretending to be busy, take care of administrative details, study company policies, and learn the hierarchy of the office. “One of the best ways to make your presence immediately seen as a positive is to get to know everyone in your department right away.” Just don’t spend too much time hovering around your colleagues’ cubicles. Chances are, they actually have work to do.

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