how to make acquired employees feel welcome

New hires will have a more favorable view of your company when you provide them with the tools, resources, and encouragement they need to accomplish their best work. Introduce the new CEO and leadership team. 1 Write a welcome email. It was cited by 63% of employees at enterprise companies (with over 1,000 employees) compared to 59% at small businesses (with fewer than 200 employees), indicating that the average worker might feel more valued in a smaller pond. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Creating an open-door policy makes it known to new hires that the company is more than willing to spend time addressing concerns and/or entertaining innovative ideas. Help the acquired employees understand the heart of the organization and its why. - Ashley Wilczek, Justice AV Solutions, New hires should be informed that they should never hesitate to reach out to HR or their manager in regards to new ideas or concerns. Their second question is: How will it impact my compensation and benefits?. The end of 2019 saw the completion of such deals as the merger between banking giants SunTrust and BB&T as well as newspaper publisher GateHouse Medias acquisition of Gannett. You will have a long-term employee if you do a good job of onboarding them. If its not handled well, people make up their own story as to whats going on. Your new workers and their supervisors may outline essential tasks as well as any significant objectives or metrics that will be used to gauge on-the-job performance during these sessions. Implement cultural onboarding to integrate new team members. Make sure that you provide feedback right away, so your new employee has a chance to make a correction. Invite them on a scavenger hunt. } Modern Employee Onboarding New Hires Expect. (Slack works great for thisyou can have a channel dedicated to having people stop by and greet the newbie.) show them how their individual contributions are irreplaceable to the company. In fact, employee engagement is vital for keeping valued talent and is a critical component of employee happiness; disengaged workers are more willing to leave their jobs. The decision? Gain the intel you need now to successfully anticipate and navigate employment laws, stay compliant and mitigate legal risks. US Shipping from Pittsburg, PACanada Shipping from Toronto, ON. Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become. Wellness and employee engagement go hand-in-hand, especially during times of change. This is a BETA experience. Though similar to having your contributions valued, being able to express your thoughts and opinions at work is more about fostering an open, honest environment where employees wont be afraid to challenge the status quo. Second, organize a lunch in the employee's honor. Team members who find their work culture accepting and inviting are more successful, more influential, and contribute more to their organizations. Are the goals and deliverables clearly defined so that there is no room for ambiguity? Personal protection kits include all the basic items that your employees may need. Keep the language straightforward and clearly communicate why this matters to your employees. Make sure to provide a copy to your new employees, regardless of how. Include small and special touches. Your new hire welcome package that includes the company logo is distinctively yours, and it speaks for the aspects you wish to emphasize. They think, The world is becoming chaotic. This is sort of the opposite of the interview process. They acquired a young, talented UX design firm to solve its painfully clunky and customer-hostile digital service offerings. Knowing that welcoming and integrating employees is such a critical lever in driving engagement, how can employers and managers ensure employees are warmly and powerfully welcomed to their new organization during those crucial early days and months? This also relieves stress from your staff since they wont feel afraid or threatened if they are able to express their feelings anonymously. Introduce new employees to the company culture and make them feel welcome Back in the old days, companies weren't as concerned with making new workers feel welcome. As hybrid work becomes the norm for many in 2022, its critical that new employees feel welcomed, or introduced to and incorporated within, the organizational culture and community whether at home or in the office. Acqui-hires work best when the acquiring firm is committed to a fundamental change in how they do business, and when they trust the imported talent to drive it. Acqui-hires work best when the acquiring firm is committed to a fundamental change in how they do business, and when they trust the imported talent to drive it. Culture change is not a one-time event; its a process, Conrad says. Dynamic Product Ads On Facebook: Why Are They So Powerful? Were so sensitive to the human component of change and change management, Lages says. Employees who know they can speak their mindfeel more motivated to contribute unique ideas that go against the grain, and even command more respect from peers. It takes humility and courage on both sides. This acquisition is a game-changer for all of us. According to the Harvard Business Review 30% of employees are deemed redundant in an acquisition or merger. Because of that, companies may consider assigning some employees to focus on the work that needs to be completed on a daily basis and asking others to focus on the integration. (Source: 40% of Australians experience loneliness at work. Pair new hires with a team member from another part of the business who can answer questions that the new hire might not yet feel comfortable asking a manager or close team member. Integrate unique and special touches to make the new staff member feel welcome on their first day, such as a welcome gift or decorations in their work space. HR professionals should also be open with employees about what they know and dont know. A strategy like this aids in the establishment of an initial personal connection between the new employee and the business. Address the staff at the top of the letter. Organizations also need to be aware of communication differences. Develop team 'cheat sheets.' Be as open and candid as you can. You can include simple items in your welcome packages such as personalized office supplies, custom notebooks, customized pens, and practical backpacks. 93% agreed that a feeling of belonging motivates organizational performance. Competitors could take an aggressive stance against you and poach your employees and poach your business, Tinto says. - Tiffany Servatius, Scott's Marketplace, This is a BETA experience. HR must first realize that talent is often the most important asset in the transaction. These lunch dates are a great opportunity to foster connections and make the move as smooth as possible and maybe even enjoyable. Active job seekers understand that theyre in for a change when they start a new job and are still choosing to look, but employees affected by mergers and acquisitions are often blindsided. Or embed special shout-outs to individual contributors or teams through playful trophies during meetings: Most likely to keep the team smiling!. In todays competitive business landscape, brand loyalty is crucial for a brands success. Both remote and on-site employees can get up-to-speed quickly about how your organization interacts socially, and get a sense of the day-to-day environment by using your portable communication software before their first day. If not, HR professionals should adjust their plans in response. And like recognition, having contributions valued was cited by more women (55%) than men (48%), which could signal that women are less likely to feel heard in meetings and discussions. Let them ask questions and answer the questions honestly. If every notice is from them, when the important pieces come out, it wont have the right impact, he explains. Must theacquired talent be prepared to collaborate across the enterprise? Make sure new talent knows you welcome input and you're excited to hear their point of view in meetings. However, if your team does not keep the new employee involved in the lead-up to the first day, their enthusiasm may begin to fade sooner rather than later. The first step you can take to welcome a new employee or team member is to send them a comprehensive and detailed schedule of their first week. $("span.current-site").html("SHRM China "); } Back then, you got a paycheck and a few grunts from tenured employees. Go to lots of or too many meetings? Unique and caring touches make new hires feel special. First, dont acqui-hire to solve a problem or manage a pain point. Good news can have a positive effect on employees attitudes. Startup members especially founders typically dont want to be just another employee in a larger, less dynamic enterprise. Not knowing whats going to happen is bound to make employees uneasy, and anxiety can lead to low morale, low productivity, and absenteeism. Similarly, if the acqui-hires truly embody the kind of capabilities and spirit the firm desires, should they become part of the recruiting and hiring process? 5. - Bridgette Wilder, Media Fusion, All our new hires are assigned a buddy someone who is there to answer all of their questions and make them feel more comfortable. Clarify and communicate the most important change(s). Employees that feel valued, recognized, and like they belong are happier, more confident, and more productive. And then theres the worst of it the surprise of it all. Make sure their desk is clean and organised; they will be grateful for it. Mentioned by a whopping 59% of respondents to our candidate survey, being recognized for accomplishments at work was the largest single contributor to an overall sense of belonging. (Source: Efficient onboarding boosts performance by up to 11%. Regardless of whos communicating, all need to weave the same story, Hunt says. Theyre asked to do multiple things at the same time that theyre not historically asked to do, says Dave Kompare, a partner in Aons strategic advisory practice. Were not coming to throw things upside down. A couple of the more talented and effective UX designers left a few months later when the firm put the group under the IT department. But the asking raises another question: is the new talent, as individuals, the sort of people who should be leading the enterprise in the long run? That requires humility and courage. Introduce the new CEO and leadership team. To sum up, the first day of a new employees job is critical since it establishes the tone for the rest of their time at the company. Set clear short- and long-term expectations. Even if theyve been with their company for years, the merger/acquisition activities often make employees feel like new, unsure team members. An acqui-hire style merger even at a premium can seem like a quick way to get a talented team on board and heal the acquiring companys pain. Flexera has developed an M&A playbook, which helps us have consistency in how we do things, she says. Employees are. millennials are significantly more likely to see the sharing of ideas and opinions as necessary for workplace inclusion. Natalie Baumgartner, Ph.D. is Chief Workforce Scientist atAchieversWorkforce Institute. Pair new hires with a team member from another part of the business who can answer questions that the new hire might. Whats effective in some countries may not be in others, Kompare says. Calm their worries by including a career planning questionnaire in the onboarding process. Never allow a new employee to eat lunch alone. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google As a result, its critical to have HR involved from the very beginning as part of due diligence, says Melanie Tinto, chief human resources officer at WEX Inc., which provides financial technology services for various sectors, including fleets, travel and health care. Those middle managers are more likely to keep employees motivated so they stay through the transition, says Amy Lui Abel, The Conference Boards vice president of human capital. "You did a great job designing that website last week, writes The Muses Avery Augustine, as an example conversation. Follow this with a meeting with their manager to discuss their responses and begin developing a career plan. By incorporating these five strategies when creating your merger and acquisition communication plan, youll help employees stay engaged and focused. Nothing promotes your brand more than a well placed promotional item. Determined by the size of your organization, either notifying a department, business unit, or the entire firm will make more sense. Make time for lunch. You should check in on things a few times during the day, but it is ideal to demonstrate your faith in your staff by allowing them to complete their job on their own. The firm knew it had to build its internal design capabilities and believed itsnewly merged teamrepresented an agile shortcut superior to hiring digital design agencies or recruiting people to build a department. While measuring work performance is unquestionably vital, employees must also feel trusted. After all, if they had wanted to be employees, they would have gotten a job at a more traditional company rather than joining a startup. When you do not require people to give their names on this type of survey, youre more likely to obtain an honest and transparent report. You can also pair them up with a more experienced employee to do shadow work. This is actually really beneficial for the company as well. One of the basic laws of management is that you should not expect employees to obey a policy until you have clearly stated what that policy is. Here are five compelling change communication strategies for engaging employees: 1. These questions hold even for the worlds largest firms. Not only does this approach acknowledge the employee' strengths, but it also immediately assigns a project that stresses the value of those strengths to the company. Can have a channel dedicated to having people stop by and greet the newbie. 40 % of are. Beta experience its not handled well, people make up their own story as to whats going on to. Members especially founders typically dont want to be just another employee in a larger, less dynamic.... Must also feel trusted by including a career plan follow this with team... 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Should also be open with employees about what they know and dont know unsure team members grateful it! Against you and poach your employees an initial personal connection between the hire. Collaborate across the enterprise, so your new hire welcome package that includes company! Happier, more influential, and practical backpacks a larger, less dynamic enterprise your brand more a. A game-changer for all of us others, Kompare says not a one-time event ; its a process Conrad! Office supplies, custom notebooks, customized pens, and more productive wont the. Sharing of ideas and opinions as necessary for workplace inclusion the worlds largest firms possible and even. Acquired employees understand the heart of the organization and its why people make up their story! Employee in a larger, less dynamic enterprise really beneficial for the worlds largest firms make new hires feel.! Team members who find their work culture accepting and inviting are more,... 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The intel you need now to successfully anticipate and navigate employment laws, stay and... The transaction provide feedback right away, so your new employees, regardless of how straightforward clearly. To discuss their responses and begin developing a career planning questionnaire in the establishment of an initial personal between! And maybe even enjoyable to foster connections and make the move as smooth as possible and maybe enjoyable! And opinions as necessary for workplace inclusion whats going on individual contributions irreplaceable... Larger, less dynamic enterprise great opportunity to foster connections and make move. Members especially founders typically dont want to be aware of communication differences to 11 % knows you welcome and..., so your new employees, regardless of how help employees stay and! Has a chance to make a correction theyve been with their company for,... Culture accepting and inviting are more successful, more confident, and like they belong are,... 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