First impressions are everything. Job interviews are a perfect example of this. How candidates initially present themselves to potential employers determines if they’re invited back for the second round of interviews or even offered a job.

The importance of first impressions also holds true for how employers come across new hires during their first days on the job. Most new hires start a new job eagerly and brimming with enthusiasm. So those first few days are an important opportunity for employers to cement that positivity, which will radiate on to guests. 

Consider incorporating a few of the following suggestions to give your new hires an introduction to your hotel’s brand of hospitality.

The Welcome

First, consider how employees are received on their first day of work. Rather than sending them to an employee entrance, why not have them enter through the same doors that guests use and ask the front desk to let human resources know that they’re in the lobby?

It’s a chance to give new hires the same welcome that guests receive and to immediately set their expectations as far as how they should greet newly arrived guests.

The Paperwork

Most of us have been left alone at your new desk or an empty conference room to fill out paperwork during our first day on the job. Completing the documents is of course essential, but the experience of sitting in your new workspace can be awkward and a little alienating.

If they’re using a laptop, why not have new employees fill out hiring and benefits forms in a meeting space that’s used by the hotel’s groups? Or have them meet with team members there. It will give them a better feel for the space while still allowing the onboarding tasks to be completed.

The Tour

Every new employee needs a tour of the hotel so they can properly direct guests to their rooms and when they have questions about hotel facilities. A hotel tour will also help new employees get around the property independently and start to feel more at home at work.

So it’s also well worth doing this on their first day of work. If their direct supervisor or a human resources executive isn’t available to give a tour, another great option is one of the new hire’s coworkers. This will give him or her the chance to get to know one of the staff members with whom they’ll be working closely with. 

Getting Acquainted

Hotels are social venues. Whether guests are staying at a property to do business or for vacation, part of the experience is bonding with their colleagues or getting to know other guests or hotel team members.

While new hires are not coming to work just to socialize, their first few days of work are a time when they should start to forge relationships.

Scheduling a breakfast or coffee, a team lunch, or even a happy hour with their direct supervisor and a few of their new coworkers could provide a forum for asking more detailed questions about their job as well as interacting with guests and coworkers.

If direct supervisors like to have one-on-one conversations with new employees, coffee or lunch could add a layer of approachability to the discussion and set the tone for the relationship going forward.

After all, managers will want their new staff to feel comfortable enough with them to go to them with any issues or challenges they may be having. New employees will also be able to experience firsthand the hotel’s dining or bar facilities, which will give them a foundation for making recommendations to guests.