When you bring an employee into a new work environment, that first day is all about setting the tone for future behavior. If done properly, this is your opportunity to ensure your new employee forms positive habits and gets a good first impression of the practice. 

Take a moment to look at it from the perspective of a new employee coming into a practice: If a new hire starts a position and things seemed a bit disorganized or hectic, they might not think very highly of the office standards—which could potentially lower their own standards over time. On the other hand, starting their first day with a basic practice orientation will help handle any confusion, and demonstrate that the office has clear standards and expectations in place.

Although each new hire will require additional training on their specific position, your first action should always be a basic practice orientation.

So what are some things a basic orientation should cover? The orientation is meant to be a simple introduction to the office, the workspace, where everything is located (directly and indirectly related to the position), and the other employees in the practice.

Here is an example of an orientation checklist for new employees.

Click here to download a copy of our Orientation Checklist Template.

Tips for creating your own employee orientation checklist:

 Think about all the things that you may look for on your first day of work, whether it be the bathroom, where trash is disposed of, or where the office supplies are kept.

 The first day on the job can be intimidating and introductions can often feel rushed. Adding individual introductions into an orientation can give the new employee space to become properly acquainted.

 A checklist that combines locational orientation with employee introductions can have a longer lasting impression. For example, for the step on the orientation where an employee might “Locate the sterilization room” you might edit it to include, “Locate Cathy, the Sterilization Tech.”

 Make sure that the checklist is engaging and encourages interaction with the various parts of the office. This will help reinforce the steps, and make it more than a quick tour of the office.

Giving your new employees a road map that they can follow on their own will take the pressure off of meeting everyone at once, allow them to become more acquainted with the practice, and help set them up for long-term success!

Here at ePractice Manager, we understand that running a practice is stressful, which is why we offer a full suite of onboarding, training, and management resources—to help you focus on what matters most, patient care.