New Employee Orientation: An Agencys First Impression Megan - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

New Employee Orientation: An Agency’s First Impression

Megan Shekletski HR Specialist Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Human Resources

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Group Discussion

• What did the current employees do wrong? What did they do right?
• How do you think the new hire felt during her first day on the job?
• How could the office improve their orientation tactics?

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Overview and Objectives

Participants will:

• Identify the connection between a strong orientation and an agency's

first impression.

• Discuss the importance of a well organized orientation and its role in

developing a workforce that is comfortable and knowledgeable.

• Learn about preparations and communication tactics that can be

utilized to ensure a successful orientation.

• Review HRSA’s NEO best practices and two-day orientation structure.

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First Impressions

• Orientation is often a new hire’s first look into the agency as a whole
• New hires are flooded with information on their first day-It is important

to be prepared and organized

• Employees involved in orientation should be friendly, accommodating,

enthusiastic, and have an overall positive attitude

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General Orientation Organization

• A well developed orientation should be both informative and engaging
• Creative presentation tactics should be employed to

keep employees interested in the content

• Video Clips
• Activities: Ice breakers, Worksheets
• Discussions
• The agenda for orientation should be practical and tailored to agency

structure and policies:

• Include plenty of breaks for hires and presenters
• Include presentations that are important for onboarding purposes to make the new hire feel prepared to

start their tour of duty

• Keep presenters accountable to their allotted time slots

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Preparation for Orientation

• Preparation of materials, presentations, and procedures is crucial in

ensuring a smooth running orientation.

• Communication between new hires, program areas, and presenters

must be clear and timely to avoid confusion.

• Confusion and misunderstanding can ruin the timely progression of
• rientation.

Let’s take a look at some of HRSA’s preparation and communication procedures…

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Preparation of Materials

• HRSA’s New Employee Orientation (NEO) is presented via PowerPoint

presentation

• Each presenter adds their own style to their individual portion of the

presentation

• Any updates the presenters make to their presentations are sent to HR

for approval before being added to the NEO slide deck

• HRSA’s NEO presentation is constantly being updated to

ensure accuracy regarding evolving agency and department policies.

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Preparation of Materials

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All new hires attending HRSA NEO are given a folder containing the following information:

• PowerPoint slide decks for Day #1 and Day #2 of
• rientation, printed with an area to take notes
• Agendas for Day #1 and #2
• An informational packet containing documents on

benefits, TSP, Ethics, EEO and a payroll calendar

• HRSA Overview Worksheet Activity- A matching

activity worksheet to familiarize new employees with the missions of HRSA’s Offices/Bureaus

• Evaluations for Day #1 and Day #2

Communication Prior to Orientation

• Communication and planning prior to orientation is critical in

executing orientation without chaos

• It is important to communicate with all parties involved, this includes

new hires, program areas/supervisors and presenters

• Official offer letters should include detailed information regarding
• rientation, including what the new hire needs to complete

beforehand, bring with them, security procedures, parking options, and room location

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Communication Prior to Orientation

• A well prepared orientation can make new hires feel comfortable and

relaxed on their first day

• To avoid confusion on orientation day all parties involved must

receive and carryout detailed instructors from orientation proctors

• New Employee Orientation Notifications- sent to program areas and

all presenters

• Preliminary Notification- Sent Wednesday before orientation and includes list
• f expected new hires, room location, procedures, and agendas
• Final Notification- Sent Friday before orientation and includes final list of new

hires, room locations and a reminder of procedures

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HRSA Orientation Agendas

• Day #1 of Orientation includes:
• Oath of Office and New Hire Forms
• Equal Employment Opportunity Basics

(EEO)

• Building Management, Security,

Occupant Emergency Plan, Badging and Parking

• Counterintelligence Awareness
• HR Systems and Communication
• Lunch & Badging appointments
• OIT Property Management
• Ethics
• Federal Benefits
• Day #2 of Orientation includes:
• HRSA Bureau and Office Overview
• HRSA Grantee Video
• Records Management
• Reasonable Accommodation and

Interpreting Services

• Counter Intelligence Awareness
• HHS Learning Portal/ Helpful Resources
• Telework
• National Treasury Employee Union

(NTEU) (For all bargaining unit employees)

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How to Measure Success

• Orientation should be continuously evolving. Presentations must be updated

frequently and new strategies should be employed.

• It is important to perfect processes that work and change ones that do not.
• HRSA uses evaluation forms completed by the new hires to gather feedback and

incorporate changes.

• Feedback from new hires can provide insight that otherwise may be overlooked.
• It is vital to evaluate the success of

Orientation in order to develop an efficient, long-term program.

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Key Takeaways

• Takeaway 1: First impressions during orientation are very important in solidifying

an organizations’ relationship with new hires. Orientation essentially fuels new hires’ enthusiasm and a positive outlook on their new workplace.

• Takeaway 2: Preparation and open communication with new hires, presenters

and program areas prior to Orientation is crucial.

• Takeaway 3: HRSA’s best practices currently in place can be utilized across HHS as

a template to demonstrate informative, organized and effective orientation tactics and procedures.

• Takeaway 4: Evaluating orientation successes and failures is important. Employ

new ideas to improve and give new hires an opportunity to provide feedback.

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Contact Information

• Megan Shekletski- HR Specialist
• HRSA/OHR
• Email: mshekletski@hrsa.gov
• Phone Number: (301)-443-4865

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