Starting a new job often brings hope, possibility and opportunity... but it also brings a healthy dose of anxiety. In addition to making good first impressions, new hires also have to quickly figure out how to actually perform in their new jobs. Some companies ease the transition through on-boarding processes that involve training, structured meet-and-greets and/or mounds of company literature. However, many less enlightened companies leave new hires to fend for themselves. But even with structured on-boarding activities, peer support and mentoring are crucial to navigating the first weeks and months of a new position. According to a survey by the Corporate Leadership Council, almost 60% of new managers felt that they did not receive adequate support from their peers during their transition into a new role.

How can you help plug this gap? You can take some immediate steps, as well as longer-term ones, depending on your current assimilation abilities.

1. Make the business case and get senior support. The job market is hot right now for many industries and job changing is a staple of corporate life. New hires that can start contributing quickly will help you beat out competitors who do not put energy into making new hires successful. Make sure that those in senior positions understand the link between on-boarding activities and the bottom line.
2. Drum up support for an on-boarding center. Devoting resources to an on-boarding center can help coordinate the formal and informal activities that make up a strong assimilation process. To get started, hold focus groups of relatively recent hires to determine what they were missing in their early days of employment.
3. Issue suggested behaviors to all employees. If you want to build an engaged and inclusive culture where new hire assimilation occurs naturally, a first step should be defining suggested assimilation behaviors for all employees. Consider how they map with your existing leadership values or behaviors and piggyback on those.
4. Design and form a mentoring program. Giving new hires a point person to whom they can go for questions and advice eases a transition. Guidelines and expectations for mentors and mentees should be developed and distributed.
5. Follow-up with new hires. Devise a process for following-up with new employees at various checkpoints - the first week, month, two months, etc. Through surveys, phone calls and e-mails, you will a) make the employee feel welcome and provide an avenue for them to confidentially share their experiences, b) help you spot any warning signs that the employee may not be doing well and c) give you information to improve your on-boarding activities in the future.

In addition to acting as a corporate differentiator, effective on-boarding and assimilation can be a powerful way to attract talented candidates. A company that puts effort into new hires’ early comfort and development speaks volumes about the value the company places on its people.