9 Methods to Encourage New Joiners to Make Friends
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- 9 Methods to Encourage New Joiners to Make Friends
- Create Welcoming Onboarding Processes
- Promote a Culture of Inclusivity
- Implement Buddy Systems
- Organize Social Events
- Foster Cross-Departmental Collaboration
- Provide Comfortable Spaces for Interaction
- Recognize and Reward Team Building
- Encourage Open Communication
- Lead by Example
- Set the Onboarding Tone with BrioHR
As HR professionals, a key objective is to ensure that new joiners have a positive and enriching experience within the workplace. One crucial aspect of this experience is building strong relationships with colleagues. Encouraging new joiners to make friends in the office can significantly contribute to their job satisfaction, productivity, and overall well-being.
Here, we'll explore some effective strategies for HR professionals to facilitate these connections and create a more inclusive and welcoming work environment.
Create Welcoming Onboarding Processes
The journey towards building friendships often begins during the onboarding process. HR professionals should design an onboarding program that not only focuses on job-related training but also includes activities and events that foster interpersonal connections. Consider incorporating icebreaker activities, group lunches, or team-building exercises to help new employees get to know their colleagues in a relaxed and comfortable setting.
Promote a Culture of Inclusivity
Inclusivity is the cornerstone of a workplace where friendships can thrive. HR should actively promote a culture that values diversity and encourages employees to appreciate and learn from one another's backgrounds and perspectives. This inclusivity can be reinforced through diversity training, awareness campaigns, and open discussions about the importance of workplace friendships.
Implement Buddy Systems
Pairing new employees with experienced colleagues as "buddies" is an excellent way to facilitate friendships. These buddies can act as mentors, guides, and friends, helping newcomers navigate the workplace, introducing them to others, and offering support. Establishing a buddy system can be a formal part of the onboarding process or an ongoing initiative to ensure that every new hire has someone to turn to.
Organize Social Events
Regular social events outside of work hours provide an ideal setting for employees to connect on a personal level. HR can organize activities like teambuilding outings, sports activities, or volunteer opportunities to encourage socializing among colleagues. These events create an informal atmosphere where employees can relax and form lasting bonds.
Foster Cross-Departmental Collaboration
Encourage collaboration and interaction between different departments or teams. HR can initiate cross-functional projects, committees, or workshops that require employees from various areas to work together. Such initiatives not only enhance professional skills but also facilitate social interactions and friendships among colleagues who might not otherwise cross paths.
Provide Comfortable Spaces for Interaction
Designing the physical workplace with comfortable common areas can encourage spontaneous interactions. Break rooms, lounges, or collaborative workspaces equipped with comfortable seating, games, and amenities can create an inviting environment for employees to chat and bond during breaks.
Recognize and Reward Team Building
Recognizing and rewarding employees who actively contribute to team building and fostering workplace friendships can be a powerful incentive. Acknowledgement through awards, certificates, or other forms of recognition can motivate employees to engage in activities that promote camaraderie.
Encourage Open Communication
HR professionals should promote open communication channels where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. This creates a sense of belonging and trust, making it easier for individuals to initiate and maintain friendships within the organization.
Lead by Example
HR leaders and management should lead by example. Their behaviour and interactions with colleagues set the tone for the entire organization. Encourage senior management to engage in team-building activities, mentorship programs, and social events to demonstrate the importance of workplace friendships.
Set the Onboarding Tone with BrioHR
Encouraging new joiners to make friends in the office is not just about improving workplace morale; it's also about enhancing productivity, retention rates, and overall job satisfaction. BrioHR’s onboarding module helps that process along by introducing a systematic, digitalized onboarding flow that can be customized to each new joiner. While BrioHR can’t help you make friends, it can make the transition to a new company much smoother and easier.
With a secure, scalable, user-friendly platform, BrioHR covers the entire employee journey from recruitment to onboarding, payroll and claims, to performance and analytics, and more.
This enables business owners and HR teams to truly focus on what matters most – people.
Visit briohr.com and get a free demo now.
As HR professionals, a key objective is to ensure that new joiners have a positive and enriching experience within the workplace. One crucial aspect of this experience is building strong relationships with colleagues. Encouraging new joiners to make friends in the office can significantly contribute to their job satisfaction, productivity, and overall well-being.
Here, we’ll explore some effective strategies for HR professionals to facilitate these connections and create a more inclusive and welcoming work environment.
Create Welcoming Onboarding Processes
The journey towards building friendships often begins during the onboarding process. HR professionals should design an onboarding program that not only focuses on job-related training but also includes activities and events that foster interpersonal connections. Consider incorporating icebreaker activities, group lunches, or team-building exercises to help new employees get to know their colleagues in a relaxed and comfortable setting.
Promote a Culture of Inclusivity
Inclusivity is the cornerstone of a workplace where friendships can thrive. HR should actively promote a culture that values diversity and encourages employees to appreciate and learn from one another’s backgrounds and perspectives. This inclusivity can be reinforced through diversity training, awareness campaigns, and open discussions about the importance of workplace friendships.
Implement Buddy Systems
Pairing new employees with experienced colleagues as “buddies” is an excellent way to facilitate friendships. These buddies can act as mentors, guides, and friends, helping newcomers navigate the workplace, introducing them to others, and offering support. Establishing a buddy system can be a formal part of the onboarding process or an ongoing initiative to ensure that every new hire has someone to turn to.
Organize Social Events
Regular social events outside of work hours provide an ideal setting for employees to connect on a personal level. HR can organize activities like teambuilding outings, sports activities, or volunteer opportunities to encourage socializing among colleagues. These events create an informal atmosphere where employees can relax and form lasting bonds.
Foster Cross-Departmental Collaboration
Encourage collaboration and interaction between different departments or teams. HR can initiate cross-functional projects, committees, or workshops that require employees from various areas to work together. Such initiatives not only enhance professional skills but also facilitate social interactions and friendships among colleagues who might not otherwise cross paths.
Provide Comfortable Spaces for Interaction
Designing the physical workplace with comfortable common areas can encourage spontaneous interactions. Break rooms, lounges, or collaborative workspaces equipped with comfortable seating, games, and amenities can create an inviting environment for employees to chat and bond during breaks.
Recognize and Reward Team Building
Recognizing and rewarding employees who actively contribute to team building and fostering workplace friendships can be a powerful incentive. Acknowledgement through awards, certificates, or other forms of recognition can motivate employees to engage in activities that promote camaraderie.
Encourage Open Communication
HR professionals should promote open communication channels where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. This creates a sense of belonging and trust, making it easier for individuals to initiate and maintain friendships within the organization.
Lead by Example
HR leaders and management should lead by example. Their behaviour and interactions with colleagues set the tone for the entire organization. Encourage senior management to engage in team-building activities, mentorship programs, and social events to demonstrate the importance of workplace friendships.
Set the Onboarding Tone with BrioHR
Encouraging new joiners to make friends in the office is not just about improving workplace morale; it’s also about enhancing productivity, retention rates, and overall job satisfaction. BrioHR’s onboarding module helps that process along by introducing a systematic, digitalized onboarding flow that can be customized to each new joiner. While BrioHR can’t help you make friends, it can make the transition to a new company much smoother and easier.
