Recruiting a new employee is a strategic issue for your business. It is essential to pass on the company's values and operating methods to the new employee.
But the current health crisis and the spread of telework can complicate matters. In this context, the welcome booklet is more than ever a valuable tool to help the newcomer to familiarize himself with his professional environment. What is the purpose of this document and what should it contain? How can it be made an asset for the successful integration of staff? Here are some answers.
The welcome booklet is an HR support document sent to each new recruit on the first day of employment.
It is a guide in digital or paper format that introduces the company and provides all the information necessary for new entrants to quickly get their bearings.
An essential part of the hiring process, the welcome booklet helps answer new employees' questions and reassure them during their first few weeks of (tele)work.
Mandatory since 2002 in health establishments, it remains optional for other companies. However, it is strongly recommended that one be drawn up in order to welcome newcomers to the team, especially if they are required to work remotely.
The purpose of the welcome booklet is to encourage the integration and autonomy of new employees, who can use this document to :
As anemployer or HR manager, the welcome booklet also brings you many advantages:
In the absence of regulation (except in the health sector), the content of the welcome booklet is specific to each company according to its specificities and field of activity. It can also vary according to the employment contract of each employee, for example by proposing for example :
Although there is no set plan, the booklet should be presented as a toolbox that identifies the elements that are essential for the successful integration of new recruits. The following are the five main headings that are generally found in the Welcome Booklet's summary.
The Welcome Booklet often begins with a welcome from management. The fact of addressing the new employee directly enables him or her to be valued, to develop a feeling of belonging and to humanise the company through the voice of the person in charge.
The objective of this part is to provide the new recruit with concrete information about your structure, its organization and its ambitions. The idea is to help them find their place more easily, but also to make them want to make a contribution by personally contributing to the success of the company.
Present the company's activities, the proposed business lines and the strategic areas of development. With the help of an organization chart, identify the various departments and contacts as well as any national or international locations. Finally, share the unifying elements necessary to acquire the corporate culture: history of its creation through the portraits of the founders, vision, values and social commitments.
This section sets out the main principles that govern the life of the company, based on the internal rules of your establishment and the collective agreement applicable to your activity:
If the company hasemployee representative bodies (IRP), indicate this in this section of the welcome booklet. If applicable, provide the names and contact details of the representatives, specifying their role and scope of action. This will reassure the new employee that he or she will know who to contact if he or she encounters difficulties.
To increase the motivation of your employees, do not hesitate to detail all the benefits they can claim:
You can also provide information on internal mobility and the company's commitment to vocational training (offers and access conditions).
This chapter lists all the essential elements that are essential on a day-to-day basis to help employees find their way in their new working environment: site map, building or parking access codes, administrative contacts, etc.
For your employees to be productive quickly, especially when working from home, offer them a computer starter kit:
Well thought out, the welcome booklet helps your new recruits integrate successfully. Its production therefore requires particular attention. How do you ensure that it is read and understood by your teams and does not end up at the bottom of a drawer? Here are a few tips.
In its traditional paper version, the welcome booklet often takes the appearance of a small A5 booklet. However, in a context of dematerialization and the generalization of telework, the digital welcome booklet is now essential because of its many advantages:
You can go even further by offering a welcome booklet enriched with video content. An institutional film made by a professional is a fun and effective HR communication support.
The welcome booklet should convey useful information in a short, concise format. If the content is too long and dense, the reader may be lost or even discouraged, which would have the opposite effect.
To make your guide more lively and attractive, make sure you take care of the visual presentation. Keep in mind that a picture is worth a thousand words: as soon as it seems relevant to you, use photos or diagrams to illustrate your point. Apply the company's graphic charter to reinforce the coherence between the different HR documents and enhance your employer image.
It is essential to be well surrounded for the creation and development of your communication supports. The agency Autour de l'Image accompanies you in the realization or the revision of yourwelcome booklet:
