TABLE OF CONTENTS What's in This Chapter?
Suggestions for creating a new employee orientation programme for workers at remote sites
Designs for supervisor-facilitated small-group and one-on-one sessions
Discussion of computer-based and self-directed programme delivery
Today's workplace offers a variety of employment options, including a growing number of contract and temporary employees and telecommuters. These nontraditional employment arrangements require a different orientation approach.
Sometimes it is not cost-effective or practical to bring employees to a central location for an orientation session. People often are spread out among remote sites and locations, and bringing them to the corporate headquarters can be very costly. Some organizations, particularly small to mid-size ones, seldom hire new employees so opportunities for timely group sessions are rare. Although such situations may prevent you from conducting traditional group orientations, you still may develop and administer a structured new employee orientation programme.
This chapter also presents strategies for designing an orientation programme that serves employees who may spend weeks or months in training before they are placed in specific departments or branches. Such circumstances may create a sense of isolation and disconnection, but the lack of corporate identity can be greatly minimized through an orientation programme adapted to meet those special situations.
No matter what the format or venue, the orientation content does not change. New employees at remote sites need the same information as do those located at corporate headquarters. Therefore, start designing a distance new employee orientation programme by selecting the content you want to present.
