October 15, 2016
Orientation
The first week when you start at a new company is always a little nerve-wracking. Where do I park? What do I do for lunch? What is everyone’s name? That is why CIG believes it is crucial to have an effective onboarding and orientation program. The first week can leave a lasting impression on a new employee that will influence their tenure at the company, and CIG wants to ensure that initial impression is as positive as it can possible be for all of our new team members.
At CIG, a lot of time is spent planning and executing a new hire’s orientation to make sure the transition to the company is as comfortable as possible. The biggest goal of the program is to have the new associate walk out of the office on Friday afternoon after their first week feeling part of a large family and feeling no different in the way they are treated than the CEO.
All new associates have an orientation schedule tailored to their position, but for the most part, everyone goes through a similar process. On Monday morning, new associates are given a tour of the office and shown where all the office supplies are, how the kitchen is set up, and most importantly, how to work the coffee machine. They are also introduced to every single associate who explains their job title and role. Don’t worry, there is not a quiz afterwards on the names of the 50 people they just met.
On the first day, new associates will sit down with HR to do paperwork, IT to have their computer set up, legal, and accounting to go over expense reports. Throughout the week, they will meet with individuals in their department to get a sense of how they will work together and interact on a daily basis. They will also meet with all other department heads within the company to learn about all the moving parts within CIG as well as the Merage Foundations, a private family foundation that shares office space with CIG and can often be found working together on collaborative teams.
Since around 15-20 separate meetings will be scheduled during the first week, these meetings are the sole focus of the new associate when they start. If the new associate feels part of the CIG team and is happy with their choice to work at CIG by the end of this week, CIG feels they will be more productive long term. CIG and its entities are proud to have a retention rate of 80% which is well above average, and the company orientation is thought to be a large contributor to this successful achievement.