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Creative ideas for integrating new team members
Dear Joan:
Do you have any suggestions on how to integrate new employees in an
all-department setting?
Our company has all-staff meetings every other month, and we�ve hired four new
staff members since our last meeting. As a group, we haven�t really integrated
the new employees and we would like to highlight their positions and integrate
these new individuals at the next all-staff meeting in some fun, interactive way
that wouldn�t be threatening.
Answer:
What a great idea! As I was cooking up some ideas, I tried to think of things
that not only wouldn�t be threatening, but would encourage individuals to get to
know these newcomers before the meeting. Here are a few ideas for you to build
on:
Announce to the staff that a contest will be held at the next all-staff meeting.
Don�t reveal too much information, other than to say it has to do with the new
employees hired since the last meeting.
Of course, you will want to clear this idea with the newcomers before pursuing
it. Tell them the details of the contest but ask them to �play dumb� with the
rest of the staff. The mystery will create a fun, little buzz of excitement and
put the new employees on their co-workers� radar screen. It will be a compelling
reason to strike up a conversation (of course they will all act like they don�t
know the details about the contest) and will pique everyone�s curiosity about
the new employees.
During the meeting, announce the rules of the contest: The team that can list
the most accurate facts (work or personal life) about the new employees wins a
prize (lunch at a local restaurant, perhaps). The only ground rule is that any
sensitive, personal information is off limits. Quickly huddle everyone in groups
of four and give them five minutes to list everything they have learned about
the new employees. The people who have made an effort to get to know the new
employees will have a distinct advantage.
Bring the new employees up to the front and let them be the judges. Each group
has one minute to recite their list. It should create a lot of laughs and
highlight the new employees without making them present their own biography.
Another version, for a very large group, is to use a game show format during the
meeting. Before the meeting, ask the new employees to list at least 20 facts
(one per index card) about themselves, such as where they went to school, their
hobbies, how many children they have, where they grew up, the most famous person
they ever met, the wackiest experience they ever had, and so on. Each of these
index cards is thrown into a hat.
During the meeting, the game show �Host� (pick someone with a great sense of
humor) will bring up the new employees and ask for volunteer contestants from
the audience. The host will create two teams of contestants with about four
people per team. The rest of the staff is the �studio audience�.
Here�s how the game works: the host draws a fact from the hat and reads it to
the first team of contestants. They have to guess which new employee matches the
fact. If they guess correctly, they get one point. If they miss, the other team
of contestants gets a chance to guess. If they are right, they get a point. Keep
alternating teams for as many facts as you wish. The winning team can win a
prize.
Besides getting a lot of laughs, the whole room will learn a lot about the new
employees and it should stimulate a lot of stories and ongoing conversation long
after the game is over.
I hope these ideas have sparked some other ideas for readers. There is no reason
why regular staff meetings have to be dull. Why not play a similar game with
some existing employees?
Have a scavenger hunt between two departments who need to work together. Play
�Trivial Pursuit� built around company history. Let your imagination go!
JoanLloyd has a solid track record of excellent results. Her firm,
JoanLloyd
& Associates, specializes in leadership
development, organizational change and teambuilding. This includes executive
coaching, 360-degree feedback processes, customized leadership training,
conflict resolution between teams or individuals,
internal consulting skills training for HR professionals and retreat
facilitation. Clients report results such as: behavior
change in leaders, improved team performance and a more committed
workforce.
JoanLloyd has earned her C.S.P. (certified speaking professional) designation
from the National Speakers Association and speaks to corporate audiences, as
well as trade & professional associations across the country. Reach her at (800)
348-1944, mailto:info@joanlloyd.com, or
www.JoanLloyd.com
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