The First Day Experience - Organization

20 Steps for a successful first day.

Remember your first days on the job? Those initial experiences have gone a long way in determining how quickly you became an effective, fully contributing member of our workforce.

Now, it's your turn to ensure that your new employee’s first days on the job provide a successful launch to their career. It is critically important that you provide them with the foundation tools, resources, and organizational perspective that ensure their rapid inclusion within our workforce and our NASA culture.

Standards for the First Day Experience

The following standards are intended to communicate in our words, actions, processes, and appearance---that Safety, the NASA Family, Excellence, and Integrity are what we value. They also intended to create the excitement and belief that... “Wow, this is going to be a great place to work!”  New employees will be electronically surveyed to see if we meet the following  standards.

1. One working day prior to arrival--- the sponsor or supervisor contacts the new employee to offer assistance and ensure that they are prepared to report for work.  Check to make sure that they have created their personal online checklist.
2. At least one working day prior to arrival---notify the new employee’s co-workers in the immediate organization that the new employee will be reporting for work. Encourage them to welcome the employee and offer their assistance.
3. At least one working day prior to arrival, Security and Safety is reminded of the planned arrival of the new or transferring employee.
4.     Security welcomes the new employee and provides an employee badge, map, safety and parking  instructions, and directions to the inprocessing location. Security demonstrates a welcoming and professional attitude towards the new employee.
5. If possible, the sponsor or supervisor should meet the new employee at Security and provide an escort to the in-processing location.
6. The inprocessing location is in an attractive, comfortable setting with appropriate materials and resources to efficiently and quickly complete the inprocessing.
7. The person conducting the inprocessing should be knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and dressed appropriately. The person should also demonstrate a positive, welcoming attitude toward the new employee.
8. New employee is sworn in, in an appropriate  setting and with appropriate ceremony. Supervisor is offered that privilege if desired.
9. Person responsible for in-processing assists the new employee in  resolving first day issues with benefits
10. A representative from the organization meets the employee and provides an escort to their new work location.
11. Employee is provided an initial safety briefing.
12. Employee is familiarized with office area and facilities including restrooms, building exits, cafeterias, ATM machines, etc.  
13. The new employee is provided with the following items either at their work location/office or at orientation:
1. Desk and chair
2. Computer, user ID/ temp password, Email address
3. Welcoming emails from their new coworkers, management chain, and key personnel.
4. Phone and assigned phone number
5. Office, phone, and PC should also be prepared to meet any handicap requirements.
6. Welcome letter from the Center Director
7. Welcome letter from the NASA Administrator
8. Employee Orientation Brochure
9. Organization chart showing the new employees position in the organization.
10. List of useful contacts with phone number/email address. Include Supervisor, Sponsor, Administrative Officer, human resources specialist, benefits specialist, relocation / travel contact. 
11. Center, Agency, Space Flight Awareness materials including NASA lapel pin, photos, cups etc.  should be provided. Also, if available, coupons from the gift shop, cafeteria, visitor center, etc should be made available. 
14. If possible, the supervisor is available on the first day to welcome the new employee into the organization and introduces them to their management chain and other key personnel.  If the supervisor is not available, an alternate is designated.
15. The supervisor lets the employee know that in the coming days  that they will discuss their job, their organization, performance expectations, and their developmental goals.  Also supervisor ensures that they understand how their work fits into NASA’s mission.
16. The sponsor or supervisor ensures that the new employee is given a  lunch break and accompanies them if appropriate.
17. The employee participates in required Center First day activities.
18. The supervisor gets the new employee involved in meetings, projects, tours, and organization activities—right away.
19. Employee, supervisor, and sponsor accomplish  the “First Day items on their customized personal orientation checklist (that they generated online).
20. The supervisor meets with the employee at the end of the first day to close out the day.