Taking steps to ensure a new team member settles in at the office can be time consuming. But it is well worth the effort.

Hiring an employee is a long and expensive process, says Cissy Pau, principal with Clear HR Consulting Inc. in Vancouver. If you fail to integrate a new hire into the team and, as a result, he or she decides to leave, you will have to incur the cost of hiring a replacement.

Communication is the key to helping a new team member become comfortable in his or her new role. Here are five steps to helping a new hire settle in:

1. Set the record straight
Be clear about your expectations, Pau says. Outline any opportunities that the job or company offers for the new employee. As well, ask the new hire about his or her hopes for the role.

The new hire will talk about these issues with other team members, Pau says, so it’s important to have the conversation right away, to express and explain your perspective first.

2. Cover the basics
Describe all the details of office life to the new team member, says April-Lynn Levitt, a coach with the Personal Coach in Calgary. This helps put your new team member at ease with the new role.

For example, give your new employee a tour; introduce the rest of the team; and cover basic points such as when to take lunch and the office dress code.

3. Explain the big picture
Depending on the position and your new employee, the new team member may lack experience in the financial services industry. If that is the case, it’s important to give a little background.

Talk about the various aspects of the industry and where your business fits in, Pau says. As well, list your main competitors and the strengths and weaknesses of your practice in comparison to them.

4. Talk about the company
To make the new hire a success, the team member needs to know as much as possible about your company.

Talk about the company’s history, how it is structured and who your clients are, Pau says. The structure and organization of the business is particularly important if your firm is part of a larger corporation.

The more the new employee knows, Pau says, the easier it is for him or her to present the company positively.

5. Describe the job
Once the new team member understands the industry and your business, he or she needs an introduction to the job itself.

State clearly what his or her role includes, Pau says, and how to do it. As well, explain how the role fits into the company’s structure and what kind of training he or she will receive.

Have a written job description to avoid misunderstandings and mistakes, Levitt says. That way, responsibilities and goals for the role are clear.

This is the first in a two-part series on integrating a new team member into your practice. Next: training and managing your new hire.