Starting a new job is an exciting but also very stressful event. If, in addition, as a new employee, you are poorly integrated, it greatly undermines the experience.
It goes without saying that a well-integrated employee is a more effective employee. At Merkur, we place great importance on the integration process. It is essential for us to guide our new Merkurians so that they can better understand the parameters of their new job. This way, our Merkurians feel involved from the moment they are hired.
Everyone at Merkur plays a role in the integration process because collaboration is a common value among all Merkurians.
So, how does our integration process work? (Most of our integrations proceed this way, but it may vary due to unforeseen circumstances).
Firstly, even before the new employee arrives, they will receive their complete integration plan. They will know, before their first day, how it will unfold and with whom. This creates a sense of confidence because our candidate feels expected and guided; the people involved in the integration plan have freed themselves accordingly, eliminating any confusion like “Go see such-and-such person, they might have something for you…”.
Often, the integration takes place at the employee’s main office. Sometimes it happens at another location due to logistical issues, but primarily to allow for meeting the new employee’s team. Our new employees are welcomed around 9 AM by the HR business partner who accompanied them during their candidate experience. The new employee has a room reserved where they can settle in for the day and leave their belongings. Integrations are sometimes individual or group-based, mostly on Tuesdays. The advantage of integrating multiple new hires at once is the synergy created among them, as well as the enrichment of questions and comments.
We start the day smoothly, with information presented at a pace that is easy to retain. All information and presentations are available to employees throughout their employment.
What better way to start an experience than spending 1.5 hours with HR! We build trust by presenting the company in detail: its history, values, business units, management, different working modes, social committees, office operations, communication tools, and internal teams. We really set the stage for the Merkur experience! We also ensure that the employee feels comfortable and can ask all their questions.
The second part of the integration involves a tour of the office and meeting colleagues. It is important for us that the office dynamics are well communicated and that the employee feels at home moving forward. Then, we give them a Merkur bag with a variety of company-branded items. We like our employees to be proud of the company they work for, and we contribute to this pride by providing Merkur items.
The integration process is well thought out and progresses in a logical order of knowledge and information to be received. For each piece of information or topic covered, employees and links are suggested for references.
The employee then meets the IT department for 1.5 hours. Yanick and Teddy present the IT policy, software, tools used, and collaborative platforms. They also explain the procedure for requesting support and assistance with IT and telephony equipment.
Next, we have a group lunch! We provide the meal to celebrate the first day, and we also have a cake that brings everyone together in a festive atmosphere. It’s a great opportunity to meet the people the employee will share their office with, and let’s just say people often show up for dessert!
“Our integration process stands out because we genuinely care about our employees. We want their first day to leave a positive impression for the rest of their experience at Merkur. We understand that it’s a stressful day, as we have all experienced it ourselves, so it’s important for us to do everything possible to alleviate this. Having everything planned allows for an optimal start in the new job. We take care of them because we recognize the value that a well-thought-out integration process can have on the overall experience of our Merkurians.” – Béatrice Chomeau, HR Business Partner
After lunch, what happens next?
In the second part, we will reveal everything else you need to know about the integration process, stay tuned.
