Understanding meet-and-greet
Meet-and-greet sessions help new employees build relationships quickly. Starting a new job can be isolating - structured introductions ensure newcomers connect with people they need to know and feel part of the team from day one.
Meet-and-greet purposes
- Build initial relationships
- Make newcomers feel welcome
- Understand working relationships
- Start integration early
Who to meet
- Direct team members
- Key stakeholders
- Cross-functional partners
- Leadership (where appropriate)
Types of meet-and-greet
- One-on-one: Individual meetings between new hire and colleagues
- Team introduction: New hire presented to the team they're joining
- Buddy system: Assigned colleague who helps with introductions and questions
- Social event: Team lunch, coffee catch-up, or informal gathering
- Virtual meet-and-greet: Video calls for remote or distributed teams
- Speed networking: Brief introductions with multiple people in sequence
Don't overwhelm new starters
Meeting everyone on day one is exhausting and forgettable. Spread introductions over the first week or two. Short sessions with breaks allow people to actually remember names and form genuine first impressions.
Best practices
Effective meet-and-greet approach
Common mistakes
No introductions at all
Leaving new starters to figure out who's who on their own. This feels unwelcoming and slows integration. Some structure helps even in informal cultures.
Making it a test
Treating meet-and-greet as an assessment opportunity rather than genuine welcome. New hires are already nervous - introductions should reduce anxiety, not increase it.
Forgetting remote employees
Remote workers miss informal office introductions and need extra effort. Schedule video introductions deliberately - they won't happen by accident.
Key takeaways
Meet-and-greet sessions help new employees build relationships and feel welcome. Schedule them early in onboarding, keep them short and informal, and spread them out to avoid overwhelming newcomers. For remote teams, deliberately schedule video introductions.
RosterElf's staff management helps Australian businesses coordinate new employee introductions as part of the onboarding process.
