If you’re growing your team you’ll also need to grow your IT system to accommodate new staff.  They’ll need a computer, workstation, or laptop, appropriate work space, a phone (and maybe a mobile), an email address and access to the internet.

It can be tempting to simply buy a new PC, plug it in and worry about the rest when your new recruit arrives.  Even big organisations can take a day or two to get new people into the system with email and internet access.  Do you know how much it costs for people to be sitting doing ‘displacement activities’ whilst they wait to be connected?  You’re could be paying the bill for more than £100 a day even for fairly junior employees.

A bit of forward planning is advisable.  Here’s a quick checklist:

• Where will they sit?  Is there enough space for them to work and is it in an appropriate place for them to interact with their own team members?
• Are there sufficient sockets nearby to plug in all the equipment they will need without trailing cables causing trip hazards?
• What equipment do they need?  Do they need a PC, a workstation or a laptop?  How long will it take for ordered equipment to arrive?
• Can your IT people (whether internal or external) get internet access and an email address and account set up and, in the case of a laptop, WiFi connection, before they start work?  How long will this take?

Doing even these few simple things will ensure your new recruits hit the ground running