ORIENTATION AND ASSIGNMENT:
Promoting a Supportive Environment from the Start

Beginning a new job is ranked among the top five most stressful life changes. It is important to provide opportunities for newly hired individuals to learn the ins and outs of the job, as well as the ins and outs of your company or union.

In addition to the normal anxiety associated with starting a new job, women may be less likely than male workers to know what to expect on the job. They may be unfamiliar with the industry, jobs, tools, uniforms, clothing, facilities, and safety procedures; they may feel isolated or vulnerable by being one of the few women on the job.

Women need to learn not only the formal rules of their new job, but also the informal "culture" of the workplace. Men often pick up the unwritten rules from the other workers, but women may be excluded from such informal sources of information.

Careful consideration should be given to where and with whom a woman is assigned to work. The isolation of being the only woman on the job or training program can be a serious problem. Women in such circumstances are often conspicuous and vulnerable and may be excluded from important informal training. Women may also be assigned dead-end jobs.

• Hold new employee orientations to provide new hires with an insider's look at the company by sharing company values, policies, expectations and climate.
• For union apprenticeship programs, orientations should provide an overview of the training program, including information on how apprentices are graded.
• Provide information to all employees on the formal and informal rules and regulations on the job, including company policies supporting women in nontraditional jobs and prohibiting discrimination and sexual harassment.
• Facilitate interaction with co-workers to ensure that women have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the work environment.
• Avoid problems of isolation and stalled skill development by assigning several women to the same work environment, identifying a buddy or mentor who will teach skills and be supportive, and identifying appropriate skill assignments.

• Assess your current orientation and assignment strategies in the Issue Self-Assessment Quiz.
• Request help to implement orientation and assignment strategies identified in the Issue Self-Assessment Quiz.
• Ask additional questions on the orientation and assignment of women in Ask A Question.
• Search our Resource Database for People and Documents that can help you to orient and assign women in nontraditional occupations and apprenticeships.
• Share your experience in employee/member orientation and assignment with other employers and unions by posting news to the Workplace Discussion Forum.

• Recruitment
• Training
• Retention
• Sexual Harassment Prevention