Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Aspen Institute
Publications
New Hire Checklist: Supporting your Employees from the Start
June 12, 2025
Shared Success, and Economic Opportunities Program
Are you a small business hiring a new employee?
Use this checklist to help you welcome and engage employees from day one. This resource offers a road map and checklist for a new employee’s orientation, an important feature of a good job. Orientation can help a new employee feel welcome, teach them the ins and outs of their job, and share your company’s culture and expectations. By taking the time to properly welcome and prepare your new hire, you’re investing in both their future and the future of your business.
Good jobs and strong businesses are vital to the well-being of communities across the country. Yet millions of workers struggle with poor-quality jobs, and small business owners often struggle to find and retain the employees they need. Shared Success, a project of the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program (EOP), shows how building better jobs can simultaneously uplift workers while also driving small business success. Supported by a $12 million investment from the Gates Foundation, EOP partnered with 11 community lenders to integrate job quality programming into their small business support services, addressing the needs of employees while helping small businesses succeed.
About the Economic Opportunities Program
The Aspen Institute’s Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.
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This webinar, which EOP hosted on June 26, 2025, features highlights from the guide, as well as insights from CDFI leaders about their approaches to building job quality advising into their work. It features opening remarks from the Aspen Institute’s Maureen Conway and Bryn Morgan, followed by a panel discussion with Amanda Blondeau (Northern Initiatives), Cynthia Murphy (Coastal Enterprises, Inc.), and Delphine Ntegeye (African Development Center).
