Employees who have been with a company for more than 10 years have inevitably seen processes change time and again. They’ve seen what works, what needs improvement, and what will never change.

Ask experienced team members for their opinions and ideas—they’ll often lead to issues and concerns that you hadn’t thought of and even solutions to them. But don’t let it turn into fruitless ranting.

Your employees also had a first day and they know how it feels to be the fish out of water.

So during your first few weeks, sit with each of your employees, watch their daily routines, and ask about what they’re doing and talking about. They’ll enjoy demonstrating their knowledge, an...