It's hard to avoid mishaps during the first days and weeks of a new job, and it's partially your boss's fault. 

A survey by OfficeTeam, a staffing firm, found that more than half of employees report that their employers failed to provide them one or more basic things to help them work effectively. Many encountered technological problems, such as phones and computers not being set up, while many reported that their superiors didn't introduce them to coworkers or provide them basic education on company policies. 

• 33 percent say that a critical technological service wasn't properly set up

• 22 percent say that necessary supplies were missing

• 16 percent did not receive an overview of the company and its policies

• 15 percent weren't introduced to fellow coworkers

• 14 did not receive a tour of the office

Less than half of respondents — 46 percent — reported experiencing none of the above issues in their workplaces. HR professionals appear to be aware of the shortcomings of their companies in getting workers set up, since only 50 percent of those surveyed said they believed their company had a "very effective" onboarding process for new employees.

But very few HR pros believe their company is atrocious in that regard; 42 percent say the company onboarding process is "somewhat" effective, while only 6 percent say it is not very effective and only 2 percent say it is not at all effective.