Effective Induction - More Than Showing Them the Lunch Room
Induction or orientation to the work place typically involves
showing the new employee around, telling them about the
organization and showing them where they will be working - if it
happens at all.
After selecting the right person, ensuring an appropriate
induction is probably the next most important event in
maximising results from people - yet it is often left to chance.
Even many large organizations only provide induction programs
when there are enough new employees to make up a reasonable
sized group. This can often be weeks after someone started.
Meanwhile their introduction to the workplace depends on how
aware and professional their supervisor is.
Ensuring an effective induction program which reduces or removes
any legal liabilities and helps the employee start to make an
early contribution should involve a comprehensive process which
is the responsibility of the recruiting manager.
Many people are unaware of the risk being taken if the new
employee is not made aware of certain policies, occupational
health and safety procedures and other areas covered by
employment legislation. There are plenty of cases where
employees have just never been told what their obligations are
and the employer takes the rap.
Another reason is to get the new employee up to speed as soon as
possible by taking care of all their information and support
needs as early as possible. This will help them achieve the
"expectations of success" that should have been established
prior to recruitment, and give them the best possible chance of
passing their probation period. There are many cases of
employees leaving within the first few weeks because they felt
they had joined the wrong organization.
To overcome this, a comprehensive checklist, which is broken
into stages and starts before the first day of employment,
should be developed. Spreading the process over an appropriate
period aids learning and allows them to receive the information
when it is required. This is better than one block of time
dedicated to induction.
At the completion of each stage the program should be signed off
by the supervisor and employee and then safely filed. The
company tour and overall information can still be done as a
group if this is more practical but the key issues cannot be
left until then.
The pre-employment stage should include such things as ensuring
the workplace is ready for the new employee, documentation,
dress code advised, medical, employee handbook, parking, and an
announcement to other staff.
The next stage should cover day one and start with someone being
designated to greet the new person. First impressions really
count. More documentation can be provided at this stage and an
overview of policies and procedures - especially those with
legal ramifications.
Later stages, which may extend up to the first month or two, can
involve more information about the organization, more policies,
benefits and more job related issues.
Each organization will be different but most people want the
same. They want to feel they work somewhere that is
professional, where they are welcomed, supported and valued and
all the important issues are taken care of.