Induction

A planned programme of informing and guiding a new employee, or an existing employee in a new role, into the purpose of their role and to help them settle in as quickly as possible so they can become an engaged, motivated and productive member of the team.

The actual induction programme will vary according to requirements, but will typically include features such as:
• Introducing an individual to others in the team and organisation.
• Shown around the premises to familiarise themselves.
• Providing a planned induction programme. Features of this might be covered over several weeks or months and may include interim progress reviews, typically after the first week, first month, 3-months and 6-months. Within this time there will also, usually, be a probationary period, after which satisfactory completion sees the employee retained by the organisation.
• Providing security badges, access codes, login details for gaining access to buildings and IT systems.
• Confirming National Insurance number, bank details, pension details and other personal details for human resources and finance departments. Being provided with a staff handbook, and explanations of terms of employment, working arrangements (e.g. core hours, flexible hours, lunch breaks), annual leave requests, sickness procedures, data protection, other operational policies and procedures.
• Providing basic health and safety training: fire and emergency procedures; first aid stations; manual handling; etc. Information about further training possibilities and CPD.
• Training needs identified and delivered, for example, in the use of equipment and machinery, IT systems, photocopier, etc.
• A comprehensive explanation of the job role and expectations, in conjunction with the job description, usually by the line manager. This would typically see a general overview to start with and then with more detailed sessions within the planned induction timetable.

It is important not to rush an induction programme, otherwise the new employee may feel confused and unsure of expectations, being reluctant to ask for clarification and maybe also slightly demotivated and question whether this was the right move for them. Having spent time, effort and money on recruiting or promoting someone then the last thing an employer would want is to find the individual does not feel wanted, respected or part of the team and either decides to move on fairly quickly, or struggles to perform to a suitable standard due to an ineffectively applied induction programme.