Inductions are a phase of the recruitment process often forgotten about and yet it’s such an important part of the overall process. It’s a stage that more often than not doesn’t take priority as you move onto the next important task now you’ve employed somebody new.
Inductions play a critical role in making an employee feel welcome, valued and ultimately kickstarts their commitment to you and the business. Furthermore, it projects an important image for your company as a professional and slick operation that strives for the best at all touchpoints.
Some of the benefits of a good, solid induction programme are below, with more immediate benefits upfront, followed by longer term advantages.
Short term benefits:
· The new employee is impressed and forms a positive perception of the business
· The employee feels confident about his/her decision to join the organisation
· Employee wants to match this level of professionalism
· Enthusiasm, excitement and the beginnings of loyalty are felt
· The employee hits the ground running and so can adapt to the job and environment more quickly and be productive sooner
Long term benefits:
· Happy employees and great employee morale
· High levels of professionalism in the organisation
· Increased productivity overall
· Lower turnover
· Reduced recruitment costs due to lower turnover
· Positive promotion of the organisation
Scope
Induction programmes are determined by the nature of the role but job descriptions, procedure manuals and administrative guidelines are pretty standard components.
The scope of inductions could cover:
· Organisational objectives and mission
· Competitive set
· Terms of employment – job title, probationary period etc
· Hours of work and leave provisions
· Amenities
· Tasks and responsibilities
· Working conditions – dress code, phone use, social media policy etc
· Pay and benefits
· Organisational layout
· Health and safety policies and procedures including first aid
· Project/Client snapshots and history (if applicable)
· Introductions to other staff
Go above and beyond just content
Making the induction as interactive and stimulating as possible serves to make a stronger and longer lasting impression on the new employee. Use a combination of printed material, videos, meetings, tours of the building and including one on one sessions with various relevant people in the organisation.
Appoint a buddy, who will be a source for any questions that crop up in the first few weeks, who accompanies the new employee to organisation meetings and generally helps the new employee to overcome the awkwardness of being the new person.
Ultimately, bottom line is make time for inductions to be put together and administered and make them fun, so your new employee feels welcome, excited about his/her new role and feels good about the organisation.
