Induction

For new employees, in the first few weeks of a new job there is a lot that a new starter will need to know, which can be quite overwhelming. By creating a tailored induction program for new staff, they may feel more comfortable in their new surroundings and have a better understanding of your business and the expectations of their role going forward.

Importance Of Induction

Induction provides new starters with important information regarding their new employment. The induction process serves to welcome new hires to the business and help them transition into their new role; enabling new employees to feel supported while they adjust. It is considered best practice to provide an induction program to employees.

Induction ensures that new employees are initiated in the expectations, performance and culture of the Company. When used strategically, the induction process can increase employee retention by helping them understand their role and how it fits into the company. Companies that have a structured new employee induction processes are more likely to have higher productivity within the workforce, as the new employee may be able to add value to the business sooner if they can hit the ground running. Employees who have undertaken a structured induction process will have a fair idea of how the company operates.

The induction process may include:

• Pre-induction process
• Induction
• Post-induction process or Follow-up and ongoing development

The Benefits Of Induction Training

Employee induction is an effective and efficient means of outlining workplace policies and procedures to new starters, for providing specific information new employees need to know to do their job, and for setting expectations within the larger context of company goals, objectives and the business operation as a whole. An induction program should include training for new hires on how to do their jobs safely and what to do in the event of an emergency.

Adopting an induction process for new starters can have many benefits for both employers and employees.

For employers an induction process can:

• Contribute to a positive workplace culture as it assists new employees to transition and assimilate into the workplace;
• Save an employer time and money, as the employee can partially self-educate through online learning modules;
• Encourage employee retention, reduce employee turnover and save on recruitment costs as it helps employees feel welcome and valued;
• Ensure operational efficiency and increase productivity – employees have a full understanding of the company and their role within it so they can hit the ground running;
• Educate employees on compliance with company policies and procedures, and Workplace Health and Safety;
• Enhance company reputation by creating a professional impression.

The benefits of employee induction for new staff are:

• The induction process helps new employees settle into their role quicker;
• New hires better understand their role and how it fits into the organisation;
• New starters feel respected and valued and accepted into the organisation by team members;
• New employees better understand company processes and (workplace health and safety) policies and procedures;
• New staff receive necessary information as to organisational culture and standards of behaviour to help them assimilate;
• The induction process helps establish good communication with managers and team members.

An Introduction To The Company’s Mission, Goals, And Values

It is important that new employees are provided with information as to the purpose, direction and values of the organisation. This allows new starters to put their role into perspective and feel part of the business as a whole, which encourages positive contribution to the overall company goals and vision.

The induction process helps the employee understanding the company culture and values and allows the employer to set clear expectations regarding performance and conduct.

Once an employee has been inducted in the workplace it will be easier for the employee to adjust and adapt to the expectations, goals, and values of the Company.

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Employee Induction Program Checklist

The purpose of an induction program is to help employees settle into their position at a new company, business or organisation. To ensure the induction program is successful, create a checklist that specifies all the documents and information new staff will receive on their first day of the job.

This checklist does not need to be long, but the induction should cover at least the following:

• an introduction to the business, colleagues and important stakeholders (eg. team leader)
• an overview of the organisational history, structure, visions, culture and values
• employee handbook briefing and reference to the code of conduct
• job description for the employee such as title, roles, and responsibilities
• roster or work schedule
• copy of their employment agreement, company handbook and HR manual
• Work Health and Safety information (layout of premises, including fire exits, first aid facilities; overview of WHS policies)
• induction and setup of workstation and systems
• overview of upcoming key dates and events
• provided with tools of trade (ID, keys, name badge, swipe card, phone etc.)
• contact list of staff members

At the end of the induction, ask the employee if they have any questions or concerns they would like to address. It’s considered best practice to give the employee plenty of written material they can reference later to refresh their knowledge.

For compliance purposes, you should also require the new employee to provide you with copies of the following:

• signed employment contract
• tax file declaration
• choice of superannuation form
• bank details (including bank, BSB and account number)
• emergency contact details (including name, address, phone number and relationship)
• licence, passport, and visa (if applicable)

All You Need To Know About Employment Contracts

Free guide on what employers need to include in an employment contract.

Encouraging Social Interaction

Bringing new staff into an existing work environment can be stressful. On their first day, give new staff a guided tour of the workplace and introduce them to other team members. If possible, appoint one or two team members as a main point of contact for new staff, so they can rely on them for help or advice.

Besides the usual ‘meet and greet,’ some other activities the company can do to encourage social interaction include:

• organising a group meeting and have everyone introduce themselves to the new member
• encouraging the team to sign a ‘welcome card’ or similar kind of written introduction
• having an informal team lunch

If your business is active on social media, you might also consider welcoming the new team member with a brief online description or profile with your social media network.

Don’t stop encouraging your new employee’s social interaction after just the first few days. Some people take longer than others to open up and feel comfortable in their new surroundings. For this reason, the above activities should be spread out over several days, so the employee doesn’t feel overwhelmed.

Following-Up

The follow-up process allows managers to ascertain whether or not employees have integrated successfully, what further resources are required or what changes need to be made and if the employee needs further training. The information gathered during the follow-up process can help improve induction programs for other new starters.

Once the formal induction is over, arrange regular meetings with the new employee to check how they are going. Give them the chance to raise any concerns and discuss them in confidence.

Whether it be problems with the job requirements, disputes with fellow team members or a bad experience with a customer – these issues should be handled early to ensure the new employee’s future in your business is successful.

If you need help creating an effective induction program, call us for free initial advice on 1300 651 415.

Frequently Asked Questions

An employee induction is a means of communicating important information to new employees about the company and their job in order to give them the best possible start in the business.

A list that covers all steps of the new employee induction process and lists everything required to successfully transition a new employee into the workplace, which allows completed parts of the new employee induction program to be ticked off.

The induction should cover the following topics:

• Organisational history, structure, visions, culture and values;
• Code of conduct;
• Internal and external customer service;
• Acceptable use of resources (e.g. internet policy);
• Handling confidential information;
• Managing conflict of interest;
• Workplace health and safety;
• Responding to incidents and emergencies;
• Environmental protection (e.g. recycling);
• Important management information (e.g. remuneration, performance management);
• Introduction to key people within the Company

• Pre-Induction: information provided prior to the new employee starting work.
• Induction: The first day and subsequent transition into the workplace.
• Post-Induction: follow-up and adjustment after the new role has started

Traditionally an Induction day is the first day that the new starter attends their new workplace to receive important information about their new employment. Ideally, induction programs should be implemented from the first day of work with activities spread over two to three hours each morning over the first one to two weeks. This allows the employee to assimilate information gradually and not be overwhelmed.

Ideally one employee should administer, implement, coordinate and monitor the induction process and corresponding checklist and plan in order to ensure consistency across the induction program and a single point of contact for new starter queries.

Induction training should combine a variety of learning methods, and take place over a number of days. Classroom instruction is required for providing general information to new employees that requires personal interaction, together with self-guided e-learning for individualised job-related information. Frequent in-person discussions with direct managers, regarding support and organisational resources available to the new employee is essential to fostering a good working relationship and two-way communication.

A good induction process includes the following:

• an overview of the company’s history, products and services
• a description of the company mission, vision, culture and values
• physical orientation (where things are)
• organisational orientation (how the employee’s role fits into the organisation)
• meetings with key senior employees,
• information regarding remuneration and employee benefits
• explanation of employee handbook, code of conduct, and workplace policies and procedures
• workplace health and safety policies and procedures and first aid practices
• information regarding facilities and IT
• explanation of terms and conditions of the employment contract
• an overview of learning and development opportunities
• role-specific information and setting of goals and expectations.

• Have an induction plan and corresponding program that can be tailored easily to the employee or role
• Have a dedicated person responsible for induction – this person implements the plan, tweaks the induction process where required and coordinates the induction program
• Focus on day one – makes sure the employee has access to all the key information on day one that will enable the rest of the induction process. Otherwise parts of the induction program may be redundant or have to be delayed because the employee doesn’t have the requisite requirements to proceed.
• Treat employee induction as a process – and make sure you follow-up and get feedback so you can update and improve the process if necessary
• Monitor and streamline the process – use best practice plans and checklists, courses and materials that can be easily adapted to different employees and roles

Onboarding is the first phase of the employee journey. Employee onboarding starts when new hires start the job and takes place up to several days before they physically walk through the door. A successful onboarding program helps HR professionals ensure that the new hire understands their contract and role.

Induction is introducing your organization to the new hire in person. Induction starts during the pre-boarding process and will only last for a short amount of time on the employee’s first day.

Induction training is the process of introducing a new starter to both their role within your company and the company itself.

A supervisor can train the new staff and monitor their tasks. It is also the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that each new staff member is provided with an induction.

• Pre arrival- The first stage is where the employer prepares for the arrival of the new employee. In this stage, the employer might send out information or resources about the company and its culture.
• Arrival- During this stage, the new employee arrives at the company and starts the induction process.
• Training- In the training stage, the new employees are given induction training on their specific roles and on the company’s systems and procedures.
• Follow up- The employer can check in with the new employee after the initial induction period (3-6 months) to see how they are settling in and give them any additional support if needed.

Guides in this category

Construction Onboarding: A Comprehensive Checklist

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