A good employee induction process can lead to happier employees, and hence increase the productivity of a firm. This article will explain what induction is, its benefits, and what makes a good induction program.
What is a new employee induction program?
Induction training is a form of introducing employees to their new place of work. The program should be part of organization’s overall planning process, and it should be in line with the goals and objectives of the organization. Organizations must have proven strategies in place to make the process as smooth as possible when new employees join the company.
Some of the goals of a typical induction training process include:
· Creating a positive atmosphere
· Addressing any new job concerns
· Increasing comfort and the feeling of belonging
· Increasing knowledge of the organization as well as its procedures and policies
· Sharing the values of the organization and any job-specific information
The difference between small and large organizations is that in small organizations, the responsibility of carrying out the induction training will usually rest with one person. In large organizations, on the other hand, the responsibility is usually shared between managers, supervisors, and human resources.
The Benefits of Induction Training
Research conducted by Digicast shows that companies which fail to conduct proper inductions risk losing new employees at a faster rate. About 25% of new employees decide to leave their new firm within the first week, and by the third month, this rate increases to 47%.
Let’s face it, first impressions do matter. This is why the induction training should ensure that the new employees who want to be integrated within the organization know about the specific tasks they will be doing within the organization.
The person conducting the induction process should be very knowledgeable about the organization to successfully integrate new employees into the firm.
Induction enables new recruits to become productive as quickly as possible. Many companies have discovered that the cost of not training is higher than the cost of training, and hence there is a higher risk in choosing not to train new employees into the business.
Another advantage of induction is the fact that it can simply be brief and informative.
As a result, businesses will be able to save time and money on planning and conducting the training while supplying fundamental information to new employees. It also helps to provide new employees with a professional impression of the company as well as educate them about company’s aims and objectives.
How to Improve the Induction Process
While it is important for companies to conduct induction training for their new employees, it is equally important to make the whole process smooth and memorable.
Here are some questions that firms can ask themselves prior to conducting the induction:
· Is it possible to send the induction plan to the new employees before the first week of reporting?
· What do the new employees need to know to feel comfortable and confident?
· What impression does the company want to give?
· What policies and procedures do the new employees need to be aware of?
· Is there a way the new employees can meet their co-workers?
During the employee induction process, the trainer must use a lot of visuals, and try to avoid text based training. This is because human beings are much more likely to remember the images rather than text. It is also important to tell stories which provide an emotional connection to information.
One has to remember to use positive language and tell people what they can do rather than what they can’t do. The trainers should consider involving senior management, so that the trainees get to see the people behind the scenes of the company.
The trainer has to remember to answer as many why questions as possible, so that new hires understand why the companies require them to do things in a particular way.
To make the training even better, one can include participative learning methods by asking the questions and relating those questions to learners’ personal experiences. It is also a good idea to use assessments to improve content recall and retention. Additionally, the trainer must communicate the core values of the organization.
Now, let’s take a look at some ways to improve the employee induction process:
Administrative Must Haves
These may include details like health and safety, first aid, pay, fire procedures, and company policies. In procedures, one can stress on absence reporting, time off requests, and policies on grievances and discipline.
Even though this section has a lot of details, it is not necessary to inundate all these details in one training. Instead, policies and procedures can be attached as a downloadable resource pack, which the employees can access at any time that’s convenient for them.
An Introduction to the Mission, Goals, and Values of the Company
Introducing new employees to the mission, goals, and values of the company is one of the most important parts of the employee induction process as it provides the reasons why the company exists, where it has come from, and where it is headed.
This section communicates the dreams of the company. Knowing the mission, goals, and values of the organization improves the engagement of staff and sets out expectations in terms of performance, culture and shared values.
Introduction to Other Staff Members
It is important to introduce the new employees to other staff members and let them know what they do. If the company is big, then new employees can just be introduced to group leaders. Supervisors can also write a welcoming email to everyone in the organization letting the whole company know the role of the new employee.
Meetings with Relevant Department Heads
While an employee will get to know their first line manager and team members within the first week of reporting, it is also important for them to get to understand what other departments do, and who leads those departments. By including a short description of each department, the staff induction training will help people become acclimated to the new culture and organization quickly.
A Plan for the First Week
One of the most effective ways to introduce new employees to the organization is to give them a plan for the first week in their new role. Setting out expectations early allows new employees to ask questions that may help them prepare for work, and plan for subsequent weeks.
Whenever possible, trainers should add fun induction activities to the plan. Some examples of corporate induction ideas include:
· Encouraging social interaction with the team through various social media channels
· Offering a meaningful gift that represents corporate culture
· Inviting new employees to lunch for an informal “meet and greet” with other team members and management
Parting Thoughts – Importance of Induction Training
As you can see, setting up a successful employee induction program is the first step towards welcoming new employees and gaining their commitment.
New hires are expensive resources, so HR must ensure that the induction program for new employees will help them achieve the standard performance levels quickly by providing training, mentoring, and offering regular feedback during the induction period.
While preparation plays an important role, it is equally important to make sure that the information in the induction training is regularly reviewed and updated. That way the training will always be relevant and applicable to new employees.
