So why run an induction?

An induction event introduces new starters to how things are done within your organisation and gives them the key information they need to feel comfortable and confident. It sets the scene for what is required, how things are done, where things are, who to go to for help, what rules and regulations need to be followed and other key information to get people started.

This is important because people need to know what can and cannot be done. What is just as important though is to communicate with people information about the business, its background, its customer base, an overview of the products and services, a review of the benefits of working for the organisation, the values within the business and its vision and aims. These things help to make people feel good about what they do and who they do it for. An induction is a fantastic way of reconfirming to people that that they made the right decision joining and it has an enormous impact on areas such as personal motivation, positive desire and retention. It also helps people to feel proud about their role within the bigger picture and confirms the importance of everyone’s contribution to the whole.

It is for this reason that step 1 of our soft skills training programmes is KNOW YOURSELF and that in this step the first course is all about role, job descriptions, the company, department and team vision and objectives, the skills and behaviours needed for the job, attitudes required, and more. This sets the scene because you never get a second chance to make a 1st impression.

The benefits of a well run and structured induction

• It increases personal motivation of new starters
• Gets people up to speed more quickly
• Creates a supportive team spirit
• Generates trust and confidence
• Increases new starter retention rates
• Increases understanding of what to do and how to do it
• Minimises breaches of rules and/or regulations
• Protects the company against being sued
• Motivates those involved in the induction
• Demonstrates that the organisation is a professional one
• A positive for advertising and recruiting new people

Fit for purpose

It goes without saying that the induction process needs to be appropriate for the size of organisation and type of new starter roles. Maybe there is a general induction for all staff followed by tailored job inductions specific for each role within the business.

Learning styles, time, resources and cost also need to be taken into account and there are a variety of different methods and ways of keeping an induction event fresh, interesting and informative. A few of them are detailed below:

1. Objectives and benefits

“Start with the end in mid” Think about what you want people to be able to do, to know and to feel at the end of the induction and then set your objectives based around this. List all the benefits and positive things that you can think of regarding the organisation, its history, the products, services, the way things are done, the values, customer feedback etc. Then incorporate these into the induction in a structured logical way with many of the positive benefits communicated up front. If you already have an induction then consider reviewing it against the above.

2. Do it early

A well run, structured, positive and interesting induction is very powerful however it should be done very early in a new starter’s career. Preferably beginning on the first day of that individual joining. This may not be the full blown event itself, it might just be a meet and greet type meeting.

3. Get people involved

Identify and agree who is best placed to do what. Maybe an opening from the CEO or President, and then input from HR,a recent new starter, people from finance, administration, the management team, training etc. Think of the event as a journey with a beginning, middle and end. To this end the induction may be spread over 3 months with 3 separate events, with actions and activities to be carried our during this period and support from line managers, coaches, mentors or a buddy system. Agree who does what, when and where and work together in its delivery and message.

4. Think of the attendees

Put yourself in their shoes as a new starter. What would you need to know if you were them? If you attended an induction when you started, how was it? Gain feedback from recent induction attendees and use this feedback to improve and adjust the event. Think of the different learning styles of the attendees and ensure the induction has something for doers, reflectors, pragmatists and the analytical. Not only will overall learning be more effective but the event will be more interesting.

5.  Communicate, communicate, communicate

6. Quality counts

7. Check the sell by date

A good induction event reflects what is happening within the organisation, so keeping it up to date is very important. Failure to do this sends a negative message to new starters, something which should be avoided. Agree responsibilities, who is to update what and commit to this. When designing the materials and induction event break it down into self contained units which can be updated without the need for changing everything else.

8.  Evaluation

Evaluating the impact and effect of the induction training is vital. Consider the following evaluations:

• Feedback from new starters following the induction and then maybe 3 months later
• Feedback from line managers regarding how well prepared people were following it
• Monitor retention rates, queries raised, errors made, disciplinary meetings, breaches etc
• Conduct exit interviews and ask a specific question about the induction event

We specialise in high impact training design and delivery. Our rates our competitive and our service is amazing. Please contact us to discover how we can make a positive impact in you business.