A good induction programme is vital to ensure a new employee settles into their role, becomes part of the team and has all the information they need to perform effectively. It should not be a brief one-off event. Instead it should be an ongoing process, structured to take place over a longer period, allowing the new employee to absorb information gradually, put it into context and not be overloaded.
Here is our checklist of some of the important things to include when designing your induction programme:
The team
Information about the job and how it fits into the work of the department or team
How the roles of others within the team relate to the new employee’s role
Any procedures or practices followed within the team
How the team fits into the rest of the organisation and contributes to the organisation’s goals
The organisation
Information about the history of the organisation
Mission statement, vision and values and corporate objectives
Corporate image and branding
Input from other relevant departments on what their team does and how this relates to the new employee’s role
HR
Term and conditions of employment
Contractual benefits, administration and entitlement
Policies and procedures
Training
Administration of holiday and other absence
IT
Access to and use of computers and other devices
Rules about emails, internet access and personal use of company equipment
How to access IT support
Office management
Information about office facilities, lunch arrangements and similar
Security passes and access to the office
Health and safety arrangements including location of first aid, risk assessments, training, fire alarm arrangements and accident reporting
In a small business it is likely that much of this information will be provided by the immediate line manager, and of course for specific roles additional information may be required. But it provides a useful starting point to help ensure your new team member has an induction programme that gets their employment off to the best possible start.
As well as this list of specific information to cover, it is also beneficial to ensure as many other people as possible are involved in the process. This will enable your new team member to build good relationships with key people at an early stage, and establish effective working practices developed around these relationships.
If you’d like some assistance developing a good induction programme in your small business, get in touch.