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Welcoming a new employee into your organisation is an exciting new chapter in your company’s journey, but it can also be a bit stressful.
To ensure your new hire is set up with all of the information and training they need, a good employee induction is essential.
But how exactly do you go about it?
This article will go over:
- What exactly an employee induction is
- The 10 best practices for an induction that’ll set your new employee up for success.
So, let’s dive in and make sure your new employee is comfortable, informed, and ready to hit the ground running!
What Is an Employee Induction?
Hosting an employee induction involves introducing newly hired employees to their workspace, colleagues, responsibilities, and company values and policies.
Employee inductions can provide a smoother transition for an employee joining a company and can aid in getting them acclimated to their new job.
They can take many different forms and include a variety of elements, such as an orientation session, workplace modules, and job-specific training.
A thorough employee induction can do wonders for both employee and employer satisfaction.
By educating the employee on their job expectations and providing adequate training, they will have an increased understanding of the job, and therefore higher productivity.
It also ensures the employee has all the necessary information regarding their position, and provides them with all of the resources they need to complete any task thrown their way.
The 10 Best Practices for a Successful Induction
1. Develop a Comprehensive Checklist
A checklist will ensure no essential information is emitted or forgotten during the induction.
While every company is different, some basics to include in your employee induction checklist are:
- Tour of the workplace, facilities, and safety protocol
- Introduction to the team
- Benefits, compensation, wages, and leave entitlements
- Job-specific responsibilities and expectations
- Necessary training for the role.
Getting all of the tasks down in a checklist will help you stay on track and keep the induction running smoothly.
2. Incorporate Employee Training into the Program
To make sure that your new employee is familiar with any software, applications, or equipment they may be required to use, it’s a good idea to incorporate employee training into the induction program.
Not only will this demonstrate to you their level of confidence with the tasks assigned to them, this will also help them get hands-on experience. Ultimately, this will help to boost their confidence in their new role.
3. Foster Social Interactions With the Team
To cultivate a welcoming environment for your new employee where they are really going to thrive, it’s always a good idea to foster social interactions within the team.
You can do this in a variety of ways, such as assigning them a training buddy or encouraging open communication and employee input.
If you have a larger group of new employees, you can even organise some team-building exercises.
4. Discuss Company Goals and Values
It is always important to ensure that your employee understands the company’s goals and values and is striving to uphold them.
Outline what the company stands for, what it set out to do, and what goals the employee should work towards, both as an individual and as part of a larger team.
This makes sure everyone is on the same page, and helps your employee work towards relevant goals, aiding in the long-term success of the company.
5. Gather Feedback From Employees to Improve the Program
Gathering relevant feedback from employees helps to identify areas for improvement within the company. It also addresses employee needs, demonstrating to them that their opinions are heard and taken into consideration.
Receiving feedback and taking steps to improve leads to a more effective induction program. It also helps foster an environment where the employee knows their needs will be acknowledged.
6. Establish Clear Expectations and Goals
It is vital that you communicate to your employee exactly what your expectations for them are, and what goals they should be working towards.
Outline their job responsibilities, set individual performance goals, and provide relevant support and feedback.
Communicate with your employee and find what works best for them, whether this is drafting up a projected timeline for their work, or producing a task list.
7. Assign a Mentor or Buddy
Assigning a mentor or buddy for your new employee to shadow is a great way for them to observe experiences in the workplace first-hand.
This will prepare them for their own responsibilities. It’s also an opportunity for them to engage with co-workers and help them feel welcome in the workplace.
A mentor or buddy is able to answer specific questions and provide live, specific feedback and demonstrations that will be invaluable to the employee.
8. Offer an Overview of the Company’s History and Culture
Understanding the company’s culture and history will help your new hire align with the mission and goals of the company, and will cultivate a sense of belonging.
Knowledge of where the company came from and what everyone is working towards will highlight priorities within the workplace. This can motivate the employee to focus on these specific aspects of the work and elevate the company.
9. Provide Clear Guidelines on Company Policies and Procedures
Whether it is done through a handbook, training modules, or a face-to-face conversation, it’s essential that the employee is informed on company policies and procedures.
Be sure to cover all information relevant to your company, and encourage questions from the employee.
Provide ongoing support so that your employee remains in the loop with up-to-date information regarding company policies and procedures.
10. Plan Regular Check-ins and Follow-ups After Induction
Once your new employee has completed the induction process, it is still important to have regular check-ins and follow-ups on the information that was discussed.
It’s good to have frequent meetings and host open communication in the workplace, so if your employee has any questions or concerns, these will be discussed and resolved.
This makes for a comfortable and efficient working environment, where your employee is not only supported but is able to thrive.
The Bottom Line
An employee induction is an essential practice to ensure that your new hire is ready to perform their role in your company to the best of their ability.
This process is the perfect opportunity to provide your employee with all the information they will need going forward, but it is also their first impression of you.
A good employee induction will make your new hire feel welcome, comfortable, and ready to start their new role.
The opinions on this page are for general information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice on which you should rely.
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