INDUCTING YOUR NEW STAFF (PT 1)

Over previous issues we have analysed building a solid platform upon which to recruit the best possible candidate - someone who will be able to make a substantial difference to your business. We have looked at running the process right up until the job offer, and staying in touch until they actually start with you.

Having come this far, the next key issue in their success (and consequently your success) is the impression they receive in their first few days with you and hence how well they settle in.

Are Inductions Necessary?

Most of us can look back through our own careers and recall an experience when we have joined a new business or department, not knowing anyone or anything and, quite frankly, been very nervous. Imagine being in that state and discovering that you are not expected, there is no desk and nobody knows who you are.

It is always worth remembering that the first couple of hours at a new employer are intimidating for almost everyone, and disorganisation and lack of warmth at the outset will exacerbate the nerves and discomfort. If this happens to a new employee, their subconscious minds will be saying “I don’t like this and I'd much rather not be here.” Of course, over time they will get to understand the company and their role but that initial feeling of “I don’t like this” will linger and their new place of work will never feel quite right, irrespective of what happens subsequently. As a result, the 100% commitment proffered during the interview just doesn’t quite materialise and a few months later they will be considering their job options and feeling that the grass turned out to be not so green when they moved employer and joined you.

My advice is to always remember how you have felt in the past on your own 'first days in the job'. With that in mind, it is vital that the first few days are positive for a new employee because first impressions stick and are difficult to change if they are not particularly good. You should view the induction as not just a necessary chore but something of real importance that will help ensure your new employee settles in, is happy with their decision and works to the best of their ability for you.

With that in mind, below I will look at how to conduct an induction and what to include within it but I will also be realistic. I know it is also important to minimise the time that you have to spend on it so there isn’t a major impact on your own workload whilst they settle in.

Experience has shown me that the larger the organisation, the more detailed the induction tends to be and this is also true in environments where health and safety issues are at their highest. However, a good induction should be viewed as vital for all companies, large and small. So, how do we create a simple induction?

First - Ensure The New Employee Is Expected.

This is the most basic of things and you would think that this was obvious but I am writing it because recruitment usually occurs due to time pressures within a business and it is amazing how often the employee turns up to find everyone running around trying to work out what is happening and what they are there for. Further, it's not unusual for the manager not to be around at the appointed time, which only adds to the confusion.

So, the absolute basics to ensure a smooth start are:

• Ensure that the new employee knows who to ask for when they arrive, that this nominated person is aware of their role, and also that there is a back-up person to contact in case the original nominee is late or ill. Provide contact numbers too, so that the new employee can get in touch if they are running late or delayed. They will realise that being delayed is not a good start but there is no need to compound their trepidation by not providing them someone who they can let know.

• Let your staff know the name of the new employee, where they will be sitting or based, the role of the new employee and their start date and time. In a large team this can be conveyed via an email and takes very little time. However busy an environment and however low staff morale may be, new employees will be looked after if they are expected and they will feel more comfortable.

• Ensure that the new employee has a desk and the tools for their role so that the first impression is of friendly efficiency. This includes a workstation they can access and a business email address. The number of complaints I have taken from new placements about not having anywhere to sit or a PC, or that after a week or so that they can still not log on to the new employer's system. This definitely undermines all the work that went into making the hire in the first place.

Next Time:

What to include in the induction, and your role.