Why is it important to get the employee induction process right?

What's a good employee induction process?

A well designed and executed employee induction process is important to help new employees settle in well and fell supported by their employers. The definition of induction means the process of introducing a new employee to the organization, their team, job, and what is expected from them from their employer. A good employee induction program improves new hire retention by 82%.

After the employee induction process, your employee will feel welcomed and valued as a member of the workforce. They will be equipped with the information needed to help them conduct themselves in a way that reflects company culture. It sets the tone for their relationship with their management and the organization, and overall it will help them understand the purpose, functions, and tasks of their job ensuring that they can perform at their best.

How it works

Employee induction can be confused with onboarding and it is quite understandable as both processes make up the first few weeks of a new employee's journey of the organization. However, the difference is that onboarding can take up to a year or more and takes into consideration the wider organizational culture, whereas induction focusses more on what responsibilities and tasks are expected with their role.

It is also important to point out that while it is a good idea to have an induction process template, there is a certain degree of flexibility that can be taken with employees that require more support. For example, graduates who will lack experience or those who are returning from maternity leave or long-term illness.

Benefits of the employee induction program

The percentage of staff turnover is made up of mainly new employees. A large part of employee induction is to make new members of staff feel well-adjusted will make them feel comfortable and welcome. This will avoid having to start the recruitment process which costs time and money that could be better spent.

Induction increases efficiency and productivity, as new employees are equipped with knowledge and training of how the business works. This means that they can start contributing in impactful ways through their work more quickly. Secondly, if they feel like they are working in an environment that is supportive and engaged it will boost teamwork and this helps to maintain positive company culture.

A checklist to a great employee induction

• Meet the co-workers – It’s important to feel comfortable with your new team, introduce them to their new colleagues, and depending on the size of the business, it may also be advised to assign them with a buddy for a week or two to lend extra support.
• Take a tour – get them familiarized with new surroundings and check that they have everything they need to get started. Make sure to also cover the basics like bathrooms, fire exits, first aid box, and kitchen facilities.
• Health and safety – an important step to keep your employees safe. Here you want to identify common workplace risks and the emergency procedures. This will vary for different roles, for example, a forklift operator will have different risks to an office admin clerk.
• Sort out the paperwork – tidy up all the legal documents that are required for the role, some may request copies of certificates and diplomas, or a valid work visa.
• Employee handbook – this will cover all company policies and procedures as well as cover company dress code, culture, and benefits.
• Role expectations – explaining the key responsibilities of their new role will push them in the right direction and encourage them to excel in their new role.
• Skills and training – Assess their skills and identify if training sessions are required to allow them to perform to the best of their ability, this can be a long term goal there is no need to bombard a new employee with consecutive training sessions.
• Performance review – it is so important to set a timeline for the first appraisal meeting, this will give them a timeframe to work towards their goals and assemble any feedback they may have.