INDUCTION

The aim of an induction program to enable staff to be introduced into a new post and
working environment quickly, so that they can contribute effectively as soon as possible.
The induction policy, associated procedures and guidelines aim to set out general steps for
managers and staff to follow during the induction process. It is expected that all managers
and staff will adhere to this policy.

The Company expects that the implementation of good induction practice by

managers/supervisors will:
• Enable new employees to settle into the Company quickly and become productive
and efficient members of staff within a short period of time.
• Ensure that new entrants are highly motivated and that this motivation is reinforced.
• Assist in reducing staff turnover, lateness, absenteeism and poor performance
generally. Assist in developing a management style where the emphasis is on
leadership.
• Ensure that employees operate in a safe working environment.
• Will reduce costs associated with repeated recruitment, training and lost production.

Sample Induction Policy and Checklist

POLICY STATEMENT

1. GENERAL

<Company> believes that all new employees MUST be given timely induction training. This
training is regarded as a vital part of staff recruitment and integration into the working
environment. This policy, associated procedures and guidelines define the Company’s
commitment to ensure that all staff are supported during the period of induction, to the
benefit of the employee and Company alike.

2. AIM

It is the aim of the Company to ensure that staff induction is dealt with in an organised and
consistent manner, to enable staff to be introduced into a new post and working
environment quickly, so that they can contribute effectively as soon as possible. This
induction policy, associated procedures and guidelines aim to set out general steps for
managers and staff to follow during the induction process. It is expected that all managers
and staff will adhere to this policy.

The Company expects that the implementation of good induction practice by

managers/supervisors will:
• Enable new employees to settle into the Company quickly and become productive
and efficient members of staff within a short period of time.
• Ensure that new entrants are highly motivated and that this motivation is reinforced.
• Assist in reducing staff turnover, lateness, absenteeism and poor performance
generally.
 • Assist in developing a management style where the emphasis is on leadership.
• Ensure that employees operate in a safe working environment.
• Will reduce costs associated with repeated recruitment, training and lost production.

3. THE COMPANY’S COMMITMENT

The Company Human Resources Department / Head Office will:

• Issue guidelines to familiarise managers and staff with the induction process.
• Maintain and update the Induction Policy.
• Provide a checklist for managers and staff to follow during the induction period.
• Ensure there is effective monitoring of the induction process particularly in the first
three months.
• Deal with any problems promptly providing an efficient service for both managers
and staff.
• Review all policy, procedure and guideline documents on a regular basis.
• Provide relevant formal training courses necessary to assist the induction process.

GUIDELINES FOR MANAGERS/SUPERVISORS

1. GENERAL

Starting a new job is a demanding and often stressful experience. Quite apart from the
obvious challenge of tackling new tasks, there is also the need to become accustomed to a
new organisation, a new environment and new colleagues. The purpose of induction is to
support new employees during this difficult period and to help them become fully
integrated into the Company as quickly and as easily as possible.

Induction has benefits for all involved in the process. Employees who settle quickly into the
Company will become productive and efficient at an early stage and in turn will experience
feelings of worth and satisfaction.

It is generally recognised that new employees are highly motivated and an effective
induction process will ensure that this motivation is reinforced.

2. BENEFITS OF INDUCTION

The advantages of an effective and systematic induction process are as follows:

• To enable new employees to settle into the Company quickly and become
productive and efficient members of staff within a short period of time.
• To ensure that new entrants are highly motivated and that this motivation is
reinforced.
• To assist in reducing staff turnover, lateness, absenteeism and poor performance
generally.
• To assist in developing a management style where the emphasis is on leadership.
 • To ensure that new employees operate in a safe working environment.
• To reduce costs associated with repeated recruitment, training and lost production.

3. INDUCTION CHECKLIST

The Induction checklist is a very useful way of ensuring that information is imparted to new
employees when they are likely to be most receptive. It avoids overloading employees with
information during the first weeks whilst ensuring that all areas are covered.
Managers/supervisors should ensure that these matters have been properly understood
whilst the checklist is being completed, perhaps in the form of a weekly chat with the new
entrant. Arrangements should also be made for the employee to visit any relevant
departments with which they have regular contact in the course of their duties. At the end
of the process the induction checklist should be signed by the relevant parties and placed in
the member of staff's personnel file.

4. FIRST DAY OF EMPLOYMENT

Preparations should be made for the arrival of the new entrant well in advance, for
example, arrangements should be made to provide desk, equipment and lockers etc.
Most new employees tend to be concerned primarily with two matters:

a) whether they can do the job and

b) how they will get on with their new colleagues.

It is therefore important to introduce them to their new workplace and colleagues at the
earliest opportunity. An introductory talk will be appropriate at this time and can be
combined with the provision of general information and exchanging any necessary
documentation. This talk should be as brief as possible, because the employee is unlikely to
be receptive to detailed information at this stage, and should be conducted by someone
who is well prepared and has sufficient time available. Managers/supervisors should refer to
the Induction Checklist and use it as a basis for discussion thus ensuring all documentation is
complete.

A tour of the workplace should be arranged for the new entrant allowing the Company /
Division to be viewed as a whole and the recruit to see where he/she fits into the
organisation.

The new entrant will want to get to know his/her colleagues and quickly become part of the
team and time should be made for this process. Colleagues should be briefed on the new
entrant’s arrival. If possible one of the new entrants colleagues should be nominated to
ensure that he/she has every assistance in settling in quickly.

5. INDUCTION PROGRAMMES
Induction programmes must be geared to the individual’s needs. Some of the more obvious
new members of staff requiring special attention are as follows:

School Leavers
For most new employees, induction is concerned with getting accustomed to a new job. For
school leavers, however, it is about adjusting to a whole new way of life - the world of work.
Consequently, school leavers are likely to need more support than other groups. Wherever
possible, induction and subsequent training should relate to knowledge and skills which go
beyond the employee’s own particular job. School leavers will need guidance on wider
issues, such as career planning, acquiring qualifications, coping with the routine and
discipline of work and managing money.

It would also be helpful for school leavers to be introduced to an approachable person to

whom they could take any queries they might have.

Graduates
Graduates tend to have a high level knowledge but may not have the skills relevant to the
job. They will want to feel that they are making a contribution from early on and to
understand the organisation of the Company and their role within it. Also they will want to
have a clear picture of future career prospects and to gain broad experience with this in
mind. The Trust should provide the graduate recruit with an adviser - such as a senior
manager - who can organise the necessary breadth of experience and offer advice and
support in relation to career progression.

Managers
Whilst many of the points in the checklist apply equally to all new managerial staff, in most
cases individual induction programmes will be necessary. These should be drawn up in
consultation with new managers, taking into account their backgrounds and experience and
the nature of their new roles. Priority should be given to helping new managers establish
and maintain relationships with management colleagues and opportunities should be
provided for them to spend time in other relevant departments to facilitate this process.
This will help managers quickly to gain an understanding of the Company’s philosophies,
strategic plans and business plans.

Ethnic Minorities
In some cases, it may be necessary to design induction programmes with the special needs
of ethnic minorities in mind. Language problems and attitudes amongst existing staff may
be areas requiring particular attention. This is preparation that should be completed before
any member of staff joins the Company. The Company will not tolerate racist or prejudiced
behaviour in any form.

Long-term Unemployed
Previously long-term unemployed people who have been recruited may have been absent
from the working environment for some time so it will be helpful to recap on some of the
issues relating to school leavers. these should, of course, be adapted to suit older workers,
who may need to build up confidence and the induction process can be used to update
knowledge of basic office technology (photocopiers, fax machines, telephone systems, etc.
as well as computers).

Other Groups
Other groups that may need particular consideration include disabled employees and
women returning to work after having raised a family.

These groups will also require the induction procedure as women returning to work may,
like the long-term unemployed, be out of touch and lacking in confidence. Disabled
employees may have all or a combination of induction needs, but these needs may be
compounded by their disabilities. Part of the induction process for disabled employees will
involve checking such things as wheelchair access to parts of the workplace, toilets and lifts
etc. The necessary reasonable adjustments to the workplace required to accommodate the
disabled individual should be completed prior to them commencing, and carried out in
discussion with the individual or their adviser.

COMPLETING THE INDUCTION PROCESS

Induction can be said to end when the individual become fully integrated into the
organisation. Of course, there is no set timescale within which this will happen and follow
up is essential. Giving new employees the opportunity to ask questions several weeks into
employment can be useful, and the induction checklist will provide this opportunity. In
some areas, such as understanding wider aspects of the organisation, follow up after a
number of months may be appropriate.
 COMPANY NAME

INDUCTION PROGRAMME FOR NEW STAFF

DEPARTMENT ......................................................................

NAME OF EMPLOYEE ......................................................…………..

JOB TITLE ......................................................................

DATE COMMENCED ......................................................…………..

This is a checklist of information for Induction which managers / supervisors should use
with new staff as part of their induction programme within the first few days, and certainly
within the first two weeks of employment. Health and Safety items should be identified
immediately. The new employee should be asked to tick each subject as he/she has been
informed about it, and sign the end of the form. The manager / supervisor then sends the
form to the Personnel Department / Head Office for inclusion in the employee’s personnel
file.

Not all the following subjects are applicable to all departments. Should this be the case,
record N/A.

Please read the guidance notes below before completing this form.

Guidance Notes
Certain groups of staff have specific induction needs. the main groups are detailed below,
with particular points to take account of, highlighted.

ITEMS SPECIFIC TO THE FOLLOWING GROUPS OF STAFF

Staff with Disabilities

Disabilities include for example physical handicap, deafness, blindness, mental handicap.
consider the following for discussion:

1. Confirm the nature of the disability.

2. Clarify if the employee has any special needs relating to disability.
3. Check whether employee has any particular concerns regarding the workplace.

Graduates and College/School Leavers

These staff may have no previous work experience and will need careful integration into the
department. Discuss the following:
1. Role within the department.
2. Reporting responsibilities.
3. Allocation and prioritisation of work.

Staff Returning to Work after a Period of Absence

This includes staff who were previously unemployed, women returning after starting a
family, or after any other prolonged period of non-employment. Discussion should include,
for example:

1. The difference between the employee’s previous working environment and this new
one.
2. Changes in skills required for this area of work.
3. Requirement for training to update skills.

Managers and Professional Staff

These staff need a broader induction to put their post in context.

1. Structure and culture of department.

2. Role in relation to Department / Company as appropriate.
3. Training course in supervisory and management skills, if required.

ITEMS TO COVER WITH EACH NEW EMPLOYEE

The Department Complete

1. Department function
2. Introduction to colleagues
3. New entrant’s own job
4. Supervision
5. General layout - entrances and exits
6. Telephone system, bleeps and intercom systems

Conditions of Employment
1. Information on hours of work, including duty rotas, shift systems "on-call"
breaks
2. Time recording, flexi-time
3. Bonus scheme, allowances
4. Probationary periods of employment
5. Company Pension scheme and eligibility
6. Reporting in when sick including when on leave
7. Arrangements for requesting leave: annual leave, unpaid leave,
compassionate leave
8. Issue of uniforms, and uniform policy, protective clothing, replacement,
laundry
arrangements

Health and Safety, Security, Fire

1. Health and safety information relevant to the department
2. Issuing of fire instructions and procedure
3. Location of fire-fighting equipment
4. Accident reporting
5. First aid facilities/pre-employment health screening/role of Occupational
Health /
Company Doctor
6. Loss of personal effects
7. Security of department/building
8. Arrangement for keys, passes, ID Badges etc.
9. Violence and aggressive behaviour
10. Management of monies/valuables
11. Major Incident procedures

Conduct
1. Personal presentation
2. Disciplinary procedures
3. Courtesy to the customer and the public
4. Confidentiality
5. Noise Control
6. Acceptance of gifts
7. Statements to the Press
8. Local rules regarding smoking
9. Private use of telephones
10. Standards of Business Conduct

Facilities
1. Cloakroom, lockers, lavatories
2. Canteen

Education, Training, Promotion

1. Study leave
2. Means of advancement, promotion opportunities
3. Employee appraisal, review systems

Employee Involvement and Communication

1. Employee or Trade Union representative
2. Communication arrangements
3. Information sources, e.g. notice boards, circulars etc.
4. Food and Health Policy
5. Handling Complaints
Items Specific to Department
1. Pay
2. Notice of termination of employment
3. Sick certificates
4. Waste disposal
5. Control of infection
6. Lifting and handling

OTHER RELEVANT ISSUES SPECIFIC TO DEPARTMENT

I have been informed about and understand the above items.

Signature:...................................…………………………………………………… Date:..............

I confirm that the above Induction Programme has been completed for the above member
of staff.

Signature of Head of Department/

Designated Officer:...................................………………………………………… Date:..............