Everything you need know about induction process in human resource management. The induction process is carried out by almost all organizations.
The new recruits of the company get an opportunity to meet the senior management as well as their peers. It is during induction that the new recruits are trained in the skills that should be mastered in order to perform their duties.
It is important for the new recruits to fulfil all the tasks related to induction, such as attending induction workshops, conforming to the code of conduct, and executing all tasks (learn-meet-work) that may be defined in the induction plan of the organization. They also need to give feedback to the HR concerning all induction-related processes and materials.
Induction is the process of receiving and welcoming an employee when he/she first joins the company, and giving him/her the basic information he/she needs, to settle down quickly and start work.
Induction or orientation is a planned introduction of the new recruits to the organization, the job, and their colleagues. The process of induction helps an organization retain its talents.
Learn about the process, steps and stages of induction. These can be categorised under the following headings:-
A: Steps involved in the process of induction:- 1. Job Advert 2. Application Pack 3. Pre-Employment Handbook and 4. Primary Induction.
B: Stages involved in the process of induction:- 1. Preparation of Contents 2. Organization of Schedule and Venue 3. Documentation 4. Follow Up.
Induction Process in HRM: Meaning, Steps, Stages and Programme
Induction Process – Top 5 Steps: Job Advert, Application Pack, Pre-Employment Handbook and Primary Induction
Induction does not simply begin and end on an employee’s first day at work. Proper induction starts from the moment the need for recruitment is identified and carries on throughout the first year, blending into the organisation’s programme of staff training and development.
The steps involved in the process of induction are:
Step # 1. Job Advert:
The advert should be realistic, with a design and copy that reflects the culture of the organisation. The emphasis for the advert should be on the aspects of the work that current employees find satisfying and it must be accurate about pay, conditions and any special conditions that apply. A proper job advertisement will begin the selection procedure to ensure the most suitable person is chosen.
Step # 2. Application Pack:
This should provide literature about the organisation (Q&A’s, who we are, what we have achieved, what it is like to work here, where we are, local facilities), a suitable job description and a brief outline of the terms and conditions. Where there are conditions that are not part of the contract, i.e., a no-smoking policy, then these should be properly marked.
Step # 3. Pre-Employment Handbook:
This can take the form of an actual handbook, or simply an introductory letter to the successful candidate. The important points are that it should be friendly and jargon free. It should set out the arrangements for the first day-
i. The time and place the employee should arrive,
ii. Parking/transport arrangements at site,
iii. The name of the person who will meet them/whom they should ask for,
iv. What type of clothing should be worn (dress code, safety clothing etc.),
v. Any specific security arrangements they should be aware of,
vi. The catering facilities that are on site/nearby,
vii. A list of the documents they will need to bring on the first day, and
viii. An outline of the work of the first day.
The pre-employment pack/letter should enable the employee to predict exactly what will happen on their first day, which in turn will do a great deal to reassure and overcome apprehension. If an inductee can go home at the end of the first day and say that the day was as expected, the pre-employment material will have been successful.
Step # 4. Primary Induction:
This is the first face-to-face induction the inductee will have as an employee of the company.
It should address both the inductee’s and the employer’s immediate needs and priorities such as:
1. Health and Safety,
2. Conveniences,
3. Personal details- the following is a list of information that may be needed –
i. P45
ii. Driving license
iii. Car insurance
iv. Birth certificate
v. Passport
vi. Previous pension details
vii. 1st aid certificate
viii. Medical documents if a health check is to be carried out
4. Details of the next of kin, General Practitioner, etc., and
5. Important documents the employee needs to receive from the organisation –
i. Employee handbook
ii. ID
iii. Safety rules
iv. Clocking in card
v. Locker key
vi. Vending/restaurant tokens
vii. Car park entry
viii. Authority to draw protective clothing
ix. Documents for company car.
By the end of day the inductee should know:
1. The location of work site, toilets and facilities,
2. Time-recording procedure,
3. Rest/meal break times,
4. Health and Safety rules,
5. Location of their personal work station,
6. Rules about PC/phone use,
7. Key points of conduct,
8. Have been introduced to their immediate supervisors and colleagues.
Taking in all of this information can be very overwhelming on the first day and easy to forget in the coming days and weeks. It is therefore important to present it well and support the inductee.
Some ideas on how to do this are:
i. Have everything set out on paper, including the names of the people the inductee is to meet, and send the inductee a timetable of the first day, as part of their pre-employment pack.
ii. Nominate a key person who is responsible for each task that the inductee will have to do and make sure they are prepared and trained to do it.
iii. Ensure that the people who are to meet the inductee are available, punctual and friendly.
iv. Don’t hold inductions on a Monday, as staff are often busy getting back “up to speed” after the weekend.
Once the primary induction is finished, the employee will still need to be inducted into the culture and systems of the organisation and given training to allow them to complete their work.
Ideally this should start in the first week, but again be careful to avoid overload. Rather than seeing induction as happening on one day, see it as a yearlong procedure that merges with your training programme.
When planning the induction programme, you should consider three broad topics with which you want the employee to be familiar:
1. Work environment – Health and Safety issues, Employee welfare, work hazards and preventative measures.
2. The organisation – A structured view of the organisation should be given through providing mission statements and business plans and explaining communication and involvement systems that show –
i. How employees fit in the organisation through organisational charts, accountability charts and meeting people, and
ii. The roles and culture within the organisation through explaining policies and meeting people.
3. Job instruction – Explained by the line manager through the job description, setting targets and performance measurements and explaining the value and importance of the work, as well as ensuring the inductee receives the relevant training to actually carry out the work.
As with all training it is essential for the employer to review and evaluate the process.
Induction Process
Various steps involved in an induction programme depend on the way in which it is conducted. Some companies undertake it as an informal process and may last for a few hours; others take it in more comprehensive way and may go for many days.
For example, in KPMG, a consulting firm, orientation programme, known as acclimatization, for newcomers lasts for six months during which both stakeholders — the employee and the employer — get an opportunity to understand each other. In this period, the individuals are expected to have technical finesse, show adaptability, a sense of team-play, and display ability to handle the given volume of work.
Thus, the steps involved in orientation programme are affected largely by the coverage of the programme. A more comprehensive orientation programme goes through the process.
Thus, an orientation programme is conducted jointly by HR department and the line personnel from the department in which the new employees will be placed. If a group of employees has a combination of personnel who will be placed in different departments of the organization, the initial orientation is conducted by HR department and, subsequently, employees are divided into groups on the basis of departments in which they are likely to be placed.
The role of HR department is to provide information about organizational issues, HR policies and rules, employee benefits, and introduction to key personnel. Line supervisor provides information about specific job, its location, duties involved, and other job features besides introducing the employees to other personnel in the department.
After the initial orientation programme is over, a special anxiety reduction seminar is organized in which representatives from HR department, line departments, and all newcomers participate. The seminar which is in the form of two-way communication process, aims at reducing the anxiety of the new employees about the organization and jobs by providing the information and its clarity related to these issues.
After the orientation programme is over, the employees are referred to placement process. Orientation programme is just like a ceremony for many companies in Japan. Therefore, it will be relevant to identify the process as it is taken there and what effects it has over the employees.
Induction Process – Process of Induction Programme Adopted in an Organisation
The induction process is carried out by almost all organizations. The new recruits of the company get an opportunity to meet the senior management as well as their peers. It is during induction that the new recruits are trained in the skills that should be mastered in order to perform their duties.
It is important for the new recruits to fulfil all the tasks related to induction, such as attending induction workshops, conforming to the code of conduct, and executing all tasks (learn-meet-work) that may be defined in the induction plan of the organization. They also need to give feedback to the HR concerning all induction-related processes and materials.
Induction follows the recruitment and selection processes. It is the process that brings in new employees into an organization and engages them. The purpose of induction is to ensure that the employees know what is expected of them, and direct them on how they can add value to the company. The process begins with the first contact of the new recruit with the organization, and ends when the employees have been fully integrated into the organization.
Induction is the process of receiving and welcoming an employee when he/she first joins the company, and giving him/her the basic information he/she needs, to settle down quickly and start work. Induction or orientation is a planned introduction of the new recruits to the organization, the job, and their colleagues. The process of induction helps an organization retain its talents.
Induction forms an important element of the recruitment process; it is not only a nice gesture, but if properly done, also ensures employee retention.
Induction enables new employees to do the following:
1. Ramp up quickly with their new tasks. Therefore, the process also applies to those who are transferred within the company, and/or to other business units.
2. Obtain an in-depth understanding of the company’s practices, guiding principles, values, and objectives.
3. Gain the knowledge and skills needed to perform their new role, and to accomplish the tasks efficiently and effectively.
4. Feel welcome in the company they have joined, thereby avoiding the stress of guessing what is expected of them.
This can be achieved by the following means:
1. Providing the new employee a welcome pack before or on the day of joining
2. Introducing the new employee to the team, peers, and key contacts, and ensuring competence development regarding values, systems, procedures, policies, and key strategic objectives
3. Providing the new recruits a buddy (Harish, mentioned in the opening case, is a buddy) or a mentor to ease the transition
4. Conducting the induction plan that contains tasks for the first three months
5. Conducting a planned induction workshop and other role-specific learning solutions.
Induction familiarizes the new recruits to the organization’s functioning so that they become more productive in the least possible time; it is a means of honing the workforce to greater efficiency, precision, and perfection.
Content and Duration of an Induction Programme:
An induction programme ensures that all preparation is done before a new employee joins. These include system access, business cards, and necessary paperwork. The programme broadly includes an orientation of the company and its layout, facilities, and resources. The new recruits should be provided with a company booklet containing the history of the company, names and achievements of past chairmen or managing directors, its geographic spread, number of units in the country, various departments, technology, financial information, etc.
It is important for every organization, large or small, to have a well-thought out induction programme. However, designing an appropriate and cost-effective induction package is a complex task.
Socialization and on-boarding are processes related to induction. Socialization is a process by which a new recruit learns the values and behaviour expected of him, recognizes the organizational culture, gains abilities, appreciates working as a team member, and starts exhibiting organizational citizenship behaviour. On-boarding includes the whole process from an individual’s first contact with the organization to the time he/she formally joins.
The length and nature of the induction process depends on the complexity of the job and the background of the new recruit. One size does not fit all; a standardized induction course is unlikely to satisfy anyone. Proper commissioning is required to achieve the best results. In fact, orientation is done prior to conducting the induction program.
Pros and Cons of Induction/Orientation Programme:
i. Induction/orientation helps to build up a two-way channel of communication between management and workers.
ii. It helps the new employee in making a good start in the organization by playing a critical role under the socialization to the organization in terms of performance, attitudes and organizational commitment.
iii. Proper induction/orientation facilitates informal relation and team work among employee.
iv. It helps to integrate the new employee into the organization and to develop a sense of belonging.
v. It reduces employee grievances, absenteeism and labour turnover.
vi. The programme helps in supplying information concerning the organization, the job and employee welfare facilities.
i. Sometimes the new employee is overburdened with too many forms.
ii. The new employee is very often overwhelmed with too much to absorb in short time and become stressful.
iii. Improper induction can cost the organization by resulting in poor employee retention.
iv. Poor induction/orientation leads to poor learning of the employees.
Induction Process – 4 Important Stages: Preparation of Contents, Organization of Schedule and Venue, Documentation and Follow Up
The induction/orientation process is best carried out as a cooperative effort between HR, line management and line staff. The people, who know the jobs best, particularly in terms of socialization, are the workers in the work area.
For this reason, the induction process usually takes following directions:
a. The involvement of the management or HR to provide orientation for new employees to the wider organization and its functions, including pay details, occupational health and safety regulations, and conditions of employment.
b. The involvement of the immediate boss to provide orientation to the work area, including the requirements of the job, and to develop workplace relationships with fellow workers and team leaders.
c. Consultation with the line managers and relevant staff (safety officers and union leaders) about the content and methodology of the induction programme. Their agreement is essential for a positive outcome.
The stages in a formal induction/orientation programme are as follows:
Stage # 1. Preparation of Contents:
A formal induction/orientation programme includes information about the organization, terms of employment, employee benefits, introductions, working conditions and job duties.
a. Information about the organization: Include information about history, vision, mission, goals and objectives; organizational structure and chart; site layout; products or services and production process; disciplinary procedures; employee’s handbook and safety steps.
b. Terms of employment- Content information about contract conditions; probationary period; leave provisions; award cover; and union membership.
c. Employee benefits- Include information about pay band; pay days; vacations; amenities like eating facilities, canteen, lunch break, wash room, car parks, lockers; counselling; training and development; insurance, first aid and medical facilities; and recreation and retirement benefits.
d. Introductions- Include information about introductions to team leader, supervisors, coworkers, trainers and employee counsellor.
e. Working conditions- Content information about dress code; uniforms; policies and procedures; physical and social conditions; occupational health; and safety regulations.
f. Job duties- Content information like job location; tasks and responsibilities of individual jobs; position descriptions; objectives of the job; job safety needs and relationship with other jobs.
Stage # 2. Organization of Schedule and Venue:
The HR manager in association with the line manager and supervisor rate each item in the induction checklist as high, medium, or low in terms of urgency. This usually indicates what needs to be done immediately before the new employees start work, what can be done preferably before or as soon as they start work, and what can be done over a period of days or weeks.
This helps in taking decisions about where to conduct induction programme, and the person who does it. It may be information given by a manager in a training room, on lunch table, or explained in areas such as the pay office, or with a supervisor in a work area, or a combination of all of these.
Some parts of the programme are need to be done immediately, such as occupational health and safety regulations, pay and contract details, and introduction to the work area and other workers. Some parts of the programme require time off the job and some other parts can be provided in an information pack, or undertaken with a workplace mentor over a number of days.
Stage # 3. Documentation:
The concerned person in charge of the programme documents the detailed activities.
Stage # 4. Follow Up:
At each stage the person in charge of induction may forget and ignore some important things. Hence it is required to prepare a check list and find out whether all aspects have been covered or not. The organizations usually conduct follow up meetings at fixed interval on a face-to-face basis.
The organization also takes feedback from the new hires through various methods such as- round table discussions with them after they complete one year in the organization, in-depth interviews with randomly selected employees and distributing questionnaires to all of them.
Induction Process
Employee potential and performance differ significantly. Employees’ full potential must be utilized. They must know their organization, and follow its dos and don’ts. Orientation or employee orientation is the process adopted for providing new recruits the basic information and background about the organization.
New recruits should feel at ease, understand the organization in a broad sense (its evolution, prevailing culture, climate, mission, and vision), and assimilate key organizational facts such as policies, systems, procedures, and so on. This information will help them socialize. The importance of orientation should never be underestimated.
Employees can make serious mistakes due to lack of awareness of rules and regulations; hence, they may need more time to perform if they do not know the right way of working. New recruits must feel at home and work as members of a team. New employee orientation frequently includes carrying out a job that they would be responsible for, in the organization.
New employee orientation is the process of welcoming them into the organization. It contains information about the work environment, new job description, benefits and eligibility, company culture, company history, organizational chart, and all other details relevant to working in the new company.
Usually, employees who have many unanswered questions in their minds cannot perform to their full potential. A good orientation programme can answer many of these questions and clarify queries so that new employees can start working in the right direction. Depending on the number of new employees needed to be oriented, group or individual orientations could be structured.
If an employee’s first day does not necessarily coincide with the orientation, consider how to make the employee’s first day go smoothly, as first impressions can never be changed.
Orientation programmes can be organized in-house or off-site, preferably with audio-visual tools such as informational videos or slides. Inclusion of role playing, simulations, or simple discussion and question-and-answer time strengthens the learning process. In whichever manner an orientation programme is structured, it is important to make sure that it occurs during the employee’s first week in the job.
The programme must also cover the following aspects:
1. A welcome address to make new employees feel comfortable and motivated.
2. An overview of the organization to cover activities, both inside and outside the employees’ department to highlight the image, and convey a good sense of the company’s products and/or services.
3. A bird’s eye view of where the firm fits into its industry so that the employees know the competition and are aware of the industry when handling customers, co-workers, and potential business contacts.
4. An insight into corporate culture to communicate union-management relations.
5. Availability of flexi time and telecommunication systems for employees.
6. The absence of status symbols (separate rest rooms for employees and officers, different entrance gates, etc.)
7. The company’s history to ensure employee retention.
8. Expected work habits and policies in regard to review hours, vacations, breaks, and dress code.
Some companies also like to highlight the health-care benefits provided during orientation. Every company structures its orientation programme according to its needs. New recruits should be encouraged to interact, discuss their issues, and learn from one another. It is good for employees to get to know coworkers from other divisions, and orientation can go a long way towards building bonds among departments. Finally, an employee handbook could be provided to the new recruits.
All new employees/recruits who are appointed to positions within the organization, those who are transferred or promoted internally, or those returning after extended leave or lien services, should receive an appropriate induction.
An induction policy outlines the responsibilities and tasks related to the employees within the organization. It focuses on the personal development of the new recruits. With respect to the other tasks necessary for the on-boarding process, the policy fully relies on the general organizational processes for facility management, information technology, personal history, etc. Any issue with those processes need to be addressed with the process owners directly.
In a multinational organization, the policy applies to all the employees globally. However, implementation may be undertaken in accordance with the requirements of all local legislations and union, works council, or joint consultative machinery agreements. In the event of any conflict, the local legislative requirement takes precedence. The induction policy may also be organization-centric or employee-centric.
These are discussed below:
A. Organization-Centric Induction Policy:
The provisioning and maintenance of all induction-related material, in principle, is divided as follows:
1. Recruiting and engagement provides and maintains all materials needed before the first day. The materials include the recruitment policy, the contract, and the welcome kit.
2. The talent and leadership development department provides and maintains all the material needed thereafter. These materials include the induction policy, the induction plan template, and the induction checklist.
3. The training and development department or leadership development department of a national or multinational company maintains the national/global induction workshop materials.
4. The HR manager of an organizational unit bears the responsibility of implementing the induction process in that unit, taking the local organizational environment into consideration.
B. Employee-Centric Induction Policy:
An employee-centric policy concerns all tasks related to induction directly targeted towards the new employee. The relevant line manager should primarily bear the responsibility of the employee-centric induction process and explain the policies. This type of an induction programme focuses on providing a clear picture about the organization, its team, and job profile. This is to maximize the effectiveness and commitment of the new recruits.
Traditionally, induction programmes were considered more or less a casual exercise, which basically extended over a day or two. These were usually focused only on the vision and values, and were delivered by HR and senior managers. In today’s changing times, there are structured, stimulating, and cost-effective ways of inducting new employees so that their journey in the organization is smooth.
Whether one needs to establish an induction programme, or review an existing one, designing a specific checklist as a guide is helpful to avoid any rework at a later stage.
Design of an Induction Process:
Most of the modern organizations follow the system theory of management. A system is a set of interrelated processes, whereas a process is a set of interrelated activities. Induction is also an organizational process. The term ‘induction’ is generally used to describe a process through which employees get acclimatized to their new jobs. The aim of the induction process is to facilitate new employees to make a smooth and positive adjustment at the workplace.
An induction programme is all about providing basic information encompassing working hours, holiday routine, leave policy, dress code, jargon, glossary, and definitions of local terms. Induction further includes information regarding location of the labour welfare office, cooperative society, dispensary, and other departments. The induction programme of the junior management level must also include highlights of disaster management, handling of unprecedented events, managing natural calamities, and so on.
In many organizations, the engagement with new recruits starts well before the first day. A candidate’s experience during the recruitment process right from application to joining is the first impression that he/she gets about the organization.
To support this engagement process with a new employee prior to his/ her joining, there may be a welcome brochure containing a note summarizing some interesting aspects of the organization from the CEO to each new recruit. This brochure can be sent to the recruits as attachments to the employment contract. Availability of the same information in the organization’s website may also be indicated in the print version.
A typical induction aids the new employees to be more acquainted with their work environment and organization functioning. It also helps them acquire a sense of belonging which can lead towards commitment to the organization. In other words, it can be considered as a means of honing the workforce to take them towards greater precision and perfection.
Every business, irrespective of its size, needs a well-planned induction process, which works towards the following:
1. Being flexible and interesting
2. Being employee-centred
3. Extending equal opportunities to all new recruits.
The first week of any new recruit is the most crucial time and it is imperative that the induction is efficient and presented appropriately to the recruits. The primary responsibility for this is generally vested with the line manager who needs to be supported by the HR organization.
Roles and Responsibilities Involved in the Induction Process:
An induction programme that reflects the specific needs/roles of each employee is mandatory in any organization. While finalizing the structure of an induction course, it is important to consider the type of recruit, apart from the size and nature of the organization. For larger companies, this programme would be a combination of one-to-one discussions and formal group presentations, which may be given within an induction course.
Though a line manager is responsible for a new recruit’s induction, he is not expected to cover all the elements personally. There are certain roles which other managers are responsible for, too.
The responsibilities of different personnel involved in designing and execution of an induction programme also need a brief discussion. The main responsibilities should be discharged by the training manager, members of the faculty, and the buddies. These have to be carried out diligently in order to have a successful induction.
Problems Encountered during Induction Process:
The first hour and the first day of joining an organization is of paramount importance. It is equally important for the management to keep themselves thoroughly prepared, unless the process of induction suffers from certain impediments.
The person responsible for induction may be untrained. Thus, due to lack of preparedness, fie/she may provide information in a manner that may confuse the recruits. Furthermore, overloading of information should also be avoided. Highlighting the company problems to the recruited employees might produce fear about employment. Employees must not be thrown into action soon after joining. Initially, difficult tasks should not be allocated to new employees. Only simple tasks should be assigned, so that on successful completion, they can gain confidence.
A cricket captain engages an inexperienced bowler in a match. If the bowler is beaten by a batsman, the captain withdraws the bowler and engages an experienced one instead. The experienced bowler will consider the strengths and weaknesses of the batsman, decide on the type of bowling that counters the attacking mood of the batsman. The captain takes such initiatives so that the bowler is not depressed at the start of his career. Thus, he protects and safeguards the talents.
It is important to keep in mind that problems may generate at any stage of the induction process. In addition, the consequence of ineffective induction may lead to an employee’s underperformance.