How an individual employee experiences the start of a new role can significantly impact their longer-term motivation, engagement, and productivity. A smooth and welcoming induction process pays dividends down the line. In this article, we will explore what employee induction means and why it is important, as well as include some tips and tricks to ensure it runs well for both the new employee and the company.
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What is Employee Induction?
Employee induction, also known as onboarding, is the process of welcoming a new employee and helping them transition to their new role and working environment.
Employee induction does not begin on the employee’s first day. It starts with pre-boarding, which happens between the employee accepting the role and starting it.
What does Employee Induction Usually Cover?
There are many ways to induct a new employee, including informal coffee chats, virtual meetings, reading and shadowing an established employee.
New employee induction programmes usually include:
- General information on the company culture, history, objectives and plans, often including a personalised welcome message from a senior leader.
- More focussed information on the team and department the employee will join.
- Role-specific details from the line manager that builds on the information and discussions during the application process. These can include immediate priorities, key responsibilities, weekly routines, structure of meetings and expectations (for example, customer service standards).
- Policies and procedures including dress codes, working hours, what to do when they are sick, how to claim expenses, and so on.
- Health and safety information, including what to do in an emergency and any relevant training or access to equipment.
- Details of training and development opportunities, social events and any travel expectations.
Why is the Induction Process important?
The employee induction process is important because it sets the foundation for a positive and engaging relationship between the new employee and the organisation. A good experience at the start of employment can have the following benefits for both you and the new employee:
- It contributes to the employees feeling valued when they start working for the company, leading to higher employee engagement and productivity and lower absenteeism and turnover.
- It reduces the anxiety a new employee may feel starting their role and can help them feel more in control of what they need to do, allowing them to hit the ground running.
- It provides essential information that allows new employees to start fulfilling the role they are being paid to fulfil.
- It supports the company culture and brand by ensuring that new employees understand what is expected of them, how they need to present themselves to others, including customers, and the company values, ethos, and objectives.
Employee Induction Checklist
The following tips can help to create an effective induction programme and provide a warm welcome for new employees:
Create a schedule
Having a schedule for the first few weeks can help employees feel more secure as they start a new role. They will have a better idea about what is going on and where they are expected to be. Populating their calendar with events and meetings, including any social events, is a lovely welcoming touch.
Tailor the induction programme
Making the staff induction personal to the new employee ensures that they receive the right information for them while sending a very clear signal from the beginning of their employment that the company values the individual employee as a person in their own right. Ask the employee if there is anything they feel they need or are missing; this helps you understand the areas the individual is worried about. Remember that if you know your new employee has additional needs, such as an ADHD diagnosis, you should adapt the induction programme accordingly. It is also good practice to check in with the new employee about their gender pronouns as using the right pronoun from the start is key to helping new employees feel welcome.
Start with a tour of the building
If your employee is working in an office building, the first part of a proper induction should be a tour of the site so that they know where to find essentials such as toilets, kitchens, and an emergency exit and so they can start to orientate themselves. Make it clear where the people who can help them as they get to know their new role and new company sit so that these individuals can easily find when needed.
Introduce the new employee properly
Taking time to introduce the new employee to their colleagues in a thoughtful way shows that you are pleased they have joined the team and makes the new person feel welcome. You might also want to ask the new starter to create their own introductory message (via email or video) so their new colleagues can get to know them before meeting them.
Include cultural information
When someone starts a new role, understanding the company culture is essential to helping the new employees assimilate quickly into the organisation. Including specific sessions that cover the organisational culture helps employees understand the values and ethos of their new employer and can be a good opportunity to reinforce any expectations or standards that are essential for the company brand.
Provide training
If specific aspects of the role require training (for example, systems to support customer service, databases, and health and safety procedures), these must be factored into the onboarding process to ensure the employee can start work promptly and safely. You may decide to spread out other non-essential training opportunities with personal development plans to allow the new starter time to process all the information they are being given.
Build time in for answering questions
It’s likely that the new starter will have many questions, so build time into the schedule for informal catch-ups that allow these to be answered. Creating a mentor or buddy relationship with an established employee can help with these and provide a development opportunity for longer-serving staff.
