InductionHR or the Department Manager generally carries out induction when a new employee starts, which often includes explaining company culture, policies, pay and benefits, workplace health and safety, company hierarchy, and introducing the new employee to coworkers. It is important not to overload the new employee with information and to spread training out over the first month. A good induction and training program helps the new employee feel empowered and integrated into the team.

1. Induction<br />HR or the Department Manager generally carries out induction when a new employee starts. It is often a two level thing, with some items carried out by a Mentor or the person training the new employee.<br />Generally, a good induction program will:<br />Explain the company culture <br />Clarify policies such as leave (sick, holiday and special) <br />Pay (how often and how - cash, cheque or direct deposit) <br />Breaks, hours of work and overtime policies <br />Workplace Health & Safety overview, including first aid facilities and evacuation procedures <br />Company heirachy, and where the new staff member fits in <br />Position description and general overview of their role (KPI's, reporting structure, etc) <br />Amenities (lunch room, sick room, toilets) <br />Introduction to workmates<br />Usually, the last two should be handled by the Mentor or the person training the new staff member in their role.<br />It is important that no one person tries to do the whole induction process. If you have a Workplace Health & Safety Officer, then they should handle that part of the induction. The whole induction process should be as interactive as possible to make the new employee feel included and to assit in the assimilation of information. <br />The position Description and General Overview should be done by the new employee's direct supervisor.<br />Staff Training<br />This is where the new employee learns about their job – not the KPI’s, etc., but what the tasks involved are.<br />It should not involve how to do the tasks – presumably the employee was hired because they know how to do the job! What it should involve is training on how the various tasks are done in the company, an overview of the computer system and any reports, etc., that need to be done.<br />It is important to remember, however, that all of this is not crammed into one day, but spread out over the first month.<br />It seems a long time, but most companies run on a monthly cycle – and spreading the training out over the month allows the monthly tasks to be done and learned in their order and in relation to everything else.<br />It also means that the new employee is not overloaded with information within their first week.<br />Many employers make the mistake of thinking that productivity means that the training has to be completed within the first week.<br />By spreading it out, the person doing the training can also attend to their role, and the new person doesn’t suffer information overload, and can start to do the tasks their role requires immediately, and in the same order that they would normally need to be done in.<br />Benefits to the Employee<br />A good induction and training program will leave the employee feeling empowered and a full part of the team. It will help them to fit in, and understand the company. You don’t need to sell the company to the employee – they have already accepted the job (therefore, have chosen the company).<br />By conducting a good induction / orientation, you have a new employee who finds their way around faster, and who will feel that they are valued.<br />Good staff training, where their previous knowledge is taken into account, makes the employee feel good. If you try to teach them what they already know, they feel like their knowledge is not valued, and feel demeaned.<br />The purpose of an Induction and Training program is to reinforce the employee’s initial feelings of wanting to work there, and to ensure that they become an integrated and productive team member, who will stay for the long term.<br />Benefits to the Manager & Work Team<br />You will be building on the fact that you have hired somebody who can already do the tasks, and all they need to know is how your systems work.<br />By starting with this premise, your new employee becomes productive faster and has a positive attitude towards working with the team, and in how their skills and prior experience is valued by both the team and the Company.<br />Benefits to the Organisation<br />By having a good induction and staff training program, you will acquire loyal employees who feel integrated into the culture of the company and who are likely to be more productive and stay with the company longer.<br />