The Ultimate Guide to Workplace Induction

Government data shows that in 2018, 60% of employees took part in workplace training. This is great! Workplace induction is vital for employees to do their best work and for businesses to retain employees. 

A good induction program covers information about the organisation and the job. However, it also includes details about the employee rights, responsibilities, and benefits. 

To learn more about workplace induction and get some employer advice, keep reading. 

The Induction Process

Workplace induction is the process of getting new employees familiar with your business. This includes helping them get comfortable with their new jobs and providing them with information to make them valuable team members.

A good induction program sets the tone and expectations for employees. It also details their relationship with managers and the organisation. It helps new employees know the purpose, functions, and tasks of their job. This way, they can be an asset to your company.

Induction and onboarding are similar but different. Induction is about practical and technical integration. The process is short and transactional. First, the company gives the employee information. Then, the employee shares their personal details for administrative purposes. 

You don't have to complete inducting training in one day. But, it shouldn't be longer than a few days. 

Conversely, onboarding is a long-term, relationship-based program. Onboarding can start even before the employee has their first day at the office. Socialisation and trust-building are essential in the onboarding process. Onboarding also stresses development and performance. 

Onboarding programs can be months long. And some even cover an employee's first year on the job. 

Topics to Cover During Induction

Usually, managers and supervisors are responsible for handling workplace induction. However, this doesn't wholly disclude senior or chief executive-level staff. They may offer insights or knowledge through the training as well. 

Additionally, if there are a lot of new hires in different departments of the company, you can have two processes. One being collective training and another more minor, specialised training. 

Induction training needs to include practical information that immerses the employee into the company culture. Meeting new colleagues and getting familiar with the workplace is essential. Everyone wants to feel welcomed and secure on their first day. Knowing where to find the toilets, staff kitchen facilities, and fire exits will help new employees settle in. 

But there is still much more to go over during induction. 

Health and Workplace Safety

Learning health and safety procedures on the first day is necessary. This includes going over any specific safe work procedures your company has, like your evacuation plan. Safety information, like emergency procedures, is for ultimate employee protection.

At least employees need to know how to assess and minimise workplace risks. If employees don't already have the skills to identify and handle hazards, train them with supervision. Plus, you should provide safety, tools and equipment needed for their position. 

You should continually retrain employees on how to handle equipment, even if they have experience. This ensures they use it correctly and to company standards. When the equipment requires certificates, ask to view them. You can keep employees' credentials on file for easy organisation and to provide more training during onboarding.

Documents and Policies

During employee induction, make sure each employee fills out and signs all necessary employment paperwork. You can also introduce company policies and the code of conduct. This includes:

• Dress code
• Annual leave
• Sickness absence
• Legal requirements, if applicable

You should also help employees understand the incident reporting system at your company. A strong understanding of workplace procedures allows new employees to be the most dependable team members from the beginning.

Understanding Their Role

You must have an employee meeting during induction to review their role. It would be best to lay out what you expect from them and how they will contribute to the organisation. 

At this time, you can get an idea of further training employees may need. Recognising any skills gaps better prepares managers for future training programs. 

Schedule First Appraisal Meeting

Giving feedback to all employees is crucial. This is especially true for new employees. It will ensure everyone stays on track. But, it will also motivate to maintain high standards.

When you schedule a new employee's first performance review during induction, it gives them adequate time to prepare and ask questions. In addition, it helps to set employees up for success through transparency.  

Good Induction Programs

Of course, a good induction process reviews company policies and procedures. But, you also want to make sure employees remain engaged throughout the training. You can include different activities or ways of presenting information such as:

• One-on-one conversations
• Group presentations
• Online training
• Providing reading materials
• Company tour

More importantly than providing information, induction should make new employees feel supported and embraced. When employees know you have their best interest in mind, they will produce better work. 

As induction can be overwhelming for everyone, continue to support new members of the team over time. It's easy to transition from induction to onboarding for continued training.

LMS Induction Training

Using a Learning Management System (LMS) for induction can offer even better delivery and management. A disorganised induction program is destined to fail. A checklist system will help track where employees are in their induction training. It guarantees no information gets left out.

Plus, LMS training can help automate repetitive tasks. This reduces the time new employees spend on administrative responsibilities, leaving more time for specific job training.

With a mix of in-person and online training, employees can cover more topics and materials. Plus, overall training costs are lower with an LMS. For example, you don't need to pay for travel or instructor expenses. 

Implement Workplace Induction Today

Instilling a great workplace induction program is an excellent way to foster a strong employee community. It aids organisations to have higher levels of engagement and retain employees. 

To get started with a free trial of our LMS induction training, meet with us at Intuto today. Our specialists will build a specialised program for your organisation using the materials you provide for the ultimate training.