At some point in our careers, we have all been the newest person in the organisation. And, whilst most of us will successfully complete a rigorous induction process, surveys show that almost 40% of us have no induction process at all.
Inductions can come in many forms, such as; an afters hours social event, or a meet and greet prior to the first day. In fact, there is no right or wrong on how a company conducts their induction, but research shows that some form of on-boarding is important to ensure that your new hire, settles into their role quickly.
Ideally, the on-boarding process should begin the minute that someone accepts the role, and details of their induction should be communicated well in advance of the first day. Employers may even want to consider opportunities to introduce new hires to their team informally, before their start date. From a psychological point of view, this means that the new hire will feel part of the team from day one, and will be able to put aside those fears that one usually experiences on the first day of a new job.
When the first day finally arrives, try to cover off any red-tape, regulatory or compliance procedures with the new hire at a separate meeting. Ideally, the induction itself should be interactive, motivating and inspiring. An opportunity to touch base with different teams and line managers, and to get an overview of the bigger picture.
Aligning all new employees to the business strategy, their own department and the
roles of their direct colleagues, will ensure that the new hire will be motivated and inspired from day one, making their ‘bedding in’ phase a more enjoyable one.
If you are part of the 60% that does have the luxury of an induction, you may have been unfortunate enough to have experienced the never-ending parade of power point presentations, that substitute for human interaction. There is no doubt that power points have their place in an induction, but this should not make up the majority of the process, as very rarely does one induction fit all. Each new person, will have different concerns and questions about their role and position within the company, that cannot be addressed by an FAQ presentation.
Research shows that new hires will feel more valued, if they have the opportunity of fleshing out with their direct line manager, the company values, their role and where they fit in, what is expected of them and what they can expect from you. Having a great on-boarding and induction process, will help you to build fans for your company, who will talk passionately and convincingly about your brand.
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