It is process of bringing/introducing/familiarizing a new recruit into the oraginsation.

This program familiarizes the new employee about the culture, accepted practices
and performance standards of the organization.

It has been proved in one of the survey conducted by the Centre for Creative
Leadership (headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, US), that a fresh hire does
not met the expectation of an organization for the first few months. The issue of
productivity of new hires has to be defined individually by every organization. Fresh
hires are able to learn the process as quickly as possible if the induction efforts are
right and they can be very productive if their induction is been done in an proper
manner.

Importance of induction program

"What will happen if we do not train new recruit in the organization and they stay
on".
While keeping the above statement in mind, think the importance of induction
program.

Induction training is very essential for any company because it helps an

individual/new recruit to grow within a company and motivates him/her. It inculcates
in the employee, more confidence to progress. It is during induction that a new
recruit gets to know about the organization's employment philosophy, physical work
environment, employee's rights, employee's responsibilities, organization, culture
and values along with key business processes.

A new entrant should culturally fit in an organization. Interaction at this stage shapes
an individual's disposition and outlook for work and motivation levels. The
importance of induction cannot be underestimated.

Involvement in Induction programs ( should be's )

Induction program must/should include all the aspects of the organization and
present for the awareness of the new employee. Like emergency procedures,
facilities, safety issues, right's of the employee, what to be paid, no harassment,
equal opportunity, grievance procedures, employee responsibilities, times, conduct
standards, job function, dress requirements, organisational structure, what it does,
how they fit in, who is their Manager, the functions of different departments, how the
employee will be managed, what the performance management process will involve,
and his/her role in that process, are the few concern areas during an

Induction program.

Induction should be conducted on the first day of the new recruit from the gate of
the organization itself. For induction only higher management or Head of HR or
Senior should be addressing the new entrant. It should also involve the employees of
the new entrant department. An effective induction helps a new employee feel
assured and comfortable in the new environment, which is critical for early uptake in
the new role. Induction should always be interactive. It also provides an opportunity
to the new entrant to engrain the original values and ethics as well as the style of
functioning. Escorting an new entrant will be one of the best and most impactful
induction step. It should always be interesting and must hold the attention of the
new employee.

Involvement in Induction programs ( not be's )

First of all Induction program must not/ should not include much of theoretical part.
Bad induction leads to stress and de-motivation. Arriving for a new job a bad
induction can leave a new starter worried, anxious and unable to perform their
duties. More work for longer as the new entrant struggles to become an effective
member. It increases the workload, all the wrong messages given to the new starter
and can damage long-term implications.

Signs of bad Induction program are Too Short - during induction a new entrant
should just not give the mobile numbers or small brief as always remember either a
person should have or should not have knowledge, half knowledge leads to disaster.
Too Hasty - A ten minutes brisk walk and making him familiarizing about the exit or
entry should not be the part of induction. Too Boring - All the theoretical and long
presentation with high figures involved is a bad sign of induction. Impersonal - Avoid
hours of speeches and presentations and voluminous policy manuals or information
packages. Too personal - It should not be related to the complete life cycle of a new
entrant. Neglectful - whosoever takes the induction should have complete knowledge
of the new entrant participation the induction program, Isolated and embarrassing.

Difference between effective and non effective Induction Programs.

o Effective induction decreases the chances of attrition v/s bad induction increase the
attrition.

o It makes employees more energetic whereas non effective induction demoralizes

the new entrant.

o It makes positive impact v/s it possesses negative impact.

o It reduces cost v/s it increase the cost.

o It increases team work ability v/s it reduces team work ability.

To be more precise please follow up the example:-

Two employees were recruited in 2004 at 'X' company as a technical recruiter.

Employee 'A' was appointed August whereas employee 'B' was appointed December
04. 'A' went through bad induction program as mentioned above and employee 'B'
went through good induction program inculcating all the necessities. 'A' was very
confused about the oragnisation policies; environment, culture etc whereas 'B' was
clear about the all aspects of the organization. After two years 'B' was promoted at a
senior level position whereas 'A' was still confused and was unable to give his/her
fullest to the company and was not at all comfortable with the environment of the
orgainsation. In, result after the promotion of 'B' he resigned the company reason
being senior in terms of joining from 'B'.
With the above example it becomes very clear about the kind of difference of bad
and good induction can make. As bad induction does not only cost to employee but
to organistion as well.

Impact of Bad induction program

Bad induction = attrition

Bad induction program does not only leads to confusion, stress and de-motivation,
but one of the most disastrous effect will be the attrition. Losing a new entrant of
staff and having to replace them costs about 25% of their salary/wage. Providing too
much, too soon; the inductee must not be overwhelmed by a mass of information on
the first day. Bad Induction program generates unreasonable expectations by being
more interesting and more exciting than the job itself.

Good induction program

Good induction = retention

Induction programs help in reducing attrition rates, apparently yes. The first
impression is very important when a person comes into a new organisation and how
you interact with these new entrants plays an important role on how they discharge
their duties later. It was found that employees who received an effective induction
were more engaged, compared to those who rated the quality of induction as below
average. The thought of leaving the organisation creeps in at early stage in cases
where the induction is not done with passion. A good induction prepares an
employee better to compete in fiercely competitive market place, which has a direct
impact on the early success and hence motivation, he adds. It is true that only good
induction does not keeps the attrition away but it plays a big role.
Conclusion

In conclusion, getting the induction process right, sets the scene for the remainder of
the employment experience. This is a critical phase in the employment process.
Induction programs should be implemented in a structured manner and applied
uniformly across the organisation. Best practice involves a very structured approach
to the induction process.

Introduction
When you take on a new employee, it is important that you give them the right induction that will
benefit themselves and your business. This induction period can be considered as the
foundations for getting the most out of the employee and to determine their long term success in
your business.

An induction should be given at the beginning of employment and may stretch for several weeks,
or even months. During this time, the quality of the induction will have an effect on how the
employee visualizes your business and how well they will integrate into it.

Some companies often make the mistake of ignoring induction periods. Instead, they leave the
new employee to pick things up themselves, and from existing employees, which costs time and
money. This defeats the idea of induction which is to integrate the employee so that they reach
their full potential as soon as possible.
If your new employee is to be recruited through an interview, then it is a good idea to start the
induction at that specific time. Even if the applicant isn’t definitely going to be your new employee,
it still gives them a chance to maintain interest in your business.

What Do They Need To Know?

You may want to start off with the overall look of the company moving through to the finer details.
When informing the employee, you may decide it is worth while giving them a tour as you go over
the relevant points. The following are guides for what you may want to include, but feel free to
add anything that you feel is necessary.

Introduce your company by specifying the size (no. of employees, branches, etc), the history and
how your company operates. The employee may have already researched your business but any
additional information is always good to know.

Let them know about any procedures you have in your business. This may include the terms and
conditions of employment, disciplinary action, and dress code. Also, show them what to do and
where to assemble in case of fire.

Inform them of anything concerning their job: give them a job description listing what tasks are
involved, their responsibilities and accountabilities. Tell them what training is needed (if any) to
match their job requirements.

If tools, equipment, computers, etc are involved, make sure they know where and how they can
obtain it. If your business has many forms, letters etc it’s a good idea to build an induction manual
for them to keep. The manual should show and explain the basics of completing, say, a form from
start to end.

Where necessary, an induction manual can also cover systems and procedures relevant to the
employees task. With an induction manual the main concern should be with the quality of it’s
contents: take time, effort and care if you start this task.

Coming down to the personal needs of the employee, point them in the right direction of the
toilets, cafeteria, snack/drink machines and anything else that they may require.

An employees involvement with other employees is important. Tell them about any
activities/social outings that occur both in and out of work time. This could be a game of football
after work on Tuesday or a pint of beer at the pub during Friday lunchtimes. Involving them early
with the social side of working will give them a feeling of being ‘accepted’ and welcome.

When They Need To Know

As said earlier, induction can start from the selection process such as the interview. But it is
important that some things are brought to the new employees attention before they start their first
day at work. This is the terms and conditions of employment which they may already have in
writing if you issued them. Additionally, they will need to be aware of where to go, who they
should ask for and what they should bring along to prepare for their first day.

You too may want to prepare for their arrival by making sure that you obtain any necessary
equipment for them (working computer, safety gear, etc). If you have involved others to assist
with the induction (detailed later), create a time table to let them know when they are required.
Some information may be given when your new employee actually starts their first day. This is a
big day for the new employee and what happens will usually form the basis of their impression of
your company. Make sure that they are made to feel welcome in every department they may
venture.

Often, this day is used to inform the employee about company procedures (outlined earlier) and
to complete any necessary paper work concerning their details (bank details, P45 forms, etc).
Introduce the employee to everyone that they will be working with. This way, there will be no
strangers around when they come to work the following day.

It is important not to overload the employee with too much information on the first day as you
don’t want them to forget the most important points (no one will remember it all). Remember:
induction takes time to be successful.

Other things, you may decide to introduce when necessary during the course of their early
employment. Within this period, it is the time when the new employee may start to compile a list
of questions about the job or company.

These insecurities often lead to the employee leaving or progressing at a much slower rate. It is
therefore in your best interest to have a follow-up meeting, say, in the form of an appraisal to
compensate for this matter. Usually done after 2-3 months from initial employment, it gives you
(or whoever is running the induction) a chance to offer further information and for the employee to
ask questions in their concern.

Who Should Do The Induction?

If you are unsure about the best way to pass on the information, then leave it all to whoever will
be the new employees superior. However, you may decide that it is relevant to break down the
information to be given by the relevant departments. For example, your personnel department
may inform them about employment contracts and procedures.

If the new employee will be working with others, you may offer the responsibility to one of his/her
future colleagues. This way can benefit the new employee because they will be making a new
friend at the same time and could see it as a doorway to their social involvement.

If this isn’t yourself, then you may think it is best to leave the induction to the person who is most
interested about the effectiveness of the induction scheme. They will then perhaps make it their
responsibility for ensuring that the new employee integrates into the company with the right
balance (job/social/personal involvement).

Whoever you allocate to do the induction, it will start to form a good relationship between those
involved (or not as the case may be).

Summary
A good induction can determine how quickly your employee settles into the business and the
speed at which they develop to reach their full potential. Giving the employee all they need to
know in relation to their time at your business will further determine its effectiveness.

The importance of how long the induction should be has been stressed throughout the article.
Take as long as you need until you believe (and has been acknowledged) that the new employee
has been integrated completely into your business. Have a ‘follow up’ appraisal to sort out any
queries that they (or yourself) may have .

Involve everyone that you feel essential to create good relations between the new employee and
those that they will have connections with. Make the employee feel welcome and comfortable in
all areas that will involve their presence.