The interview process can be a long journey. It takes time, energy and effort to find the right candidates. But what happens when they start work in your business? What’s the impact of getting the staff induction right or wrong?
There is a lot more to welcoming new starters than a tour of the office and allocating a buddy. It’s easy to think that the first day on the job for the new worker is the end of the recruitment process, but actually you’re still in it.
Your staff induction is an opportunity to establish the company’s identity, brand and values. New staff should understand who you are as a business and where you are going, so that they can be part of that journey and know their place within it. After investing so much in the recruitment process, it makes sense, and is sound business practice to offer a thorough induction.
Here are my top 5 tips on how to successfully conduct a staff induction:
1. Tell your story
Most companies will cover the basics during their inductions, however many forget there is an interesting story behind their success. It helps your new starter identify with you as a Manager if they understand where you’ve come from and how you’ve got there
Understand individual learning styles
The induction process can sometimes be a little daunting for new starters as there is a lot of information to take in. Because of this, it’s important to make a conscious effort to incorporate different learning styles into the process to ensure new information can be absorbed and retained by everyone
This could mean incorporating diagrams or videos for visual learners or physical elements for kinetic minds – targeting your inductions to cater for everyone is a worthwhile step that can also make inductions more engaging.
Set goals, expectations & milestones
We know how to see the signs of a performer, but don’t assume that your new starter will. Make it clear to them what their role is, what their objectives are and how and when they will be measured. Show them what average, great and exceptional looks like so that they know what to aim for and tell them the rewards they get when they get there!
Coach & mentor them
Equip your staff with the skills they need for their position. Spend time with them ‘on the job’ and praise progress. Some pick it up quicker than others, but the slow burner may just have an ace up their sleeve when you least expect it. You get out what you invest in the early stages
Introduce them to the team and arrange a new starter celebration
Help your new starter understand the structure of the business and who are their direct reporting lines. Discuss each area/division and how it all fits into the bigger picture. It’s clear that when a new person joining a business understands how it all fits and has met the wider team, they will feel engaged and understand who to go to for what. A first day lunch or end of week drink is always a nice idea to get to know them on a personal level and to discuss their thoughts and feelings on how that all important first week has gone.
All of the hard work in recruiting can fall down in the absence of a proper induction process. If you’d like further advice and support on getting your staff inductions right, then give us a call. We’ll pop out to see you for an exploratory conversation and we will even bring the biscuits!