The Law and the Rights of the Employee

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Induction
Lecture Topic 5 (Week 6)
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Overview of Lecture

• Induction Defined
• Aims of Induction
• Importance of Induction
• Responsibility for Induction
• The Induction Process
• Designing Induction Programmes
• Benefits of Effective Induction
• Summary

3
Induction Defined (1)

• Induction is the process of receiving and
  welcoming employees when they first join a
  company and giving them basic information they
  need to settle down quickly and happily and start
  work (Armstrong, 2006, p471)
• the process of familiarisation with the
  organisation and settling into the
  job (www.acas.org.uk)

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Induction Defined (2)

• Induction is concerned with the effective
  introduction of an employee into the
  organisation, department and job
• It is NOT a process only occurring on the
  employees first day, but one which occurs over a
  period
• (Roberts, 1995, p183)

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Aims of Induction

• To smooth the preliminary stages when everything
  is likely to be strange / unfamiliar
• To establish quickly a favourable attitude to
  the company in the mind of the new employee so
  that s/he is more likely to stay
• To obtain effective output from the new employee
  in the shortest possible time
• To reduce the likelihood of the employee leaving
  quickly
• (Armstrong, 2006, 471)

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Importance of Induction (1)

• Reducing the cost and inconvenience of early
  leavers
• Recruitment costs of replacement
• Induction costs
• Costs of temporary agency replacement
• Cost of extra supervision and error correction
• Gap between the employees value to the company
  and the cost of the employees pay and benefits
• Increasing Commitment
• Organisations must present themselves as worth
  working for

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Importance of Induction (2)

• Clarifying the Psychological Contract
• Induction can indicate what the organisation
  expects in terms of behavioural norms and values
• Accelerate Progress Up the Learning Curve
• It is important to ensure learning takes place in
  a planned and systematic manner
• Socialisation
• Social aspects are very important for many people
• (Armstrong, 2006)

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Effects of Poor/No Induction

• Poor integration into the team
• Low morale, particularly for new employee
• Loss of productivity
• Failure to work to their highest potential
• (www.cipd.co.uk)

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Who Needs an Induction Programme?

• All employees (F/T and P/t)
• Some groups have specific needs
• School and College Leavers
• People returning from career breaks, long-term
  absence or maternity/paternity leave
• Employees with disabilities
• Management/Professional Trainees
• Minorities
• (www.acas.org.uk)

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Responsibility for the Induction Process

• Small Organisation
• HR Officer, Manager or Supervisor, Buddy?
• Large Organisation
• HR Manager
• Health and Safety Adviser
• Training Officer
• Line/Department Manager
• Supervisor
• Trade Union/Employee Representative/Safety
  Representative
• Buddy?
• (www.acas.org.uk)

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Elements of an Induction Programme

• Orientation (physical)
• Orientation (organisational)
• Health and Safety information
• Explanation of terms and conditions
• Details of the organisations history, products,
  services
• A clear outline of the job/role requirements
• (www.cipd.co.uk)

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The Induction Process

• Reception
• Ensure the first person the employee meets knows
  of his/her arrival
• Set a reporting time
• Plan activities for Day 1
• Documentation
• Issue Health and Safety info, company info and
  employee handbook
• Company Induction Initial Briefing
• HR representative should highlight company
  information, rules procedures
• Introduction to the Workplace
• Line Manager and Team Leader should be involved
• (Armstrong, 2006)

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Formal Induction Courses (1)

• Purpose
• Provide induction for a number of new employees
• Arrangements
• Consider who attends? / when?

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Formal Induction Courses (2)

• Content
• Information about the organisation
• Learning agreements and opportunities
• Performance Management processes
• Health and Safety
• Conditions of service
• Pay and Benefits
• Policies, procedures and working arrangements
• Trade Unions and employee involvement
• (Armstrong, 2006)

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On-the-Job Induction Training

• On-the-job training can be used together with
  off-the-job training
• It should be a planned systematic approach.
• It may incorporate
• Job or skills analysis to prepare a learning
  specification
• An initial assessment of what the new starter
  needs to learn
• The use of dedicated colleagues to act as guides
  and mentors
• Coaching by team leaders or specially appointed
  and trained departmental trainers
• Special assignments
• (Armstrong, 2006)

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Designing Induction Programmes

• 1. Focus on Newcomer Learning
• 2. Accelerate Learning by Involving Colleagues
• 3. Anticipatory Stage
• 4. Encounter Stage
• 5. Adjustment Stage
• 6. Evaluating Programme Effectiveness
• (Thomas and Anderson, 2003)

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What to Avoid!

• Providing too much, too soon do not overload
  the inductee
• Pitching presentations at an inappropriate level
• HR rather than local personnel providing all the
  information
• Creating an induction programme which generates
  unreasonable expectations
• A dull presentation!
• (www.cipd.co.uk)

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Benefits of Effective Induction Employer

• Creates the commencement of a partnership
• Ensures necessary legal and employment aspects
  have been covered
• Ensures that tasks will be undertaken
  appropriately
• Allows time for further observation of a new
  employees capabilities
• Provides a framework for corrective or
  disciplinary actions if required

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Benefits of Effective Induction Employee

• Provides them with a friendly and positive start
  to their employment
• Provides key information relating to
  responsibilities and tasks
• Assists confidence building
• Details working and employment conditions
• Allows time for the obtaining of new skills or
  systems
• Sets a legal framework to their employment
• (Roberts, 1995)

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Summary

• According to ACAS
• a good induction programme makes business sense
  whatever the size of the organisation, and
  whatever the job
• Induction need not be an elaborate exercise, but
  it must be thought out in advance, carried out in
  a timely and careful manner, and evaluated to
  ensure it meets the needs of the employee
• (www.acas.org.uk)

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References

• Armstrong, M. (2006) A Handbook of Human Resource
  Management Practice, 10th edition, London, Kogan
  Page
• Cooper-Thomas, H and Anderson, N. (2003) How to
  Design Induction Programmes, People Management, 9
  (9), May, pp 42-43
• Roberts, J. (1995) Human Resource Practice in the
  Hospitality Industry, Sevenoaks, Hodder and
  Stoughton
• www.acas.org.uk
• www.cipd.co.uk

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Revision Questions

• Discuss the importance of Induction.
• Outline the typical elements of an Induction
  programme.
• Explain the formal/informal approaches which may
  be used to induct employees.
• Describe how to design an Induction programme.