What is an induction?

What is an induction? well, induction into a business is one of the most important part of your development program – however, it is often glossed over and does not get the level of attention it deserves.

Induction can have a massively positive impact on your worker [contractor / employee] from the very moment they start with you and can align the new worker with your larger vision and mission such that they know the direction you are going and can begin contributing towards achieving your important goals.

On the worker side, starting in a new role is often a little scary. There are many unknowns to get your head around, and by using an induction, you can drastically reduce the time it takes for the new worker to successfully integrate into your operational and cultural environment.

Recall the last time you started in a new position; were you given an induction?

Was it a good or a bad experience?

Did you get much out of the process?

If new workers are anxious about their new position, it can possibly lead to them leaving your organisation and thus, contributing to your turnover rates. Which is not a good thing.

So to answer the question, What Is An Induction? – an induction is a planned and professionally executed process conducted by an experience staff member [or number of staff member’s if more than one department is involved], whereby the new worker can quickly come up to speed in their new role.

Inductions can be conducted company-wide, by department or by functional responsibility.

The induction process is a favourable one as it also demonstrates from a legislative perspective, your willingness as the person conducting the business or undertaking, to provide information, training and feedback to help the new worker be successful in their new role.

Inductions for a typical business often include discussion around internal human resource requirements, employment conditions, employment contracts, reporting lines, health and safety, operational imperatives and strategic direction and the vision and mission of the business.

During an induction the employer provides information, guidance and support that will help the new worker to adjust to their new environment and begin productive and meaningful work as quickly as possible.

Inductions can be a combination of verbal communication, working through checklists, demonstrations, videos, induction quiz’s and records of induction.

The actual induction is only part of the worker’s development in that it should be considered the first step in the management of performance of the worker over time and can dovetail into longer term performance reviews.

If you are looking to create an induction program for your business, there are a few minimum requirements that you need to be aware of. Firstly, make sure to have a company specific induction policy in place that outlines your commitment to providing induction to help worker’s perform their duties successfully.

Keep in mind, though, an induction is not a one-way lecture – it is best delivered as a two-way discussion between the worker and the business. This is a good opportunity to answer worker questions before anything is missed in the performance of their role, and helps you as the business owner, identify any development needs early on.

By delivering an induction as a two-way experience, you also have the opportunity to improve your induction process for subsequent inductions. It might be that you refine the process such that it is purely delivered digitally with a quiz at the end, followed by a discussion to make sure the worker has clarity around the requirements.

With induction, it is one thing to have a two-way conversation, it’s an entirely different experience for the new worker, be they an outsource worker, shop floor worker, office worker, or any other type of worker, to make a transition from the information consumption phase, into the real life workplace.

Thus, it can be important to provide access to another human being in a similar role to act as a role model, a ‘buddy’ who will show them the role. This becomes a social component of the induction experience and should be considered due to the fact that we are social by nature, and feeling included early on will help the new worker get off to a good start.

That said, induction can have a positive impact on your business as well in terms of reduced recruitment costs as a results of reduced turnover. It can also reduce financial loss from losing new workers at the end of their probationary period.

When you deliver an induction, regardless of how big or small your business is, make sure to maintain records of induction which is a form of training. This not only helps demonstrate to external third parties that you did what is reasonably practicable, and what is legislatively required, but also that you value the worker enough to invest time into their success – and thus, your own.

Inside the member’s only My Future Business Community Forum, we have made available templates that will help you set up a comprehensive induction process for your business. Not only that, inside you get to talk with people who know what they’re talking about, and who look forward to sharing what they know with you.

Good induction makes good business sense; and if you are not providing induction, but want to know more about how to set up induction processes inside your business. Then take our 60 second quiz to see if you are eligible to become a member of the My Future Business Community Forum where you can get access to all the help you need for your business.

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