Staff Inductions are vital to any Business owner, and should be completed every time a person is employed. Inductions can be reviewed over 2-3 years and should be re completed if employees continue to work for you.
Business owners, especially Small to Medium businesses, who don’t have the Human resource/ People and Culture departments, often miss this step in employing staff, which can hinder the business from growing successfully into the future.
A new employee induction can be completed by current employee’s, the Manager/ Business owner, or an outside Human resource company, important aspect is whoever completes the Induction understands what happens in the business.
Why is an Induction important?
- It ensures all parties, understand what is expected and required throughout their time at the company, it also allows both parties to ask questions.
- It can help set the culture of the Business.
- Employees understand their role and other roles
- Employees Understand the Policy, Procedures, and Processes of the business, and within their own roles and who to contact for what.
- When it is completed with the appropriate documentation it can help protect the business, when any disciplinary action is required, whilst we hope this is never required from time to time it is.
- Ensures all employment documentation is completed.
What to Include in an Induction.
- Policy and Procedures of the company- and where to access
- Where is there work station- include log in details to computer
- What Authorization is required for what- especially payments
- Any Annual leave processes which need to be followed,
- Discuss job Specifications and how it fits into the company
- Who to contact should something go wrong
- WH&S Requirements- including Access/ Egress requirements
- Security Pass if required- Business hours/ Afterhours access required
- Discuss any Probationary period, or Performance review requirements
- Anything specifically related to their role.
It is often easier to prepare several induction/new employee packs, in case you need to hire staff in a rush, e.g. turnover of staff, increased work load etc.
Any documentation, which helps you achieve the above, can help, including any of the following,
- Tax File declaration
- Superannuation forms- so you can collect relevant information
- Next of Kin Information
- You may wish to know about any Medical Issues if they are happy to tell you
- A note on where to find company Policy and Procedures on your company website if you have a staff area ( Intranet) or on the server and therefore which drive
- Bank Account details form- important you pay them each week/ fortnight as per either your workplace agreement or Award.
- A documented checklist, so you can check off as you are discussing the induction- and both parties can sign.
- Any notes which can explain any of the above, e.g. Annual leave booking process, what to do if you lose your security access, if you lose your access to the computer because you did not change your password in time
- Computer passwords, Alarm codes for security system etc,
- List of phone numbers for the company- including any after-hours numbers in relation to that department- e.g. Department Manager/ Supervisor.
- Depending on the industry, however a process guide on how to fix something should it go wrong, or break down.
- Confidentiality forms.
The Important aspect to remember is you were once new to the business, what sort of information you would have liked to be given to you to make your Introduction into the company easier, and therefore smoother.
If your Staff are inducted adequately, then it may save you work in the long run, as they won’t need to contact you After- hours, important in industries which operate outside the normal 9-5 time frame, for example Security, Hospitality etc.
Do not be scared to give away the relevant information to someone’s role, always anticipate they are there for the long haul, and yes, we all know this may or may not be the case; however, as employers we need to show that we trust our staff and it helps to get better results.
