Induction

Introduction
• An employee’s first impressions of an
organisation have a significant impact on their
integration within the team and job satisfaction.
• Induction is an opportunity for an organisation to
welcome their new recruit, help them settle in
and ensure they have the knowledge and
support they need to perform their role.
• For an employer, effective induction may also
affect employee turnover, absenteeism and
employer brand.
 What is Induction?
• Induction is the process through which employees
adjust or acclimatize to their new jobs and working
environment.
• As part of this, ‘orientation’ can be used for a specific
event that new starters attend, and ‘socialisation’ can
describe the way in which new employees build
working relationships within their new teams.
• Some people use the term ‘onboarding’ to cover the
whole process from an individual’s contact with the
organisation before they formally join, through to
understanding the business’ ways of working and
getting up to speed in their role.
• Every organisation, large or small, should have a
well-considered induction that provides a new
employee with a positive experience of the
organisation.
• The length and nature of the induction depends
on the job role, the new employee’s background,
and the size and nature of the organisation.
• A standard induction course is unlikely to achieve
its aims, so should be adapted as appropriate for
all new starters.
 An induction programme is designed
to achieve the following objectives:
1. To reduce the initial anxiety all new entrants feel
when they join a new job in a new organisation.
2. To familiarize the new employees with the job,
people, work-place, work environment and the
organisation.
3. To facilitate outsider – insider transition in an
integrated manner.
4. To reduce the cultural shock faced in the new
organisation.
 A well-designed induction programme results in
a positive first experience of an organisation. It
means the employee:
• Settles in quickly.
• Integrates into their team.
• Understands the organisation’s values and
culture.
• Feels supported
• Becomes productive quickly
• Works to their highest potential.
According to our 2020 Resourcing and talent
planning survey, 42% of organisations are
improving their induction process to enhance
retention.
 Types of Induction Programme
• The induction programme may be informal or
formal.
Informal Induction:
• This is an unplanned induction programme. This
may be simply an introduction to the new entrant
about the job and organisation.
• Such type of induction programme is generally
carried out by the medium and small-scale units.
Usually, informal induction programme needs to
be brief- lasting for one hour or so.
• Informal induction programme itself may be in
the following two versions:
(i) Supervisory System:
• In this system, the immediate job supervisor
conducts the induction programme for the new
entrant.
• The supervisor briefs the new comer about the
job, the department, introduces to the colleagues,
and takes him round the sections/divisions which
are related to his job.
(ii) Buddy or sponsor system:
• In the ‘Buddy System’, the immediate supervisor
assigns the responsibility of induction of the new
entrant to an old employee.
• The old employee acts as friend, philosopher and
guide to the new comer.
• In order to introduce the new comer to the job and the
organisation, the guide, i.e., the old employee
arranges meetings with other persons and
departments and also supplies him with relevant
documents/literature regarding rules, regulations and
other details of the organisation.
• Formal Induction:
• Formal induction is a planned programme carried out to
integrate the new entrant into the organisation. This is
usually carried out by the large size organisation. A
comprehensive induction programme is carefully designed
to introduce the new entrant to all about his job, colleagues
and organisation.
• Accordingly, the contents of the formal induction
programme cover the aspects ranging from the mission,
vision, rules and regulations of the organisation to job
related particulars like salary, benefits, service conditions,
safety and welfare measures, etc.
• A formal induction programme, thus, includes the
following contents:
1. Brief history of the organisation.
2. Organisational mission, vision, objectives and philosophies.
3. Policies and procedures of the organisation.
4. Rules and regulation of the organisation.
5. Organisational structure and authority relationship.
6. Terms and conditions of job including remuneration,
working hours, holidays, promotional avenues, etc.
7. Welfare measures like subsidised canteen, transport, health
and recreation facilities, etc.
8. Safety measures.
 Phases of induction programme:
• A carefully designed induction programme
consists of the following three phases:
1. General Induction
2. Specific Induction
3. Follow-up Induction
General Induction:
• This first phase of induction is conducted by the HR department.
• The focus of the induction is to expose the new entrant to the
organization by explaining him the mission, objectives, history and
philosophy of the organization.
• The new employees is also briefed about his service conditions,
pay and perks, promotion procedure, personnel policies and
grievance handling mechanism practiced in the organization.
• This phase of induction inculcates pride for the employee to work
in the organization.
• The period of induction, depending on the organization, may vary
from a few days to few weeks.
Specific Induction:
• This induction is given by the new employee’s supervisor.
• The focus is on the overall exposition of the new employee
to his job.
• Accordingly, the employee is introduced to the job, shown
place of work and around the premises, introduced to his
co-workers and briefed about the procedures and methods,
custom and routines, rules and regulations regarding his
job.
• This training/ induction help the new employee adjust with
his work environment. The induction may last for few weeks
or even months.
Follow-up induction:
• The main objective of the follow-up induction is to verify whether
the new employee is getting himself adjusted with the work and
organisation or not. This induction is given by the employee’s
supervisor or a qualified specialist on industrial psychology.
• While giving induction training, the employee’s suggestions on
adequacy or otherwise of the already conducted induction
programmes and on any other related aspects, if any, are duly
taken into consideration to make the induction more and more
effective.
• Such feedback can also be used to assess the requirements of
guidance and counseling for the new entrants. The duration of
follow-up induction may vary from some weeks to few months.
 The induction programme consists
generally of the following:
1. Introduction to the Company:
• As a first step in the programme, new entrants in batches of not
more than 15 are told about the Founder and the history of the
Company’s development, its organisations and functions, its
various products and its personnel policies. The Safety Officer of
the Safety & Accident Prevention Services gives a talk on safety
and demonstrates the correct use of various safety appliances.
2. Briefing on conditions of service:
• The salient features of the Works Standing Orders, Gratuity and
Provident Fund rules, medical, housing, and educational and
welfare facilities, etc., are explained. A brief talk is also given in
respect of wages, overtime, bonus and other remunerations. The
rules regarding seniority, leave, acting and promoting procedures,
etc., too, are covered by the talk.
3. Introduction to the Officers of the Department and Visit to the
Works Location and Environment:
• After the new entrants are educated on the subjects indicated
above at the Employment Bureau, they are sent to the
department concerned where they are introduced to the
supervisors in charge of the various sections and the Personnel
Officer. They are then taken to the place of work and shown
various important places such as the Check Houses, Watch
Houses, Rest Rooms, Toilet, etc.
4. Introduction on the Job:
• The new entrants are given a brief description of the jobs they are
supposed to perform, of the location of their work and the way to
approach the jobs. Breakdown signals, fire alarm and other safety
precautions are explained. In addition, the method of recording
attendance is also indicated to them.
Thank you