Does Your Office Have an Induction Plan?

It should. I’ll tell you why.

Remember back to when it was your first day at a new company.  Some of you would have experienced a seamless induction, one where you were welcomed on-board, introduced to everyone and then settled at your desk, where your log in was set up and your new email address ready to go.  

You were shown where the bathrooms were, where the kitchen was, and where the tea and coffee were kept.  You had one-on-one training with a member of your new team from the get-go.  You were given a copy of the procedure manuals and walked through each system and process.  You left the office that day feeling really pumped and excited with a firm footing on what was expected of you.

You guys were the lucky ones.

If you were the poor person whose experience resembled anything but that, then I’m afraid you walked into an office with no Induction Plan.

You showed up on time at your new job, but the receptionist didn’t know to expect you, your manager wasn’t in yet so you just kind of sat around awkwardly waiting, feeling really out of place and in the way.  Your manager arrived and took you around the office, I’m sure you were still introduced to the team (I hope so anyway!) and shown to your desk.  

I bet though that you didn’t have a log in as yet.  Maybe you didn’t even have a computer (this sounds like a stretch I know, but trust me, it happens!), and an email address? 

Slow down cowboy!! 

You were given the procedures manual to read (if you were lucky), but for the most part you were kind of just thrown into it all, handed a piece a work to complete, had to chase someone down who could show you how to do it, and then were feeling really annoying for having to ask so many questions!  

You left the office after your first day, feeling a tad anxious for what the next day would bring.

Reflecting on the above, how do you want your newest member of the team to feel at the beginning, throughout, and at the end of the day? 

Putting the newbie aside, you want it to be as easy as possible for you to induct a new team member too right?

When putting together an Induction plan, absolutely everything must be covered.  Everything from having that persons computer and phone present, set up and ready to go, to a comprehensive job description ready for them.  

From there, have a training plan covering off everything in the job description; when it is going to be taught and who is going to teach it. You can make this plan as elaborate as you like and the more detail, the better. 

It is a lengthy and involved process creating and implementing these plans, however once they are in place and being used, bringing on a new team member will be a hassle free, organised and seamless process.  

Of course, Real+ can do all of this for you, so if you would prefer for us to spend the time devising job descriptions and creating induction plans, then please give us a call.

Alison McGavin

Recruitment Team Leader at Real+

0434 014 012 / alison@realplus.com.au