A new employee cannot simply walk into a new organisation, read the job description and know what to do. A job description does help paint a picture of what kind of work an employee will be doing, but new joiners need to be taken through a step-by-step process of how to carry out activities in the organisation. This is to help them familiarise with the organisational culture and grasp the expected mode of operation.
Induction training is a type of introduction for new workers that helps them do their work in a new position or career. According to researchers, an employees’ first experience determine their attitude towards their jobs and towards the organisation. Induction training reduces the negative attitudes towards the job and makes it easier for a new employee to adapt to the new environment. Whether an employee is coming from working another job or straight out of university, induction training is needed to guide new joiners through the new world of work that they are entering.
Here are some benefits of induction training
- It saves the organisation time and money
Induction training is about how an employee engages with the vision and the mission of the organisation and how they engage with their role within the organisational structure. Induction training gives the new employee the necessary information he/she needs in order to start carrying out duties.
Properly training a new employee, the organisation saves time and money because the employee adapts to his/her new role quicker and begins to deliver results as well. With good induction training, it is less likely that the employee will make big mistakes in performing his/her tasks that will cost the organisation.
- The employee feels valued
Thorough induction training makes the employee feel welcome. Induction also helps to answer some questions about how the job is done and what exactly is expected of the new employee. Clearing out any doubts that the new employee may have about the role is important during induction because this makes him/her more comfortable in the new work environment and feel valued and respected.
- Reduces the risk of turnover
Employee turnover is the rate at which employees leave an organisation and are replaced by others and is a major concern for all kinds of businesses. New employees always have many questions when they first start in a new work environment. As mentioned above, an employee’s experience determines their attitude towards their jobs and during those first few moments, they decide whether or not they want to stay in the organisation for long.
Answering questions they may have is important because it reduces the confusion they may have about their jobs. Poor induction makes the employee feel frustrated, undervalued and helpless because they are always unsure of what exactly to do or how exactly to tackle their given tasks. This may lead to the employee leaving the organisation in pursuit of another job where hopefully he/she will be introduced properly. Managers are encouraged to take their new employees through proper induction as it has a positive impact on the organisation’s employee retention rate and reduces employee turnover.
- Provides the necessary information
For the new employee, a good induction training program helps him/her to get the requisite information. It provides the necessary information that clears out the organisation’s expectations. This helps the new employee understand and be assimilated into the organisational culture. Fitting into the organisational culture helps new employees to achieve both professional and personal goals which leads to better job satisfaction.
Providing the new employee with the necessary information during induction is important because it will reduce the anxieties he/she may have about the work and fitting into an unfamiliar environment. It also reduces the confusion the employee may have about all the major and minor details about the organisation.
- Leads to efficiency
Induction training gives way to new employees working efficiently. This means that they can work in an organised and competent way which leads to achieving optimum productivity with very little wasted effort. A good induction means that all details about the company covered entirely. Ensuring that new employees know and understand the vision and mission of the organisation and its goals, helps them understand the roles they are to place in that workspace.
This is important because it enhances the efficiency of employees while at the same time they adjust to the organisational culture and get their jobs done. Through the increase of operational efficiency also comes organisational effectiveness. This means that with good operational efficiency, the organisation is better able to meet its objectives.
- Establishes good communication
Good induction training helps the newcomer to build good communication with the organisation. During induction training, the new employee is introduced to his/her supervisor, the manager, and directors of the organisation and their work colleagues. This is important because it creates a comfortable environment whereby he/she is able to communicate with them at any point.
During induction training, creating an environment where effective communication is encouraged will help the new employee settle. He/she will feel comfortable asking questions where he/she is not sure, and it helps the newcomer learn to listen to others and relay their own ideas and opinions about work activities.
Human Resources needs to ensure that new employees undergo induction training. The department can find different strategies that will make the induction training process run smoother and be exciting for new employees.
Using strategies such as induction videos can help take the newcomer through what the organisation is about. There can be a clip of the CEO or the founder of the organisation welcoming them into the organisation. This may come across to the new employee that even those at the top of the hierarchy welcome them and feel that the newcomer will bring value to the organisation. Scenario-based learning would also be effective. Through the use of scenarios, the new employee is able to learn about the organisation’s policies and procedures and how to apply them in real-life scenarios.
This article has shown the importance of inducting new joiners in an organisation. Unsuccessful induction training can have negative effects on both the company and the new employee. It is important to ensure that induction training is done and that it is done well. It will help the newcomer settle in well and for the organisation to function well.
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Sifiso Dingani is a Talent Management Consultant at Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd a management and human resources consulting firm. Phone +263 4 481946-48/ 481950/ 2900276/ 2900966 or cell number +26377 551 7211 or email sifiso@ipcconsultants.com or visit our website at www.ipcconsultants.com