Recruitment Manual - Units 13 - Induction

UNIT 13

Recruitment Manual - step by step guide

INDUCTION

13.1 Why should the Council provide a formal induction process?

The term ‘induction’ is generally used in a workplace context to describe the whole process whereby employees adjust or acclimatise to their jobs and working environment. As part of this process, ‘orientation’ can be used to refer to a specific course or training event that new starters attend, and ‘socialisation’ can be used to describe the way in which new employees build up working relationships and find roles for themselves within their new teams. Some people use the awful term ‘onboarding’ to describe 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 job. Whatever language is used, a formal induction process is key to the organisation.

New staff get off to a bad start and never really understand the organisation itself or their role in it without proper induction and this may lead to:-

·        poor integration into the team

·        low morale, particularly for the new person

·        loss of productivity

·        failure to work to their highest potential

·        making expensive or dangerous mistakes.

In extreme cases, the new person leaves early which results in:-

·        additional cost for recruiting a replacement

·        wasted time for the inductor

·        lowering of morale for the remaining staff

·        detriment to the leaver's employment record

·        having to repeat the unproductive learning curve of the leaver

·        damage to the Council's reputation

·        claims for wrongful dismissal or discrimination.

Every Council, large or small, should therefore have a well-considered and structured induction programme. Staff who have a well-thought-out induction are more likely to stay with the Council. However, designing an appropriate and cost-effective induction package is a potentially complex task.

The induction programme has to provide all the information that new staff members need, and are able to assimilate, without overwhelming or diverting them from the essential process of integration into a team and actually starting work!

The length and nature of the induction process depends on the complexity of the job and one size does not fit all. In summary induction is critical to enable staff to fit in and be effective as quickly as possible and time spent on induction will produce a good return.

13.2 What should the Council include in the induction process?

The purpose of induction is to ensure the effective integration of staff into or across the organisation for the benefit of both parties and undoubtedly a properly constructed induction programme increase staff retention.

The induction can be spread over a reasonable period of time and a good induction programme and timetable should therefore contain the following elements:-

·        orientation (physical) – touring the work locations and facilities

·        orientation (organisational) - showing how the role fits into the team and the Council’s strategy and goals

·        awareness of other functions within the Council and how the role fits with them

·        introductions with the Councillors and staff

·        health and safety information - this is a legal requirement

·        an explanation of the key terms and conditions of employment, policies and procedures

·        detail of the Council’s history, services, culture and values

·        a clear outline of the job/role requirements

·        systems and procedures including the IT packages.

13.3 Is there anything that the Council should avoid?

Whilst the induction should be thorough there are a number of things that should be avoided such as:-

·        providing too much, too soon - the inductee must not be overwhelmed by a mass of information on the first day - keep it simple and relevant to begin with

·        pitching information at an inappropriate level

·        leaving the induction to one person – it should be a shared process

·        creating an induction programme which generates unreasonable expectations by overselling the job.

13.4 Specimen Induction Checklist and Timetable

It is important for reasons of consistency and completeness to use a checklist of the areas of induction training to be provided, received and ideally countersigned by the individual. This helps to ensure new staff receive all the information they need and the checklist can be a vital source of reference later in employment - for example to check an employee has been briefed on key rules and policies or to produce evidence of training in the event of a health and safety inspection.

Key aspects that may be covered are:-

The enclosed Specimen Induction Checklist at Appendix 13(a) for the post of Clerk to the Council will achieve the aims set out above and should be completed for each new post holder. The checklist may be adapted as appropriate for your post, the Council’s priorities and/or workload and only the items that apply included.

There are other ways in which induction can be delivered in addition to the face to face discussion or a training session such as a workbook approach, where information is given and then the new member of staff has to complete specific activities both written tasks and participatory tasks, before their responses are signed off as satisfactory.

Induction content can also be given as part of an Intranet course where individuals read through information and then answer multi- choice questions.

It may be worth considering retaining the previous Clerk to the Council for month or two to work alongside the new appointee or to use the County Association for guidance and assistance.

It is important that the Council considers the experiences their staff have at all stages of the employment lifecycle as job applicants, as new joiners and right through to when they leave. The impressions made when someone starts work for the Council will have a lasting impact on how they see their employer and it is important therefore that the handling of the probation period and the induction process are not just treated as a ‘tick box’ exercises but are seen as a vital opportunity to introduce the new Clerk to the Council fully to your culture and ways of working and embed them into the organisation. The Council needs therefore to plan and invest time in these activities to help the new Clerk to the Council become productive more quickly and be pleased that they have been appointed!

13.5 Further Help

If you require training, help or any other assistance with your recruitment and selection processes or have any questions on anything in the Recruitment Manual please email your county association.

Updated November 2022

Appendix 13(a) - Specimen Induction Checklist for the post of Clerk

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX COUNCIL

The purpose of the job induction is to help you settle into the job and the business quickly and to inform you about the Council, your job and key terms and conditions of employment and work rules.

Induction commences on your first day of employment and will be completed in accordance with the timetable prescribed. The following checklist assumes that the following pre-employment activities have been carried out:-

·        your eligibility to work in the UK has been verified

·        any reasonable adjustments agreed during the selection process as a result of your disability have been implemented

·        your work station has been prepared e.g. office equipment, stationery provided, system passwords set up.

As each topic has been covered or the information or documents provided the form should be initialled and once the full induction completed signed off and the form filed in your personnel file.