FREE online courses on Building a Winning Team - YOUR PEOPLE - Induct New
Recruits
For a new employee, the
first day on the job can be a
nightmare: all the faces are unfamiliar, as are the surroundings, the
culture and the work. Stress can reach peak levels.
But if he is immediately taken over by a ‘mentor' who explains the main areas of
work, the major customers etc., it all starts to fall into place. Sink or swim is wasteful, gives your
outfit a bad image in the job market, can result in de-motivated staff, and can
lose you a valuable potential team-member.
The process of developing people
starts the day they arrive. You should actively associate yourself with the
recruitment process! These early impressions last long… you'll never regret the
extra effort!
Ensure that he gets correct information: before the grapevine gets
to him. Put him through a checklist-based run-up right up to service rules. The faster he
adjusts, the faster the returns. If your company has an in-house induction
program, back it up with your own department-specific inputs.
And as a fitting finale, put a ‘shepherd' with the new man to save
him from pitfalls and precipices, (perhaps your deputy). It may form the basis of a long and
richly rewarding relationship between the two, and remember, 1 + 1 = 11!
QUESTIONS:
1.
Why is a proper system of inducting new recruits so
important?
2. What does your ideal induction
policy look like? Explain, with reasoning to support your
arguments.
