What is the process of introducing new employees to an organization to their specific jobs and departments and in some instances to their community?

When a new employee starts in your business, the first few weeks are key in ensuring they settle in well and feel supported by you as an employer. You’ll need to equip them with all of the information, training and knowledge required to do their job to a high standard, without overwhelming them.

Sounds tricky?

With a clear and streamlined induction process, it doesn’t have to be. The purpose of an induction is to help your new employee to feel welcomed and valued, while also paving the way for them to be a productive and positive asset to your business.

What is a job induction?

Induction definition

Within the workplace, an induction refers to the process of getting new employees acquainted with your business, helping them to settle in and giving them the information required for them to become a valuable team member.

How it works

An induction process is slightly different to onboarding in that it usually encompasses the very beginning of the new employee’s work life, whereas onboarding can stretch to a year and beyond. An induction can also focus more on introducing the new starter to the role and what’s expected of them, while onboarding considers more of the wider organisational culture.

It’s a good idea to have an induction process template ready for when a new employee starts, which can then be changed or adapted if necessary. Remember that some employees, such as graduates in their first job or those returning from long-term sickness, may require more support than others.

The importance of induction

The key thing to remember about inductions is that they’re mutually beneficial for both you and your employee. The new hire feels well-adjusted, which means they’re less likely to start looking for another job; they’re happier and more settled and you’re less likely to lose them to a different organisation.

Eight out of ten staff who leave organisations are new employees, so it’s ultra-important to make the effort to get them settled.

Benefits of an induction programme

It’ll save on time and resources, as you’re less likely to have to start the recruitment process all over again.
It’s an opportunity to get creative. Instead of just treating an induction as a tick-box exercise, use it as an opportunity to show why your company is so great and to showcase its best bits.
The better the induction process, the more efficient and effective the employee will become in their role. Armed with knowledge and training, they’ll be able to quickly start contributing to the wider company through their work.
Feeling supported and listened to will boost the individual’s confidence and feed into the wider team morale, helping to sustain a positive company culture.

Our HR consultants can help guide you through your employee issues.

Employee induction procedure

An effective induction brings together more practical elements with activities that allow the employee to become immersed in the company culture.

The key parts of the employee induction programme are:

1. Meet colleagues

Getting to know who they’ll be working with is so important in getting the new employee comfortable and easing their first-day worries. Introduce them to their team (and assure them that they don’t have to remember all the names straightaway!) and consider assigning them a buddy for extra support. The employee will be more eager to start working if they’re made to feel welcomed and like they’re part of the team already.

2. Tour of workplace

Familiarise your employee with their new surroundings, showing them where they can find the toilets, the first aid box, the fire exits and any kitchen facilities. Ensure you’ve sorted out their workstation ahead of their arrival and that they have everything they need to get started.

3. Health and safety

On the first day of the induction process, the new hire should be taken through your health and safety procedures and receive any necessary training. Different types of roles will require different levels of training, but as a minimum requirement, employees should know how to assess and minimise common workplace risks, and be informed about emergency procedures.

4. Get all the necessary documents sorted

All employees need to have received and signed a written statement of employment (usually in the form of an employment contract) within 2 months of their start date. You’ll also need to collect from them copies of proof of their right to work in the UK, their P45 and their bank details for payroll.

5. Get to grips with company policies

It’s a good idea to grant all new employees access to an online employee handbook which covers all policies and procedures for your business. This will detail any legal requirements they’ll have to abide by, as well as company policies surrounding dress code, annual leave, sickness absence and any other areas of importance.

6. Understand their role

Early on in the induction process, it’s important to invite the employee to a meeting where you explain the key responsibilities of their new role, what you expect from them and how their work will contribute to the wider company. This will give them a good overview to get started with and will hopefully encourage them to work hard and excel in their role.

7. Identify any training needed

By the end of the induction process, you’ll likely have a good idea of how well the employee be able to perform their role and will have identified any gaps in their abilities. This way you can organise further training or tasks in order to ensure they’re fully equipped going forward.

8. Organise first appraisal meeting

Giving feedback to new employees is essential in keeping them on the right track and giving them motivation to maintain a high standard of work. Make sure you set a date for their first performance review and ask them to answer some questions beforehand so you gain an understanding of how well they’re settling in.

What makes a good induction programme?

It’s a good idea to make an employee induction checklist which lists all of the tasks and training that your new employee will have to undergo during the induction process. This way, it’ll be easy for both parties to remember what’s still to do, and will be evidence that the individual was given all necessary information. Just ensure they sign it and hand it back when the induction is complete.

Checking in regularly with your new hire to make sure they’re settling in comfortably and not feeling overwhelmed is key. The more supported the individual feels, the quicker they’ll start to become an essential and productive member of your team.

Get HR Support

If you need any advice on constructing an effective induction programme, our HR consultants can help.

Get in touch on or give us a call on 0333 014 3888 to find out more about how we can help your business with friendly, expert HR support.

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Many businesses think that having an employee onboarding process means that they don’t need a formal employee orientation – or vice versa.

But they’re actually not interchangeable. Employee onboarding and orientation differ and complement each other, and there’s value in leveraging both.

Employee orientation vs. employee onboarding

For new hires, employee orientation is a one-time event that welcomes new employees to your company. It’s more general in focus.

Conversely, employee onboarding is a series of events and trainings (including orientation) that helps new hires progress into successful employees. It’s more job- and department-specific.

All about employee orientation

At orientation, human resources personnel and company leadership formally introduce new hires to your organization. If conducted on-site and in person, orientations are usually conference-room or classroom-style events that bring together new hires from different departments across an organization. For virtual or hybrid workplaces, orientation can take place over videoconference.

Typically, HR and company leadership deliver information through presentations, videos and question-and-answer sessions. Many times, companies schedule time for each of their leaders to greet new employees, introduce themselves and explain their roles within the business.

Ideally, your company should conduct employee orientation within an employee’s first few days of employment.

Here’s a full checklist of what employee orientation typically entails:

Overview of your company’s mission, vision and values
Mandatory new-hire paperwork
Discussion about benefit plans and enrollment instructions
Review of safety, health, security and any other critical policies
Review of administrative procedures
Distribution of company-issued materials and equipment, such as parking tags, building key cards and laptops
Guided tour of the workplace
Required general training for all employees on topics such as the code of business conduct and ethical business practices
Dissemination of key organizational contacts, such as a designated HR representative or IT

Prior to orientation, it’s a good idea to let new hires know:

Directions for how to access orientation
The agenda and duration of orientation
Specific items they need to bring
Contact information for the individual or team conducting orientation

For virtual orientations, keep the following in mind:

You’ll need to work harder at the outset to combat employee isolation. Consider sending new employees welcome packets in advance. These packets may include a small gift, orientation materials or company-branded merchandise.

Set expectations for the virtual setting, suggesting attendees participate from a distraction-free setting with minimal background noise and a strong Wi-Fi connection.

If necessary, ensure that you have established secure systems and settings so that employees can safely transmit sensitive information contained within their new-hire paperwork.

Keep scheduling in mind; sitting in a virtual session for an entire day is a different experience, and sometimes more exhausting, than being in an in-person setting. The schedule of both options might look different.

All about employee onboarding

Employee onboarding is more of a strategic plan to help new hires understand their day-to-day job responsibilities and work processes through meetings, starter projects and job-specific training, which can help to identify areas for development.

This is the time when they can acclimate to the company culture and start to live out the mission, vision and values they were introduced to in orientation.

They get to know their team members and manager, and learn who to go to for certain questions and work approvals. During this time, it’s critical for managers to schedule regular check-ins with new hires so they can connect face to face and have an opportunity to share feedback. It’s also important for team members to build camaraderie through work or casual activities.

Of course, encouraging strong connections and maintaining engagement is more challenging in virtual or hybrid work environments. A few ideas to onboard new remote employees effectively so they feel included and part of a team:

Pre-recorded welcome video, with an introduction from each team member, that appears in the new employee’s email inbox on their first day
Team-wide welcome meeting via videoconference
Virtual team building that occurs regularly
Virtual lunches or happy hours
Regular check-ins between managers and new employees via videoconference for virtual coaching, sharing feedback and also to get to know each other and build rapport

At the end of the onboarding process, new employees should have the tools, resources and connections they need to be successful. The amount of time this takes can range from three weeks to six months – it really depends on the individual and their role.

Why both matter and provide value

Let’s compare the focus, duration, setup, content, outcome and overall value of orientation and onboarding to highlight the necessity of each.

Orientation

Focus: Role in the company
Duration: One-time event
Setup: Classroom or group videoconference
Content: Big picture
Outcome: Ready for training
Value: Get employees familiar with your company’s mission, vision, values, policies and other general requirements. This enables them to feel welcomed, included within the larger organization and committed to your company as a whole.

Onboarding

Focus: Role in department or smaller team
Duration: Sequence of events over a longer period of time (months)
Setup: On the job (in person or remote)
Content: Individualized
Outcome: Actively contributing
Value: Employees gain clarity about their role and are invested in their day-to-day work and goals, with an understanding of how they and their team contribute to the larger picture. They feel integrated within their team and empowered for success. This is the critical first step to fostering long-term employee engagement, while lowering employee stress and reducing turnover.

Summing it all up

Employee onboarding and employee orientation are each critical components in the introduction of employees to a new work environment. They are not interchangeable but, rather, complement each other in the overall goal of increasing employee engagement and helping them feel prepared and ready to work.

Orientation is a one-time event that welcomes new employees to your company and comprises a checklist of general, mandatory steps to complete. Onboarding is a series of training over a longer period of time that helps employees learn more about their individual role, their team and how their job relates to broader company goals.

For more information about training employees to be their best and empowering them for success, download our free magazine: The Insperity guide to leadership and management.