Welcome to the Induction Process

Having a company induction program or process can help new employees settle into a workplace, and it's an excellent forum for informing new employees of the company's policies.

Induction programs differ depending on the size of the organisation. I have found that smaller companies have a basic short program which might not be strictly adhered to (or they may not have an "induction" process to start with). Larger organisations, especially blue chip companies, will often have programs with all the bells and whistles and these can be quite lengthy. I guess the question is: what information do new starters need to be able to hit the ground running smoothly?

I believe the basic things an employee should be given on their first day are (in addition to contract/payroll forms):

• The Handbook --- this guide is designed to help give the newcomer a general overview of the company as well as an understanding of company policies, procedures, benefits and other issues concerning their employment (important to note that the Handbook should be a summary of key company policies and employees need to be told where the full and up-to-date policy information is stored --- public drives, wiki, intranet, etc.)
• Organisational chart --- This can be included in the handbook or given separately. It should provide a good bird's eye view of the organisation showing how it's structured and the chains of command.
• Floor plan --- for smaller organisations, this is a great way for new employee's to get familiar with who sits where and where to find things.
• A tour around the office and be introduced to everyone. (For larger organisations, these introductions may have to be limited to key people.)

What's your take on inductions? What would you put on your dos and don'ts list? Anyone? Bueller?