Most people have a story of a poor or badly-organised introduction to a workplace. As the beginning of an employee’s relationship with their new employer, however, getting the induction process right is really important, and an unmissable opportunity to explain what the company’s all about.
On a mission to find out how to do induction differently, we spoke to three companies from a range of sectors who have all recently revolutionised their induction processes. Coffee company UCC send a ‘culture pack’ to new hires, and establish a strong connection with employees before they even begin. BBC Worldwide have worked with communication company One Fish Two Fish to develop a truly multimedia approach to induction that introduces employees to their content and brand. Meanwhile, global HR consultancy Mercer have worked with Big Picture Learning to create a visual representation of their company and strategy, which helps new starters to see where their roles fit in the context of the organisation.
All of these companies have moved away from a traditional ‘broadcast’ approach, which sees lots of information transmitted to bewildered new starters, to a process that is far more two-way, and that involves interaction, discovery, and conversation. Author and academic Paul Turner discusses the importance of this, and of aligning the induction with the brand and values of the company. He also describes how companies can measure the success of a new approach.
Share your induction experiences, or let us know what you thought of this episode, using the hashtag #CIPDpodcasts
Paul Turner, author and academic
Naomi Godwin, HR Advisor, UCC
Anna Charleston, Head of HR Operations, BBC Worldwide
Nicole Black, UK Market Manager, Mercer