How Can I Make Our New Employee Induction More Engaging and Welcoming?

Hello Seniors,

I need to prepare the induction module for the new joiners in our organization. I am planning to make it more interesting by including a welcome kit, having new joiners log in on the internet before they start, a quiz followed by the induction, etc. Kindly guide me on the same.

Thanks in advance,
k3koel

Hi K3koel,

You can keep a notepad, pen, and a small folder in the welcome kit.

First of all, make the new joiner very comfortable, then you can give them the necessary forms to fill up.

In the induction program, you can tell them about the company's history and give a small introduction to all departments, explaining all the HR policies.

If your company has many departments, you can extend the induction program to more than one day. If your organization is small, you can complete the induction in one day. Take them around the company and introduce them to all managers.

The idea of a quiz is really good. You can inform them in advance that after the induction program, there will be a test. This way, they will be more attentive during the program. You can include one question from each topic, for example, how many departments are there in the company, or how many personal leaves are allowed in one year.

You can prepare a checklist for the induction program to avoid confusion and ensure no points are missed. The checklist can include items such as:

Date:

Time:

Welcome kit

Filling up all forms

Information on Company History

Explanation of HR policies

Information on all departments

Test/Quiz

If you need any more information, feel free to ask.

Regards,

Alka

I made the checklist in table format but it's not appearing in the same format. You can keep different formats for the checklist, whatever is comfortable for you.

Hi k3koel,

Alka has given you quite a bit to move ahead. The quiz is really a wonderful idea.

Certain issues that come to my mind are:

1. The methodology of induction. Make it interesting with activities and a lot of participation.
2. The environment during induction should permit free exchange of ideas, comments, and queries, not just a one-way flow of information.
3. How will the inductor handle a "Why?" question?

Please remember that good induction will help retain employees while a poor one sows seeds of doubts. For HR, an induction is an opportunity to build a great rapport with the new inductees.

Please feel free to revert for any clarification or any more information. Wish you make a fantastic induction program.

Best regards,
Ajay Chaudhari

Hi K3Koel,

I am attached to the educational sector and have prepared an induction schedule as per our requirements. This may be of help to you.

Regards,
SGD

Thank you so much, seniors, for all your guidance. I was wondering, except for campus hires, the rest of the lateral hires generally don't join together. In that case, what points should be kept in mind while designing an induction for both 1 or 50 new joiners?

These are the practices we follow:

1. Inductions are generally on Saturdays as the weekend mood sets in, and induction remains on a lighter note.

2. If it's a campus hire, we try to incorporate the induction ASAP.

3. If the hiring is skewed towards lateral hires, then we induct them on the last Saturday of the month. For example, if someone joins on Feb 1, we will immediately induct him/her with a welcome kit and send an organizational PPT (that will help him/her to know about the organization, environment, etc.). On Feb 27 (last Sat of the month), we conduct the classroom induction with all the hires who join us in Feb. The frequency might vary depending upon the quantum of hire. And again, it can be industry-specific.

Hi,

Can anybody tell me what practices are followed in the IT industry? I am working in a small IT company in Pune. The attrition rate is high in our company. The joining date for new hires in our company is any working day. In this case, what should I do and how?

Regards,
Suvarna

Hi,

I would say an induction program is the first and the most important phase in kickstarting, so undoubtedly, this should be the most interesting and impressive program. Above all, you need to make them feel comfortable.

What I would suggest (in fact, a couple of things that I have done):

- Try getting the names of the joinees and have them printed on a sheet, then place them on a table name holder. This makes them feel important. Now, this could work if you have 4-5 people per table or in any other setup.

- Have a welcome drink for everyone (now that depends on the budget again, but I'm sure this doesn't cost much).

- Have mouth fresheners kept in a bowl.

- You could play soft music and a welcome tune.

- Have their induction kits already set on their seats or table. This could include a pen, a notepad, a pamphlet, or a magazine of the company.

- Try making a PowerPoint presentation of the company and let it play until everyone assembles; this will keep the crowd engaged.

- Start with an icebreaker - this breaks the silence and gets everyone involved. Here are a few ideas:

- You could start off with a name, professional background, interests, etc.

- Or, as mentioned before, try getting the names, have chits made, pass them down, make pairs, and break the ice. This again depends on the crowd; you would want to do this if you have senior management joining in.

This is what I have for now. Let me know if you need more information.

Hi,

It's very impressive that you people advised and provided a new dimension for the induction program, and HR personnel may understand the facilitation about induction. My input is:

Clear presentation about Mission, vision statement, or policy, etc. Onboarding candidates must understand the company procedures, compensation benefits, and processes. Compensation Benefits: LTA, leave encashment, Mediclaim policy, etc. A brief description of the HR & quality policies. Facilitate the project department head and facilitate orientation about the project and department. The quiz is quite interesting. General joining administration formalities.

Regards,
Vinoth.R

I have attached the induction training format. Please check if you can use it.

New employee induction training format

Thank you for your interest in the new joining employee induction training format. This program is designed to welcome and orientate our new employees to the company culture, policies, procedures, and job responsibilities. The induction training will cover various aspects to ensure a smooth transition and integration into the organization.

The training will include sessions on company history, values, and mission, as well as introductions to key personnel across different departments. Additionally, there will be training modules on safety procedures, compliance requirements, and job-specific training tailored to each employee's role.

We are committed to providing a comprehensive and engaging induction program that equips our new employees with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed in their roles. Your feedback on the training content and format is valuable to us, and we encourage you to share any suggestions or areas for improvement.

We look forward to welcoming our new employees and providing them with a positive and informative induction experience. Thank you for your attention, and we are excited to embark on this journey together.

Best regards
[Your Title]
[Company Name]