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• Manager guidance
  • Induction
    • A learner centred induction
    • Who is involved in induction?
    • What should the manager do?
    • Other elements of induction
    • Staff new to a role but not the University
    • Inducting international staff

 

Inducting international staff

The University employs a number of staff from overseas and is committed to ensuring that they experience a smooth start to their employment at York. During 2010 Human Resources conducted some focus groups with recently joined international staff, which raised the following issues.

Cultural awareness

For international staff that have not worked or lived in the UK previously induction should cover the department’s approach to:

• Behaviour with and towards students and colleagues
• Attitudes toward issues of equality including reference to the University policy on equal opportunities in employment

We offer a cultural awareness training course. This course focuses on generally being culturally aware rather than focussing on UK culture, but can give a helpful perspective.

For new academic members of staff, include information on academic standards applied by the University and your department. Remember to include the UK’s attitude to plagiarism. Ensure new staff have access to the Examinations and Graduation Office website which contains the Academic Misconduct Policy including University guidance on plagiarism, an online tutorial on plagiarism and details of the referencing conventions for individual departments at York, as well as any departmental information on plagiarism.

Settling in

Depending on the circumstances that apply for each international new starter it may help to be flexible and allow them some time off to open bank accounts, sort out accommodation and schools. This demonstrates our commitment to help staff feel comfortable and at home here. Allowing time to deal with practical matters relating to relocation means the new member of staff can then focus on their work.

Note: it is imperative that your new starter sets up a bank account very quickly as it is impossible for them to be paid without one.

Where people have used the University’s Welcome Advisor service these things may well be in hand and support already provided. For more information on this service contact Helen Staley, Recruitment Advisor helen.staley@york.ac.uk.

The first few days

Nominate an appropriate person in your department to meet your new starter. This person needs to take responsibility to ensure that the induction plan is in place in advance of your member of staff starting.

Identify a buddy/ mentor for your new starter. This should be someone who has both the time and inclination to befriend and help your new member of staff. The buddy may be the same person as the person greeting your new starter, or can be different.

Remember to include the basic introduction into your department, which you provide for all new staff. Our induction pages on the website give helpful information and checklists. For Academic staff, it may be useful to cover the following in addition:

• Marking standards
• Academic protocols
• Time off to attend conferences, deliver seminars etc.
• Other departmental protocols
• Research funding and how it works

Give some consideration to other types of support that may be required for people coming either with families, partners and those that come alone. There will most likely be differing types of support required for each of these scenarios. Be aware of the issue of loneliness, this can affect people who come alone and can also impact on partners that are not working.

It is a good idea in these first few days to be clear with your employee about what you expect of them. An initial discussion about objectives is good practice and ensures there are no misunderstandings. At the same time covering how progress is monitored in your department means that everyone is clear at the start.

Terms and conditions

Recent feedback has shown that not all our international new starters understand their Terms and Conditions of Employment, providing some practical help on this would be well received. In particular help in relation to:

• Salary sacrifice for pensions (see Rewards Extra)
• Private health insurance and the NHS (see Rewards Extra)
• Pay progression
• Promotion criteria for Academic, Research and Teaching staff

The University Induction

Remember to book your new starter on the University’s central induction course, if this has not already been done. This induction gives people the opportunity to create a network beyond their own department, introduces people to our colleges, allows people to see and hear from some of the University’s senior people and gives a wider introduction to the University.

We also provide a booklet aimed at International Staff Relocating to York .

Follow up

The first few days may be a very positive experience for your new starter and you may feel they have settled in well. As the novelty wears off and the reality of living and working in the UK starts to take hold, your new member of staff may feel they are struggling and this may or may not be obvious. Regular meetings with the member of staff will help them feel supported through this period of adjustment and help to keep them (or start them) contributing. Remember that there is also a Counselling and Employee Assistance programme available for free, providing confidential information, support and counselling on a wide range of work and personal issues and is also available for the immediate family of your new member of staff.

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Last Updated: April 28, 2011 | Rachel Bullen (rjb9@york.ac.uk)

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