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What should the Manager do?
i) Before the new recruit starts
Planning for induction can begin once the candidate has accepted the offer of employment and a start date agreed. Indeed the start date may be influenced by what preparation is required for the new starter’s arrival. This planning should include a number of elements:
Making contact with your new starter
You will need to decide if you wish to keep in contact with your new starter before (s)he joins. There is no 'rule' as to whether or not you should do so, but in certain situations you may feel that this would be appropriate. If the time between the acceptance of the offer and the actual start date is considerable, you may wish to do so, so that the prospective starter will feel part of the team and perhaps become aware of current developments at an early stage. Similarly you may feel that there is certain information that may be helpful at this point or indeed the prospective starter may already have requested information.
For offers of appointment sent out by HR Services, the information sent out with the accompanying letter is primarily around terms and conditions. In addition a limited amount of background information is included, which introduces areas such as Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities and the employee assistance scheme.
Putting the induction programme together
You should put together an Induction programme for your new recruit. This will entail the planning of what specifically the recruit will need to learn or do during the induction period, but you will also need to give some broader consideration to both the objectives of this programme and its main elements and also to the standards of performance which you expect. These will be covered in more detail on the Probation Review Form [doc].
In most cases the induction period should be considered as the individual’s first six months. For many staff this will coincide with their normal probationary period. The degree of detail contained within the programme is likely to be greater for the first month, as further elements may be identified and agreed based on progress and ongoing needs identified.
The programme or plan should have a balance between specific on job training and broader information regarding the department and the University itself. The vision and strategic objectives of the University, as encapsulated in the University Plan, for example, can help to provide a bigger picture. In addition you will need to consider the relevance of the training provided across the University. This could include the new starter’s attendance on the Central Induction event as well as completion of the relevant elements of the University’s statutory and compliance training provision.
The plan may include the setting up or at least identifying a number of relevant meetings with other work colleagues or perhaps representatives from other departments. If appropriate, an induction colleague / buddy / mentor will have been identified and the plan discussed and agreed with that person. This should be discussed, clarified and agreed with your new employee on the first day of employment.
The induction checklist [pdf] should help you to ensure that the main elements and activities to be covered are incorporated into the Induction programme.
You should ensure that appropriate steps have been taken to ensure that the new starter will have the right environment set up for the joining date, including furniture, stationery, telephone, computer and other equipment.
ii) During the first Week
Both the planning which you have already done and the induction checklist [pdf] will help you with both the first and subsequent weeks’ induction. As has already been highlighted, the checklist is not meant to be an exhaustive one and can be amended to reflect individual and departmental requirements.
New starters are likely to be nervous and even apprehensive on their first day. They will be receiving a considerable amount of information so it is important to build their knowledge up gradually to avoid confusion or overload. The first day provides an opportunity to begin the assimilation to a new environment and with new colleagues, without providing an overwhelming amount of information or faces.
Suggested activities for the first day should include:
- Introducing the new recruit to team colleagues, including where appropriate the starter’s induction colleague / buddy / mentor
- Providing a tour of the workplace, ensuring that the new starter has appropriate access and is also aware of the basic 'environmental' arrangements (e.g. toilets, lunch and break facilities, fire procedure etc.)
- Ensuring that all necessary paperwork has been completed and received, including details relating to payroll and pensions
- Introducing the new starter to his / her Induction programme and Checklist.
The first week will introduce a number of activities from your induction programme and induction checklist [pdf]. These should include the key inputs of the job, information regarding the department, its workings and objectives and information about the University (for example any relevant on line induction material or certain key policies or procedures).
An increasing amount of material is available on line to support the induction process. This includes guidance material for new starters to help with their induction. This should be highlighted to your new starter at an early stage. For those new staff without access to a PC for their day-to-day work, consideration should be given as to how this information can be provided. Should computer access be provided for example for particular elements of Induction or is the information available in paper format?
This phased introduction may include meetings with other colleagues or perhaps with other departments.
As has already been seen, these activities may be delegated to a colleague or buddy.
Reviewing progress
It is however important that if at all possible you sit down with your new starter at the end of the week to see how he or she is settling in. This review of the Induction programme so far should provide the opportunity to clarify and discuss any areas where understanding is confused or inadequate. In accordance with the principles of a learner centred induction, the inductee should be strongly encouraged to actively contribute to this discussion.
The Induction process should run alongside the probation process. Together they should ensure the achievement of the following:
- The creation of a supportive working environment
- Allowing new staff to settle into the University
- The provision of a clear understanding of how well things need to be done in terms of a particular role
- Enabling new staff to learn the key elements of a role in an effective manner and within a realistic time-scale.
Setting standards and expectations
The emphasis on the induction programme and induction checklist [pdf] is to identify what needs to be done. As well as agreeing what needs to be done, the inductee will need to understand how well things need to be done.
Within the first week a Probation Review Form [doc] should be agreed and completed by the line manager and the new employee. The form’s objectives are to clarify the performance standards expected and the support, training and feedback necessary to achieve those standards. Once agreed and communicated, the line manager should use the probationary period to monitor the success of the new staff member in meeting these standards.
There is a Probation Procedure for Academic Staff and a Probation Procedure for Support Staff (including Research only and Teaching only staff).
For Support Staff (including Research only and Teaching only), Part 1 of the Probation Review Form [doc] should be completed within the first week of joining. This should identify both objectives for the new starter in terms of performance (Section A) as well as those development activities and objectives which may help the achievement of these performance standards (Section B). It may not however always be possible to produce a complete development plan at this early stage, and a second meeting, which should be held within the first month, may be required to do this.
Both the agreed performance objectives and any identified training needs should be phrased according to the acronym SMART, i.e.
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time-bound
In accordance with the learner centred approach, the discussion should be two-way, with the new starter encouraged to contribute and in particular to help to identify training and development needs. The motivation of the individual learner to want to achieve these needs will also be key. The needs identified, as we have seen, will be based on the individual’s background, experience and ability.
The Staff Development Resource Centre contains information which may help you with the review of performance and the identification of training and development needs. The sections on Developing People and Performance Management may be particularly relevant. In terms of more general considerations for induction, you may also find the section on Recruitment and Induction of use, in particular Induct a new Team Member.
After the first Week
Induction activities will continue to take place based on the induction programme and induction checklist [pdf]. In addition progress should be reviewed on an ongoing basis, both formally and informally. The Probation Review Form [doc] (support staff) should be completed after 3 and 6 months, but good practice would be to ensure meetings are held on a more regular basis, perhaps monthly. As a result of this dialogue between the manager and the inductee, both parties should have a clear idea and agreement as to how things are going. In addition, should any issues arise, they can be addressed as soon as possible.
At the review meetings, the Probation Review Form should provide the main support documentation. The induction programme and checklist can also be used to see if things are 'on track' in terms of completing the activities identified.
You may need to consider the following with regards to the review meetings:
- Should the induction colleague / buddy / mentor be involved in the meeting?
- Should you include feedback from others on the performance of the inductee? If so how will this feedback be 'owned' by you?
- In accordance with the learner centred approach already discussed, how can you ensure that the style of the meeting ensures that the inductee actively participates in the review of how things are going?
- Are there any new development needs identified and if so how does this affect the Induction programme?
It is your responsibility to ensure that records are kept of meetings and to ensure that the Probation Review Form [doc] (support staff) is appropriately completed and signed.
It is recommended that the new starter attends the central induction event as soon as possible. The programme includes a number of sessions which introduce staff to the University in a broader context. The varied and interactive style also provide opportunities to meet and network with new colleagues across the University. The central induction is appropriate for all newly appointed staff – support, academic, teaching or research.
In addition a number of centrally provided induction events are provided for staff that are moving into specific roles. In some cases the individual will be new to the University itself, in other cases (s)he will be an existing member of the University who is new to the particular role.
The end of the Induction Period
As we have seen, the induction period should normally be considered as the individual’s first six months, which may in many cases coincide with the individual’s probationary period. Staff undergoing probation will not be subject to the Performance Review process until the probationary period is successfully completed. Nevertheless many principles of Performance Review are also appropriate to reviewing the probationary / induction process and line managers new to the reviewing of staff performance may find the Performance Review training of relevance.
If the Induction period of 6 months coincides with the individual’s probationary period and performance has been satisfactory, you should verbally confirm at the end of this period that your staff member has met the requirements of the post. The final part of the Probation Review Form should also be completed, indicating that the appointment has been confirmed. A copy of the completed form should be held within your department in line with data protection guidance. HR Services do not require a copy of the Probation Review Form where performance is satisfactory during the normal probationary period or where the applicant is confirmed at the end of the normal probationary period.
Upon confirmation, your staff member will subsequently be subject to the University’s Performance Review process. The principles for agreeing and reviewing performance which you have used during the Induction period will continue to be relevant for subsequent performance review. Development needs for example which may have been identified during the Induction period may continue to be actioned and reviewed after that period.
For certain groups of staff, such as academics and staff within Grades 6 – 8, the normal six month induction period will not completely coincide with the probation period. In such cases, the probation policy and the appropriate probation process will continue to be relevant after the completion of the individual’s induction.
Should you decide that performance by the end of the induction period is unsatisfactory, this may lead to an extension of the probationary period. Any difficulties in terms of meeting standards of performance should have been identified and discussed on an ongoing basis at the review meetings held during the induction period.
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