The first impressions of a new workplace can last a lifetime. While nothing says 'welcome' more than a friendly smile and a cup of tea, an effective induction can greatly reduce the anxiety of new staff members starting at your workplace.
After recruiting new staff we recommend you create a short and engaging online induction program and allow the staff member to view and work through the program before they come on board.
Consider:
Giving the staff member access BEFORE they come in. This will arm them with background information and give them confidence when entering the new workplace.
Make sure the induction module is ENGAGING. Imagine an interactive map of the building or a drag and drop activity around the different roles of the organisation. Avoid 'talking heads' and long-winded WHS procedures.
Ensure the induction module can be REVIEWED. The new staff member may want to log back in and check information once they've started work.
Allow EXISTING staff members to periodically update the induction. This will make sure the information is kept up to date and and relevant.
Online inductions also reduce the cost of printing materials and the management of traditional training methods and lecture-based sessions.
eLearn Australia developed a number of online induction modules for volunteers at the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) in Western Australia.
The modules introduce the Department and cover topics relevant to the volunteers, such as campground hosting, wildlife rescue and legislation.
The uptake of these induction modules have been extremely successful with 94% of participants indicating that they found the modules "very relevant".
Participant feedback included the following:
Contact us to discuss a custom-built online induction module for your organisation.
You'll be seeing a difference in staff retention and morale in no time.
