Hiring new staff members is crucial because it takes a lot of time and effort in introducing them to the team and your corporate culture, as well as briefing them on how things are done in our organisation. It’s one thing to have a strong recruitment process where you ensure you select the right candidate and it’s another to successfully bring that person on board to be part of the team. The Induction training puts structure and system in making sure that nothing is missed in the process of onboarding.
Lauren Staley, Managing Director of Infolio Property Advisors, an experienced collective of buyer advocates, vendor advocates & property managers, and Miguel Donnenfield, Co-Founder of Creativa Videos, an animation and video production studio, share how they train new members of the team to make sure that the new hires acquire the necessary knowledge and skills needed for the job.
1. Have an induction plan or process in place
According to Lauren, the induction training they do in Infolio comes in two parts. “The first one is an overview of the administrative details, while the second part dwells more on the practical side of the business,” she explained.
On the other hand, Creativa has been through different stages when it comes to inducting its new personnel, “which we learned along the way and kept improving,” as Miguel would describe it.
He elaborated, “We ended up with a solid induction process, which never stayed still and was refined every single time. Our tool for the induction process included:
A plan with the usual steps depending on the role
An internal comprehensive tasks sheet
A Learning Management System (LMS) with a series of videos and documents
Reviewing the "Prism" Behavioural tool and showing them the one from their peers
The LMS had a series of videos that allow the new person to be familiar with the various aspects of the company, such as the company’s purpose, why the company exists, the company’s Values, Vision and Mission, and its corporate culture. It also covered the tools that the company uses, which included emails, internal phone, Slack, and how they are utilised in the organisation. Their LMS also had specific videos depending on the role the new person is taking with options for freelancers and interns.”
“We make sure we follow a process and a checklist for their induction.”
- Lauren Staley, Managing Director of Infolio Property Advisors
2. Create a task list and training manual
One of the important things that Lauren cited is having a task list for the new hire. “We make sure we follow a process and a checklist for their induction. We spend a whole day completing the induction, which has a task list that requires signing off before they can be handed over for practical on-the-job training. Both the inductee and the inductor have to sign off on each task to say they have adequately explained and understood the learnings.”
Similarly, Miguel stated that the tasks sheet is within their project’s process. “These tasks were grouped depending on the topic. The technical details included were creating a new email account, the signature, giving access to different platforms and accounts and other people's calendars, creating the alarm code, the access code, buying licences, etc. We even had a list of what needs to be done when an employee leaves the company.”
Apart from the checklists, Lauren also finds training manuals as an invaluable tool in the induction training. “Training manuals and checklists for staff are important to ensure they have accountability. But apart from that, they will also feel they have something to lean on when they need assistance before coming to you,” she said.
3. Spend time with the new member and connect them with other members
“The most import thing I have learnt is to spend ample time with the new staff, ensure they understand the business, ensure they know what resources they have and give them the time to learn properly,” Lauren noted. “We now have our staff spend a morning or afternoon with any of the other teams within the office so that they understand the connection and importance of each role and division within the organisation,” she added.
Meanwhile, Miguel described how the first two weeks of the induction process goes. “We would usually plan a series of internal meetings with different people, going over the content of the LMS videos and explaining them in-depth. Other meetings would include people from the role's team, where we go over more specifically into the role, the position description (PD) and what is expected from the person.”
And it doesn’t end there. “The initial month or so would be in close contact with the person to ensure it is clear what needs to be done. It is also to check how the person feels and how they are adapting to the company culture and the team. Then we will spread out the meetings to a monthly schedule for the initial probation period, which is usually 6 months,” described Miguel.
“From the moment the decision to bring a new person on board is there, you have to start planning.”
- Miguel Donnenfield, Co-Founder of Creativa Videos
4. Other tips and key learnings
For those without an induction training yet in their organisation, Lauren suggests getting outside help from experts. “If you don’t have a process in your company, find someone who does. Find someone who does it well and get their advice.”
For Miguel, the key is having a concrete plan. “From the moment the decision to bring a new person on board is there, you have to start planning. Ensure that the PD is correct, succinct and doesn't have hundreds of tasks and responsibilities. Sometimes, we divide them into the Main/Most Important Tasks and regular tasks. Start planning right from the beginning where the person will seat, what computer will use, etc. Who will be assigned as the buddy to be there when needed? How much time does this person have? Maybe we need multiple people? Start blocking time on their calendars, even though you might end up moving it once you know when the person will start.”
Let us know some of your best practices when it comes to training your new personnel. Share your tips, too, through the comment section below.