Why it’s important to deliver a good induction

As part of our #KeepTheRightPeople campaign, we hear from Keren Jamieson, Learning and Organisational Development Manager at Alternative Futures Group Limited, about the importance of a great induction. Alternative Futures Group was awarded the 2022 Princess Royal Training Award for their induction.

Inductions are one of the most important periods in your staff’s time at your organisation. They have a significant impact on how likely the person is to remain with you, how they perform in their job, and how they feel about their colleagues and workplace.

One of the most important and beneficial elements of a robust induction process is the structure that it offers to new employees. Structure ensures that expectations are clear and reduces the anxiety and stress associated with starting a new job.

For each of our new starters, we contact them the week prior to their first day to make sure they have all the details they need to attend their induction. This would include the link to access their first Zoom, a contact number should they be unable to access the session and clear information on when and how to join.

A great induction will also consider the diverse needs of your staff, making them feel valued and included from day one. For us this means including equality training in day one, learning about AFG’s values and getting to meet people from a variety of roles. We make sure we give our inductees opportunities to disclose any accommodations that may be needed to make our induction accessible prior to their start date. We also make sure that we include common accessibility features as standard, such as using closed captions during Zoom sessions.

Regular and scheduled contact with new starters will make sure new staff know who they can contact and when throughout their initial period. Touchpoints should be frequent and informal, allowing the starter to share any issues and feel confident that they have ready support. Supported and confident staff are likely to perform better and are much more likely to remain with your organisation in the long run.

Feedback is a crucial part of any induction process. When you readily invite feedback on your processes, you show that your organisation has a culture that values continuous improvement, and you improve the experience for future inductees. Iterating on your induction will ensure your induction remains effective over time and continues to meet the needs of future team members.

Ultimately, all these elements come together to create more confident and capable employees who are more likely to remain with your organisation. This directly supports continuity of care for people who draw on services, time and cost savings and positive CQC ratings.

To support providers in delivering more effective inductions, Skills for Care has launched a new induction toolkit to help managers plan and deliver a supportive and inclusive induction for new starters at all levels across all types of roles in adult social care.

The toolkit will support you in making sure new starters feel included, how to be on-hand to provide regular support, and ensure you equip them with the knowledge and resources they need to do their job effectively and support your organisation to deliver a safe, responsive, and well-led service.

You’ll find the toolkit at www.skillsforcare.org.uk/induction.

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