Induction of new employees

The induction of new employees is now often referred to as “onboarding“. The aim is to quickly integrate the new employee into the company and, as the name suggests, to familiarize them with their new role.

The induction plan

The induction plan is part of the induction concept for staff induction. The social and professional integration of a new employee is therefore called induction. During this time, new team members are introduced to their areas of responsibility, the corporate culture and their own team. The induction period should also be used to become familiarize themselves with the organization.

Duration of training

How long the induction lasts is This is very individual and depends on factors such as the position or the company. Accordingly, it can take a few days, weeks or even several months take until a new employee is trained.

This is why it is so important

There are still many companies that throw their new employees in at the deep end and leave them to their own devices. True to the motto: “They’ll manage on their own.” “Learning by doing” is another statement that is often quoted.

Ultimately, however, this doesn’t achieve much and has little to do with a good induction. If new team colleagues are left to their own devices, this usually only costs valuable time and money. Such a process often leads to new colleagues making unnecessary mistakes, frequently asking questions and researching suitable contacts. This also limits the quality of their work.

On top of this, a lack of induction can have a negative impact on intrinsic motivation and impair fresh and new energy. This can lead to new colleagues quickly resigning during the probationary period.

Who is involved in the induction?

The induction plan usually includes a handover or induction meeting. This is often attended by the departing employee and their successor. It also makes sense for a line manager, the team leader or a team colleague to be involved in the discussions.

It is particularly good when new colleagues meet team members directly with whom they will be working closely and frequently in the future.

In some cases, however, it is advisable to exclude the new colleague from the conversation with their predecessor. This is particularly the case if the separation is involuntary. In this case, the departing employee can write a checklist or handover in advance and pass it on to the team leader.

Induction process

In the following, we illustrate the classic 3 phases of induction training for new employees:

1. welcome

The new colleague receives a warm welcome on the first working day at the latest. The welcome also includes an introduction to the team. This is where new colleagues learn their names, contact persons, roles and the organizational structure.

2. tasks & processes

Next, the new team member is informed of their exact tasks. Important workflows and processes also need to be clarified. The following topics should be addressed:

Working hours
Break rules
Time recording
Vacation planning
Behavior during illness
Contact person
Performance benchmarks
Facilities such as toilets, coffee kitchen, canteen

3rd workplace

Finally, the new colleague receives an introduction to their workplace. Equally important are all essential accesses and passwords to enable them to complete their tasks.

This part of the induction includes the following: