The first weeks.
WHY IT MATTERS DISPROPORTIONATELY
Early impressions determine whether someone stays, and new people are disproportionately likely to be injured or to make errors.
WHAT INDUCTION SHOULD COVER
What the business does and who the customers are Safety and emergency arrangements Where things are and who people are What their role is and what good looks like
What is expected: hours, conduct, reporting
Administrative matters
WHY THE BUSINESS AND CUSTOMERS FIRST
People work better when they understand what the work is for.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH ON THE FIRST DAY
That they are expected, prepared for, and know where to go.
WHY
Arriving to find nobody knew is a common and damaging start.
WHAT TO PREPARE IN ADVANCE
Their workplace and equipment System access Introductions A plan for the first week
WHAT THE FIRST WEEKS SHOULD INCLUDE
Observing experienced people Supervised practice Increasing responsibility Regular short reviews
WHY REGULAR REVIEWS
Problems are corrected before they become habits.
HOW OFTEN AT FIRST
Briefly, every few days.
WHAT TO ASSIGN
Someone responsible for them.
WHY
Unassigned new people receive nobody's attention.
WHAT TO AVOID
Leaving them to work it out Assigning them to whoever is least busy Expecting full productivity immediately
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
When they are expected to be competent, and what that means.
WHAT TO ASSESS
Whether they actually are.
