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business
Welcome
to the
fold
Helping new staff to hit the
ground running requires a
tailored and carefully
considered induction strategy
Louise Pasterfield
G
one are the days the right information, at the right time, to the right leave employees that join before induction to pick
when induction people in a cost effective manner. Accessibility is a things up for themselves, or from existing employees.
consisted of little key factor. E-learning has proven to be particularly An e-learning module not only resolves this by giving
more than a brief valuable in addressing these demands, but an new employees all the ‘need to know’ information on
introduction to your induction programme cannot be delivered wholly the first day, but can address another thorny
computer, colleagues online; it is most effective when combined with other induction question: When should induction start?
and the distribution methods, such as face-to-face meetings, peer There is a school of thought that says induction
of generic material mentoring or print media. So to unlock the many should begin as soon as the person has been offered
to new employees. As the working environment benefits of e-learning it is vital for organisations to a position, to make the transition into the organisation
becomes ever more specialised, the use of contractors gain insight into the strengths of e-learning, so they as seamless as possible and to enable the employee
and temporary workers increases and there are ever can determine what induction elements can best be to hit the ground running. In a world where on-
more regulations to adhere to, the success of any delivered online and which through traditional media. boarding – the process of acquiring, accommodating,
organisation depends on its ability to quickly recruit, assimilating and accelerating new team members –
train and retain excellent people at every level. is increasingly referred to as a key management skill,
Staff induction can have a major impact on the
The benefits of induction with e-learning
at its core
employers that don’t begin induction at the earliest
development of the business or quality of service stage may be missing a trick.
given to customers (including patients). With the A bespoke induction programme with e-learning at E-learning is an ideal vehicle to deliver early
stakes so high, it is not surprising that organisations its core can immediately begin to address the two induction as it requires little more than access to an
are increasingly steering away from ‘out of the box’ biggest induction issues: timing and cost. Take for online environment that the organisation would
generic induction and tailoring programmes to example the timing of induction days often held administer. Of course, there are implications in
address individual business needs. monthly in larger companies or when there are making information available to employees before
In the modern, fast paced workplace, the aim of enough people for a session. While they certainly being in post, and these will vary between
any induction programme has to be to rapidly provide make sense from an economic perspective, they organisations. At the very least an online ‘Welcome’
14 march two thousand & ten e
.
learning age
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