Induction Training is vital for new hires. A well conducted induction ensures new hires are retained, and then settled in speedily and comfortably in a constructive role. Induction training is about the basics that seasoned employees take for granted: shift timings; holiday routine; casual/sick leave policy; location of the cafeteria; dress code; etc. etc. New employees also need to understand the organization’s goals, values and philosophy; personnel practices, and of course the job they're required to do. This is also a time to establish clear foundations and expectations in terms of ethics, integrity, corporate social responsibility, and all the other converging theories in this area that are the bedrock of all responsible modern enterprises. Professionally organized and delivered induction training is your new employees' first proper impression of you and your enterprise; this makes it an ideal occasion to reinforce their decision to come and work for you.

Now imagine conducting induction training every time you hire someone; and if current employee turnover rates are anything to go by, then you will be inducting some new hires every week, if not every day! If induction is carried out in the traditional manner then you end up investing considerable time and human capital; draining your resources unnecessarily.

According to me, the induction process should be looked upon as a process to integrate a new-comer into the organization in the quickest possible manner and get him/her comfortable so that s/he starts working at optimum levels quickly.

This is akin to getting a new family member integrated into your family. For this, you should go to extreme levels - remember this is where you are creating the stepping stones for trust.

For this, you need to think of:

- Activities you need to do before the employee joins (access cards, computers, work stations, team assignments, visiting cards, computer access codes, project integration plans etc etc)

- Activities and processes you need to do on the day the employee joins (picking up the employees - if new to the city, special entry badges, security guards to be informed of names and they be instructed to give special attention to the new joinees, a separate waiting area for them (not the reception please), forms processing can be done later, getting seniors to meet with them, getting immediate supervisors to meet with them, getting the CEO to meet with them in the first 3 weeks, assigning a buddy and getting him/her to greet/meet them etc etc, welcome kit,)

- Activities and processes you need to do after the induction process