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PortugalOnboarding
Steps of the staff induction process
Discover the steps of the employee induction process in the company, both before and after onboarding.
Isabel García
HR Consultant
18 of February, 2025
Staff induction is the process which allows newly arrived workers to familiarize themselves with the new company. It is similar to the onboarding process. During this, they will learn about the company’s philosophy, corporate culture, history, company policies, behavior patterns, etc.
Good onboarding eases the worker’s adaptation to the company. Indeed, the induction process can make the difference between the success and failure of the recruitment. It can be a significant determinant in the worker’s performance. It should follow a predefined protocol, and there are two types:
- Informal staff induction: the initial contact between the newcomer and their new colleagues, who resolve any doubts they may have. Any employee conducts it.
- Formal staff induction: a person designated to do so carries it out. It has a series of written instructions to facilitate the newcomer’s adaptation.
To these two types of staff induction, we must add a general onboarding and another specific to their position. The participation of their new superiors is crucial in the latter. In any case, the staff induction must comply with several steps that we present below.
Pre-staff induction: before joining
A few days before the new worker arrives at the company, one should send a pre-joining email. More than just welcoming him/her to the organization, it must also include the first day’s agenda. It will contain who will receive them – or whom to ask – and what will be done.
We can also include the instructions for getting to the office, where to park or how to access the company’s parking. Additionally, we should attach relevant information such as whether there’s a cafeteria, dressing code, etc. We should also attach the company’s welcome manual.
The first day: the welcome session
It is crucial that the first day starts with a welcome session. It may be individual or group, if there have been several incorporations. This initial stage of staff induction is more specific. We will give a tour of the offices, the general presentation and some team building activities may be done.
Then comes the job-specific staff induction. At this point, the organization chart and the teams or resources they will work with are presented. It is necessary to provide the new employee with the keys, passwords or access cards they will need in their day-to-day.
Needless to say, by this point, the contract signing will have been accomplished. If it hasn’t been signed before the first day, it will be done upon arrival at the company premises. It is also important to resolve any doubts that may come up during the staff induction.
Integration and training of the new worker
One of the goals of staff induction is to facilitate a quick adaptation to the work post. We have already mentioned that team building activities can help achieve this. Another fundamental aspect is the collaboration of the colleagues. They will play a vital role in the integration process.
We also can’t lose sight of the training of the employee. Many times, we have to train the new incorporations, usually very specific training. The training will be part of the staff induction process as it is another key element for their adaptation to the new work post, their tasks and responsibilities.
Meetings of the staff induction plan
Many times we neglect onboarding after this initial stage. However, staff induction requires follow-up more or less formal. Even if it seems like the adaptation to the work post has been successful, doubts or mistakes can arise. The follow-up will be done on several levels:
- One-to-one meetings with the collaborator: they allow to know firsthand their opinion, their feelings in the new work post. Also to solve doubts or clarify issues.
- Meetings with the managers: Human Resources should meet with the superiors to ensure that the process is progressing correctly. If not, some stages might be repeated.
- Informal meetings: casual encounters in the elevator, while eating or at the coffee machine where we inquire about the adaptation.
- Mentor: a figure who accompanies the new worker during the onboarding. It should be someone from their same department or team, or the very employee they are going to replace.
How to follow up on the staff induction
You may have your protocols of staff induction, but… how do we follow up? If we have only incorporated one person, it will be relatively easy, but things get complicated if there are several new faces. And it becomes even more complicated when they’re at different stages of onboarding or work in different departments.
The answer to this question involves having a good Human Resources software like Sesame HR. Among the many functions it offers is onboarding, which facilitates the development of staff induction. For example, you can make an onboarding checklist to ensure all steps are completed.
As you monitor staff induction, you can also assign onboarding tasks to those responsible, or add comments about the induction. Just as we take care of the onboarding, you can also manage the offboarding when an employee leaves.
Remember that first impressions are crucial for the success of incorporations. Starting on the right foot is essential, and the induction process will be decisive. Would you like to learn more about staff induction? Don’t miss out on the onboarding content on the Sesame HR blog!
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