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Essay: Induction courses – advantages / disadvantages

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  • Subject area(s): Business essays
  • Reading time: 4 minutes
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  • Published: 15 September 2019*
  • Last Modified: 22 July 2024
  • File format: Text
  • Words: 1,007 (approx)
  • Number of pages: 5 (approx)

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Induction means a process where employees adjust or adapt to their jobs and working environment. A part of this is orientation, this can be used for a specific course or training event that new starters attend to socialise new employees away of building up working relationships and find roles for themselves within their new teams.  Some people use the term ‘onboarding’ to cover the whole process from an individual’s contact with the organisation before they formally join, through to understanding the business’ ways of working and getting up to speed in their job.  Every organisation, large or small, should have a well-considered induction program.  It should provide all the information that new employees need, without overwhelming or diverting them from the essential process of integrating into their team.  The length and nature of the induction process depends on the complexity of the job and the background of the new employee. One size does not fit all and a standard induction course is unlikely to satisfy anyone.

The reasons of an induction course:

  • Saves inductors' and managers' time by dealing with a group rather than several individuals.

  • Ensures that all new recruits are given a positive message and consistent information, portraying a clear employer brand, values and culture.

  • Can employ a range of communication techniques including:

    o group discussion and projects

    o presentation (PowerPoint/overheads/slides/videos)

    o visits and guided tours

    o off-site training sessions

    o involvement with suppliers, customers and contractors.

  • Enables new recruits to socialise with each other and build cross-functional relationships.

  • Is relatively easy to arrange.

    Performance Review

    The term ‘Performance Review’ is a process for individual employees and those concerned with their performance, typically line managers, to discuss their performance and development, as well as the support they need in their role. It’s used to both assess recent performance and focus on future objectives, opportunities and resources needed.

    Identify Training Needs – A way of revealing issues across the company, performance reviews can shed light on areas of needed improvement in individual employees. Managers can choose to work directly with employees to help them address their personal blind spots, or they can pair experienced employees with struggling team members to help them address any performance concerns they may have.

    Plan Future Performance – Using established goals as a basis, performance planning sets the stage for the year by communicating objectives, and setting an actionable plan to guide the employee to successfully achieve goals.  Performance planning, as with all other steps, is a collaborative process between the manager and employee, although there will always be some elements that are non-negotiable. Begin with the job description and identify major job expectations; expectations then can be clarified for each major area.  Under each key contribution area, it is important to identify long-term and short-term goals, along with an action plan around how they will be achieved. Goals can be weighted to identify priorities. Discuss specific details related to how progress against goals will be evaluated. Next steps include determining any obstacles that would stand in the way of these goals being achieved. If an obstacle is knowledge, skills or behavior–a plan should be developed to overcome, i.e.; training, mentoring, etc.  Using the performance planning document as a reference document, the employee and manager then should regularly monitor progress against goals, problem solve road blocks, re-assess goals, change goals as business direction changes, and re-evaluate training and resource needs. This is where the conversation is critical and often where the follow through sometimes falls down. Performance planning and ongoing performance feedback are critical because they facilitate continuous improvement and aid open communication.

    Training Needs Analysis

    Training calendars will be introduced for Classic Interiors staff, this type of training is best suited to employees who may need refresher skills training for infrequently performed technical tasks and also for new recruits joining the organization.  With some cases the employer can review what training is required on a regular basis and look at what new recruits need to be proficient soon after they join our organization. Consult with the management team by checking off which of the following areas require inclusion in your training calendar:

  • management, leadership and supervision skills

  • soft skills, such as communication and conflict resolution

  • environment, health and safety

  • human resource processes, such as performance management

  • business skills, such as strategy, planning and process improvement

  • technical line and staff skills such as telephone etiquette and inventory management

    Observation Training will also be introduced to Classic Interiors for new employees, this is an approach regarding an employee’s performance and a way of sourcing information. An employee can observe an employer’s works performance through first-hand observation and analysis. This is best accomplished by watching the employer and playing the role of non-participating observer. This means that the employee can watch and listen and evaluate what they see and hear, but do not get involved in the work process in any way.  To make this activity more productive, the use of a checklist can be used to remind the employee of what to look for and take notes.  The objective during observations is to identify both the strengths to build on and the deficiencies to overcome. A key advantage of using direct observation in the needs analysis is that you gain first-hand knowledge and understanding of the job being performed and the strengths and weaknesses of the relevant worker.

    Training Methods

    On the Job Training simply means training an employee to complete a task or function when they are already hired and working in the organisation it will help fulfil the employee’s full potential.

    Advantages Disadvantages

    Low cost – does not require the development of potentially expensive training materials or classroom/computer-based instruction.

    Task-based – is performed at the work area, training tends to be focused on performing real job. Bad habits – The trainee observes and may adopt the trainer's habits and attitudes about all aspects of the job including safety, quality, customer service, and relationship with management. Poorly selected trainers can have many unintended consequences.

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