Inductions are vital to ensuring new staff settle into an organisation and make a positive impact. Using a straightforward induction checklist can make onboarding simpler and more effective.
A concise and well-structured induction checklist for new staff can heighten the entire induction process, leading to seamless onboarding and, most importantly, allowing the new starter to hit the ground running.
Using an induction checklist can remove some of the pressures managers and HR professionals face. We examine everything you need to know about an induction checklist.
What is an induction checklist?
An induction checklist outlines the activities set for a new employee to complete within the initial stages of their employment. Its purpose is to ensure objectives are met and organisational matters are understood and to avoid omission or duplication of information.
A staple of the onboarding process, an induction checklist is a critical tool that has proven success in effectively managing new starters. It doesn’t, however, cover tasks that need to be done before the new employee arrives. Equipment, uniform, passwords and software access should be planned well in advance so that the new starter has everything they need from day one.
The benefits of creating an induction checklist
An induction checklist helps your employee settle in quickly, giving them a sense of direction from the start of their career at an organisation. This will improve their overall productivity, through the checklist’s set tasks aimed at increasing their knowledge of the company, their rights and, ultimately, their responsibilities. Induction checklists don’t just benefit employees, they can also make a manager’s job simpler.
During the induction process, an induction plan template helps ensure the right materials, policies, procedures, and workflows are all actioned and accounted for.
Using a staff induction template prepares the new employee for each step, reducing any anxiety, while also making sure all necessary administrative areas are covered. A well-structured checklist can ensure the smooth running of the induction process and can also be transferable to most roles across multiple sectors.
What should be included in an induction checklist?
The activities and tasks listed in an induction checklist vary from organisation to organisation, depending on various elements including the size of the company and the sector or industry they fall under. Popular inclusions are as follows:
Employee's personal information
This section includes the name of the employee, their job title, staff ID number and start date. Some employee induction templates also include a detailed list of all paperwork that needs to be compiled and submitted to human resources on the first day (passport, p45, qualifications etc.).
First day tasks
Ensuring that new employees are familiar with their surroundings and the people around them is crucial on the first day of work. New employees should meet fellow team members and relevant managers, be assigned a workstation, issued with office ID badges and given a tour of the facility.
Introduction to the company
An introduction to the company should be conducted within the first week of the new starter joining the business. This gives the new employee the chance to learn more about the company's history, values, management style, objectives, products and services, organisational structure, and key stakeholders.
Introduction to the role
Most importantly, the employee will need an understanding of how they fit into the organisation, their day-to-day tasks that integrate into the company's practices, their main responsibilities and priorities, as well as department-wide goals and objectives.
Terms of employment, such as pension contributions, working hours, pay, lunch breaks, annual leave and claims and expenses should also be covered.
Induction checklists should also include an organisation's code of conduct, discipline, absenteeism, and relevant policies. Other information such as office dress code, operating procedures and use of company resources need to be relayed to the employee.
Health and safety
New employees will need to attend training to learn the company's health and safety policies, including first aid, safety measures, emergency evacuations, firm alarm drills, as well as the location of fire extinguishers and first aid kits.
One month review
After one month in the role, it would be worth the new starter having an extended one-on-one meeting with their line manager to evaluate how they are adjusting to their role and whether there is a need for further training or development.
Three-month review
The line manager should hold further discussions with the employee to review performance, pinpoint areas of improvement and set longer-term objectives, while adjusting any targets if the employee is either up to speed or slightly behind.
Six-month review
If the employee is on a six-month probation, this is the point to decide whether to retain them, release them, or extend the probation if needed. If the new starter passes their probation period, objectives will then need to be set for the next six months. The six-month mark presents a prime opportunity to ask the employee for feedback on the induction process, what they think worked well and what they feel could be improved.
Do remote employees need an induction checklist?
They may not be in the office, but that doesn’t mean remote employees don’t need an induction checklist. In fact, an induction is even more important to remote employees, who can often feel isolated or become inadvertently left out.
As remote onboarding becomes more common, use of an induction checklist should eventually become standard practice.
Our free induction checklist template is designed to simplify the onboarding process and support your new starters through their first six months.
Whether you are looking for guidance to use across your own company, or interested in learning more about what you need to include, our comprehensive checklist is an indispensable tool to help you and your new employees.
