An induction is the process you use to help introduce a new member of staff to your business.

If you get the induction process wrong you may end up with a poorly performing member of staff, or have to go through the steps again to hire another employee.

When carrying out an induction you should ensure no employee is placed at a disadvantage on account of their gender, marital status, racial group, religion, sexual orientation, age or disability.

An induction should include an introduction to:

• Colleagues - the new employee's work mates, managers of other departments and other relevant people including the first aid officer.

• The workplace - a guided tour of the building, including locations such as fire exits, first aid facilities, toilets, coffee/tea facilities and stationery supplies, as well as an explanation of telephones, filing systems, printing and photocopying equipment, and the IT system.

• The business - covering aspects such as the history and the objectives of the business.

• The role - key responsibilities of the job, day-to-day tasks, expected standards of performance and any probationary period associated with the job.

• Policies and procedures - including health and safety procedures.

• Terms and conditions - working hours, holiday entitlements and any perks associated with the job.

Business Balls has a useful induction checklist available in Excel format on its website. The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) also provides guidance on induction processes for new employees.

See our practical factsheet on carrying out inductions for new employees for further information.

Companies are spending too much of their budget on recruitment, according to research carried out by recruitment consultants.

The average hidden cost of a new member of staff is more than £5,000!  This figure takes into account costs such as advertising locally and nationally and managment time taken to source and select the right candidates. 

So the next time you are considering new staff, think very carefully about the costs involved and consider using The Atrium, HR for Hair and Beauty! 

Contact us now for an informal chat and find out how we can help you economize!

What must you include in a statement of employment?

All employees are legally entitled to receive a written statement setting out the main terms and conditions of their employment. You must provide this to a new recruit within two months of them starting to work for you.

The statement of employment has to be in writing and must contain certain specified elements. As well as this being a legal requirement, it's in your interests to record the main terms and conditions of employment as soon as you can when you take on someone new, since written evidence is much easier to rely on in court if any problems arise.

The statement has to include, by law, certain specified particulars. At a minimum, it must include:

• The names of the employer and employee.
• The date when employment began.
• The amount of pay and how often it will be paid (for example, weekly or monthly).
• Hours of work.
• Holiday entitlement.
• Job title.
• Place of work.

The above information has to be provided in one single document and instalment, known as the 'principal statement'. Other particulars must also be provided to the employee, but this can be done by referring to other literature, such as your staff handbook. These other particulars include:

• Entitlement to sick leave and sick pay.
• Details of pensions and pension schemes.
• Details of disciplinary rules and disciplinary or dismissal procedures.

Other rules also apply if your employees carry out work abroad, and there are specific procedures to follow if you want to change particulars of employment for any of your staff.

The Google way

Google is an 'Employer of Choice' and receives 250 applications each time it advertises a vacancy, but to be successful an applicant will have a minimum of four interviews.

The organisation's number one objective is to only recruit high-potential, culturally compatible staff.  A benefit of this extensive process is a claim that Google never sacks people and staff turnover is just 3%. 

Once the new employee's contract is signed, the company then sends them presents every week before they join and invites them to lunch with their managers.  On their first day, the new employee finds their desk decorated with balloons, gifts and T-shirts. 

The lesson is if employees see how important they are - why would they want to leave?