Induction and Placement in HRM

Induction

Induction is the task of introducing the new employee to the policies, procedures, rules and regulations of the organization.

Induction Programme – An induction programme is conducted by the organization to provide the new employee information about –

• Organization – History, current position, structure, rules, procedures, policies, issues etc.
• Employee Benefits – Pay scale, Pay day, Holidays, Insurance, Medical, Provident fund etc.
• Working Culture – Introduction to superiors, co-workers, trainers, counsellors and other Key staff
• Job Duties – Job location, Job Objectives and Expectations, Job Safety, Job tasks and its relation with other jobs.

It is generally done through Lectures, Seminars, Films, Handbooks, and Manuals etc.

Objectives of an Induction programme –

(1) Remove fears of new employee – It assists the newcomer to know more about the job, policies, rules and regulations of the organization, terms and conditions of employment.

(2) Create a good impression – Induction helps the newcomer to adjust and adapt to new demands of the job, get along with people, pose questions and seek clarifications and hence creates a favourable impression of the organization in the mind of the new recruit.

(3) Act as a valuable source of Information – Induction serves as a valuable source of information to new recruits as it assists him/her through employee manuals/handbooks and informal discussions about what he is supposed to do and how is he supposed to do it.

Steps of an Induction Programme –

• Welcome the recruit to the organization
• Explain him/her about the company
• Show location and department where the new recruit will work
• Provide company manual to the recruit
• Provide details about Employee benefits
• Explain about future career prospects and training opportunities
• Entertain questions and clarify doubts
• Provide a guided tour of building, facilities etc.
• Hand the recruit over to his/her supervisor

Process of Induction –

• Content
• Socialization
• Follow up

Content – The topics covered in an Induction Programme are as follows –

• Organization – History, current position, structure, rules, procedures, policies, issues, names and titles of key executives, employee manual, disciplinary procedures, products/services offered etc.
• Employee Benefits – Pay scale, Pay day, Holidays, Insurance, Medical, Provident fund, Recreation, retirement benefits, training avenues etc.
• Working Culture – Introduction to superiors, co-workers, trainers, counsellors and other Key staff, guided tour of building, facilities etc.
• Job Duties – Job location, Job Objectives and Expectations, Job Safety, Job tasks and its relation with other jobs.

Socialization – It is a process through which a new recruit begins to understand and accept the values, norms and beliefs held by others in the organization.

Through formal and informal interaction and discussions a new comer understands how the department/company works, who holds the Key positions, how to behave and what is expected from them.

Follow up – To overcome any issues or challenges that the new recruit is facing due to communication gaps in the orientation and socialization process the supervisor may hold follow up meetings at fixed intervals on a face to face basis. The company also obtains feedback of people involved in the induction programme through round table discussions, in-depth interviews, questionnaire etc.

Placement

It refers to the actual posting of an employee to a specific job. It involves assignment of a specific rank and job responsibilities to an individual. The placement decision is taken by the line manager after comparing the job requirements with the qualifications of the candidate.