Managing the Induction Process

Ensuring that a new staff member has an effective Induction experience is a critical role played by the Line Manager and Induction Coordinator.

Managing the Induction Process

An effective Induction experience ensures that the new staff member feels welcomed, has a positive perception of the University and their work area, and enables them to become effective in their role as quickly as possible. As a Line Manager or Induction Coordinator, you play a crucial role in shaping a new starter’s experience of the University and enabling a smooth transition, and the following information will assist you in managing the Induction process successfully.

Line Manager

With the support of the Induction Coordinator and HR team, you will direct the Induction processes and help your new staff member to integrate into their role, work area and the University. The information below includes the resources you will need to induct a new starter and manage the Induction process, thereby enabling your new staff member to transition into their new role as efficiently as possible.

Induction Coordinator

The Induction Coordinator is usually identified by the Line Manager to support the Induction process. Induction Coordinators play an essential role in ensuring a smooth transition and positive experience for the new starter, and perform a number of critical tasks that enable an effective Induction experience. The information provided here will be a useful starting point to understanding the broader Induction process and framework, and enable you to work through the assigned tasks that comprise Induction for all types of new staff including academic, professional and casual staff.

  • Induction roles and responsibilities
    Role Responsibilities

    Human Resources Team

    HR provide the overarching approach to Induction at the University and support with training, monitoring and support.
    • Develop and maintain Induction Framework,Induction Procedure and University-level information for new staff member including induction webpage and face-to-face/online induction courses
    • Ensure new staff experience a sense of welcome from University level (through their appointment letter, general feel of webpage and online/face to face courses)
    • Develop and maintain mechanism for prompting and tracking Induction (i.e. checklist, eventually online and visible to each role in the process)
    • Provide guidance, support and training for Line Managers and others in the process
    • Ensure Induction Courses are easily accessible, consistent and allows for compliance to be monitored
    • Provide a mechanism to report compliance for induction courses

    Faculty/Division or School/Branch

    The Faculty has responsibility for supporting hiring managers and any tailoring of the induction.
    • Prompt Hiring Manager before new starter commences and offer support to ensure Manageris clear on their responsibilities
    • Consider any faculty-specific tailoring that should be made to checklists/new starter agenda
    • Add new starter to any relevant contact lists, webpages or distribution lists
    • Develop and make available organisational structures for the Faculty and School/Branch (i.e. on intranet)
    • Consider meeting with new starter during first week, especially those involved in selection panel
    • Flag any issues or improvements with the HR Team as they arise

    Hiring Manager/Line Manager

    Line Manager has overall accountability for their new starter’s induction experience.
    • If possible, identify an Induction Coordinator, delegate appropriate tasks and provide direction
    • Personal welcome to team/Branch –email team/Branch prior to commencement, arrange welcome coffee or meeting with team
    • Provide role specific information and expectations
    • Identify stakeholders for new starter to meet
    • Identify a buddy (optional)
    • Responsible for monitoring completion of induction training courses
    • First and third month check-in meetings to ensure staff member is on track in their Induction and has the opportunity to ask questions.
    • Identify training needs (system and other)
    • Set up probation plan –discuss probation, set-up review meetings, set expectations in first meeting

    Induction Coordinator

    The induction coordinator is identified by the Line Manager and may have some administrative and other tasks delegated to them.
    In some cases it may not be possible to identify an Induction Coordinator, if this is the case, the Line Manager will be responsible for these tasks.

    These tasks may be completed by the Hiring/Line Manager, or delegated to a local Induction Coordinator as determined by the Manager. If delegated by Manager:

    • First day/week agenda -scheduling and populating
    • Pack of documents –manager to identify documents for inclusion ie. Planning docs, org charts, contact lists, project plans
    • Administrative set-up –work station set-up, system access, computer ordering
    • Set-up stakeholder meetings –as identified by Manager
    • Taking staff to get staff card
    • Discuss team norms –start times, how the team works
    • Administrative orientation –printer, S drive folder, e-signature etc.
    • Conduct floor/Branch/School introductions and tour
    • Conduct local HSW induction

    New Starter

    To actively participate in the induction and seek assistance along the way.
    • Workthrough the Induction webpage, making any notes to ask of Line Manager
    • Actively participate in line manager / stakeholder meetings and seek clarification on University processes, role etc.
    • Complete induction courses as per the recommended timeframes

    Buddy (optional)

    This is an informal connection which provides the New Starter with a contact outside of their team who can support them in beginning their new role.

    		 Arrange coffee catch-up – answer questions, provide clarity and support as needed.

     

  • Induction framework

  • Inducting staff into a virtual working environment

    If staff are being inducted virtually, please view the virtual working environment checklist. 

Induction documents

Please select the appropriate tab for the type of staff member you are inducting. 

Resources you will need:

Induction Coordinators – please use the relevant Checklist below to populate the Agenda template in line with the meetings and actions requested by the Line Manager and provide the Line Manager and New Starter with the finalised Agenda once you have populated it.

Resources you will need:

Induction Coordinators – please use the checklist below to populate the Agenda template in line with the meetings and actions requested by the Supervisor, and provide the Supervisor and New Starter with the finalised Agenda once you have populated it.

Executive and Senior Leaders are those on senior manager or executive staff contracts and who are in senior or executive leadership roles e.g. Executive Deans, Heads of School, Executive Directors, Pro Vice-Chancellors and equivalent.

Executive and Senior Leader Induction process:

ESLI Process

Resources you will need: 

Induction Coordinators – please use the relevant checklist below to populate the agenda template in line with the meetings and actions requested by the Line Manager, and provide the Line Manager and new starter with the finalised agenda once you have populated it.

Resources you will need:

Induction Coordinators – please use the relevant Checklist below to populate the agenda template in line with the meetings and actions requested by the Line Manager and provide the Line Manager and New Starter with the finalised Agenda once you have populated it.