Top Tips for Your Induction Checklist

What Is an Induction Checklist?

An induction checklist is used by human resource teams to support the incorporation of new workers or external contractors. Using a digital induction checklist for new employees helps your company ensure that all new hires have all the information they need to start in their new position, including safety and quality standards and the organization’s culture.

In this article we will talk about:

1. 9 basic components of an induction checklist

2. Induction checklists for groups or individuals

3. A digital tool for creating your own induction checklist

9 Basic Components of an Induction Checklist

The induction process is a major part of onboarding. Every organisation, large or small, should design its induction process in such a way that new staff feel as comfortable as possible from the start and supported as they settle into their new role. An induction checklist can be a useful tool to structure the process. The following 9 components are typical for a induction process and checklist:

1. Welcome email
   It is advisable to send an email with relevant information days before the start. For example, with information about what you need to bring on the first day of work, how to get to the office, and what is the appropriate dress code.
2. Walk through the facilities
   Take a short walk around the workspace so you know where each of the meeting rooms and toilets is located. You can also take the opportunity to make a brief informal introduction to the rest of the workers.
3. Access card
   If employees need to have some kind of ID or access card to gain access to the building, make sure they are available for their first day.
4. Credentials for access to the platforms
   Organizes all users and accesses of new employees, such as access to their work mail or any other digital tool that is used.
5. Bureaucratic documents
   On the first day during the induction of new employees, it will also be necessary to complete some formalities such as signing the contract, a copy of your identity card, or health insurance. Make sure that you reserve at least one hour to complete the paperwork.
6. Basic information
   Provide a presentation or a brochure so that the new employee has a good idea of what he or she will find: both at the level of the organization and the basic regulations of the company.
7. Tutor
   Before the start of the first day of work, assign a responsible person to ask the new employee any questions, of any kind, during his or her induction period.
8. Task description
   Make a detailed description of each and every task you will perform in the position.
9. Informal meetings with colleagues
   Organize informal meetings with the rest of the teammates so that he can introduce himself and get to know everyone little by little. A good idea is to plan 10-15 minute breaks so that you can introduce yourselves over coffee.

A good induction process is not universal: its nature and length depend on both the complexity of the task and the background of the new employee. In large companies, it is worth having different induction checklists for different divisions, departments and job levels. It also depends on the type of contract. There should be a suitable induction checklist for employees on fixed-term and short-term contracts.

Pro & Contra: Induction checklists for groups or individuals

Ideally, all new employees should receive an individual induction program, but if you have recruited a group of employees, a group induction is more comfortable. A group process in the company can consist of individual meetings and joint presentations conducted as part of an induction course for a group of new employees.

The advantages of a group induction course are obvious: it saves time for managers and new employees. It also gives them clear, consistent information about the company, its values, and its culture. Presentations, visits, and tours, as well as off-site training and introductions to suppliers, customers, and contractors, can all be done in one go. In addition, the new employees can make their first contacts beyond their work area.

However, a group induction also has its disadvantages, one, in particular, stands out: In a mixed group of new employees working in different areas, a number of topics may be uninteresting to each other. In addition, too much information can be included in a group induction checklist, which can overwhelm a new employee in a short time. In addition, the company may withhold induction training for weeks or even months after a new employee joins the company in order to include him or her in a group induction. This can disrupt his integration into the work team.

A Digital Tool to Create Your Induction Checklist

With a digital app, you can easily create an induction checklist for new workers. The digital tool ensures that the complete induction process is carried out. This way, there is no possibility that individual steps are skipped and important data is not recorded. At the same time, you have the full guarantee that the employee has been trained according to internal standards.

Induction processes are often time-consuming. The Lumiform app ensures that the schedule is adhered to. All employees receive notifications about the process and due dates. Benefit from further advantages of a digital tool for your induction checklist:

• The flexible checklist builder from Lumiform helps you to convert any individual paper list into a digital induction checklist without much effort.
• Monitor your team’s employee induction conformance and identify opportunities to improve the process and efficiency of your operation.
• All results are automatically bundled in a digital induction report.
• Add detailed notes and images as additional guidance to your induction checklist.
• Access your induction checklists from anywhere at any time. Work together as a team to progress towards a successful induction.
• Let the new employees confirm their participation in the introduction with an electronic signature.