Orientation

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Lesson: 17 Orientation: Contents: o o o o o o o

Definition Objective Steps in induction program Contents of induction program Examples of employee induction program Need for induction Induction program of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, USA

We must all know that after a candidate joins the firm, he or she goes through the firm’s orientation program. Orientation is the process of acquainting new employees with the organization. Orientation topics range from such basic items as the location of the company cafeteria to such concerns as various career paths within the firm. Hence we can say that induction or orientation is the process through which a new employee is introduced to the job and the organization. In the words of Armstrong, induction is "the process of receiving and welcoming an employee when he first joins a company and giving him the basic information he needs to settle down quickly and start work. Objectives Induction serves the following purposes: Removes fears: A newcomer steps into an organization as a stranger. He is new to the people, workplace and work environment. He is not very sure about what he is supposed to do. Induction helps a new employee overcome such fears and perform better on the job. It assists him in knowing more about: The job, its content, policies, rules and regulations. •

The people with whom he is supposed to interact. .

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•

The terms and conditions of employment.

b. Creates a good impression: Another purpose of induction is to make the newcomer feel at home and develop a sense of pride in the organization. Induction helps him to: Adjust and adapt to new demands of the job. Get along with people. Get off to a good start. Through induction, a new recruit is able to see more clearly as to what he is supposed to do, how good the colleagues are, how important is the job, etc. He can pose questions and seek clarifications on issues relating to his job. Induction is a positive step, in the sense; it leaves a good impression about the company and the people working there in the minds of new recruits. They begin to take pride in their work and are more committed to their jobs. c. Act as a valuable source of information: Induction serves as a valuable source of information to new recruits. It classifies many things through employee manuals/handbook. Informal discussions with colleagues may also clear the fog surrounding certain issues. The basic purpose of induction is to communicate specific job requirements to the employee, put him at ease and make him feel confident about his abilities. Steps In Induction Programme The HR department may initiate the following steps while organizing the induction programme: o Welcome to the organization o Explain about the company. o Show the location, department where the new recruit will work. . o

Give the company's manual to the new recruit.

o Provide details about various work groups and the extent of company.

unionism within the

o Give details about pay, benefits, holidays, leave, etc. Emphasize the importance of attendance or punctuality. o Explain about future training opportunities and career prospects.

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o Clarify doubts, by encouraging the employee to come out with questions. o Take the employee on a guided tour of buildings, facilities, etc. Hand him over to his supervisor. Content The areas covered in employee induction programme may be stated as follows: Induction Programme: Topics 1. Organisational issues o History of company o Names and titles of key executives. o Employees' title and department. o Layout of physical facilities o Probationary period o Products/services offered o Overview of production process o Company policy and rules o Disciplinary procedures o Safety steps o Employees' handbook 2. Employee benefits o o o o o o

Pay scales, pay days Vacations, holidays Rest pauses Training Avenues Counseling Insurance, medical, recreation, retirement benefit

3. Introductions

o o o o

To supervisors To co-workers To trainers To employee counselor

4. Job duties

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o o o o o o

Job location Job tasks Job safety needs Overview of jobs Job objectives Relationship with other jobs

Source: Keith Davis, Human Resources, pg 257.

Socialization Socialization is a process through which a new recruit begins to understand and accept the values, norms and beliefs held by others in the organization. HR department representatives help new recruits to internalize the way things are done in the organization". Orientation helps the newcomers to interact freely with employees working at various levels and learn behaviors that are acceptable. Through such formal and informal interaction and discussion, newcomers begin to understand how the department/ company is run, who holds power and who does not, who is politically active within the department, how to behave in the company, what is expected of them, etc. In short, if the new recruits wish to survive and prosper in their new work home, they must soon come to 'know the ropes'.

Food for thought: Is there any difference between Induction and Socialisation or can they be used interchangeably?

Employee Induction Programme: Three Examples Aptech: The company takes its new entrants through a structured inductiontraining program. The one-day Programme includes a briefing on the company's market position, The business it is in, its functioning style, its organizational structure and its HR policies. The entrants are also familiarized

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with what others do before being deputed to their own departments. A six-month behavioral training is also offered in team building, self-development, customer-sensitivity etc. Finally, the recruits are put through an appraisal process to gauge fitment and progress.

Maruti Udyog: The company customizes its initiation programs to suit the profile of the new recruit. For engineers, the programme is offered in four parts: (1) familiarize with various functions and meet division heads (ii) work on shop floor (iii) work at various other departments (iv) work finally in departments for about 2 months, where they will eventually work.

Standard Chartered Bank: The management trainees are picked up from premium B- schools and undergo introduction training for about 6 months. During this period, the trainees see me in the various divisions of the bank to get a holistic view of the bank's operations, and get a chance to meet each of the bank's business heads. A two-day session dedicated to team building is also conducted thereafter. After taking charge of the job, the new recruits have to attend a review session about the job itself. Need for Induction 1. When a new employee joins an orgainisation, he is a stranger to the organization and vice versa. He may feel insecure, shy and nervous in the strange situation. He may have anxiety because of lack of adequate information about the job, work procedures, organizational policies and practices, etc. Frustration is likely to develop because of ambiguity In such a case, induction is needed through which relevant information can be provided; he is introduced to old employees and to work procedures. All these may develop confidence in the candidate and he may: start developing positive thinking about the organisation. 2. Effective induction can minimize the impact of reality shock some new employees may undergo. Often, freshers join, the organization with very high expectations, which may be far beyond the reality. When they come across with reality, they often feel shocked. By proper induction, the newcomers can be made to 'understand the reality 'of 'the situation. Every organisation has some sort of induction programme either formally

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or informally. In large organisations where there are well-developed personnel functions, often induction programmes are undertaken on formal basis, usually through the personnel department. In smaller organisations, the immediate superior of the new employee may do this. Let us try to understand the process of orientation better by going step by step through the following orientation programme being followed in “Toyota Motor Manufacturing, USA” Orientation (it is called "assimilation") at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, USA is a case in point. While it covers traditional topics such as company benefits, it's mostly intended to socialize new employees, that is, to convert Toyota's new employees to the firm's ideology of quality, teamwork, personal development, open communication, and mutual respect. It lasts four days, as follows: Day One - The first day begins at 6:30 a.m. with an overview of the program, a welcome to the company, and a discussion of the firm's organization structure and human resource department by the firm's vice president for human resources. The vice president devotes about an hour and a half to discussing Toyota history and culture, and about two hours to employee benefits. Another two hours are then spent discussing Toyota's policies about the importance of quality and teamwork. Day Two - The second day starts with about two hours devoted to "communication training-the Toyota Motor Manufacturing way of listening." Here the importance of mutual respect, teamwork, and open communication is emphasized. The rest of the day is then devoted to general orientation issues. These include safety, environmental affairs, the Toyota production system, and the firm's library. Day Three - This day also begins with two-and-a-half to three hours devoted to communication training, in this case "making requests and giving feedback." The rest of the day is spent covering matters such as Toyota's problem-solving methods, quality assurance, hazard communications, and safety. Day Four -. Teamwork is stressed in the morning session. Topics include teamwork training, Toyota's suggestion system, and the Toyota Team Member Activities Association. This session also covers what work teams are responsible for and how to work together as a team. The afternoon specifically covers fire prevention and fire extinguishers training. Employees thus complete the four-day orientation/assimilation/socialization process having been steeped in-and it is hoped converted to-- Toyota's ideology, in particular its mission of quality and its values of teamwork, kaizen/continuous improvement, and problem solving. That is a big step toward winning new employees' commitment to Toyota and its goals and values.

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Summary After a candidate is selected for employment, he is placed on the job. Initially, the placement may be on probation, the period of which may range from six months to two years. After successful completion of the probation period, the candidate may be offered permanent employment. Now we know why after the initial placement of the candidate on the job, his induction is necessary. Induction is a technique by which a new employee is rehabilitated into the changed surroundings and introduced to the purposes, policies and practices of the organization, employee's job and working conditions, salary, perks, etc. In other words, it is the process of introducing the employee to the organization and vice versa.

Induction/ Orientation/ Socialization

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Definition “Orientation is the process of acquainting new employees with the organization. Orientation topics range from such basic items as the location of the company cafeteria to such concerns as various career paths within the firm”

Objectives • Removes fears • Creates a good impression • Act as a valuable source of information

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Content • • • •

Organisational issues Employee benefits Introductions Job duties