On the Right Track
I will always remember my first induction programme for the very fact that it was not very memorable at all. At the time I was as eager as they come, champing at the bit, and ready to pull out all the stops so that my new employers would feel justified in their decision to appoint me. Unfortunately, my boundless enthusiasm was quickly dampened by an induction experience that was nothing more than a timetable of tedious meetings and visits. I leant very little and saw the entire process as an episode of endurance.
The road to travel
As employers we all want loyal, productive employees who will go the extra mile, not because we say so, but because they genuinely want to. The task of helping people to become all that they can be in the work place is therefore one worthy of our time and energy. It involves helping others to understand what is expected of them, to realise that their contribution is valued, and to feel that they belong. It is in many ways a journey on which the first step is a creative and memorable induction.
Any induction programme needs careful consideration, not least of all because individuals are unique. People learn in different ways and we know today that learning is more effective when it has less to do with ‘chalk and talk’ and more to do with the making of meaning.
We learn best when learning is in harmony with the way our brains work, when we have ownership of that learning and when it is linked to clear learning goals. If a sound induction is the first step on a journey that fosters loyal productivity amongst employees, then this approach to learning represents the road we must travel.
Bringing health & safety to life
One of the ‘must do’ elements of any induction programme worth its salt is covering the health and safety policy, not least of all because of its legal implications. Information on emergency exits, evacuation procedures, first aid facilities, accident reports, protective clothing, specific hazards and smoking policies has to be meticulously put across to all new starters.
However, getting everyone to keep awake while you impart this vital information, yet alone remember it, presents a challenge. Aristotle once said, ‘what we have to learn to do we learn by doing’, and I remember one incident when experience was indeed a great teacher. I was working at a desk upon which rested several computers and telephones. Every time I got up I always had to disentangle myself from a nest of cables that had somehow snaked around my ankles.
What’s more, the tea and coffee-making facilities were laid out on a small table immediately behind me, and the gurgle of a boiling kettle was often heard over my shoulder. I decided to explore the rest of the building for other potential hazards and reported my findings to a thankful HR department. I learnt that nothing makes you pay more attention to health and safety than when your own health and safety is under threat. You can really make this subject come alive for your new starters by giving them the same opportunity to walk around the workplace spotting hazards and potential risks.
Encourage them to interview other members of staff and so pinpoint health and safety issues relevant to other job roles. It will also help your new starters to gain an insight into the part played by others within the organisation, and provide some useful introductions.
When everyone has noted down their findings, ask them to write additional health and safety guidelines that can be incorporated into the existing policy. It is a sure way to let your new employees know that their input is valued and that they have made a significant contribution.
Da Vinci Code or principle?
Many people consider the novel The Da Vinci Code to be a bit of a pageturner, but the truth about Leonardo da Vinci himself makes for a thrilling read in its own right. For those of us keen to find better ways of imparting knowledge to others, we could do no better than to consider the insatiable curiosity of the man, who was a scientist, inventor and artist all rolled into one.
Da Vinci was always questioning the world around him in an effort to understand it. Your new starters have a similar desire to understand their world of work. Consider each one a budding Leonardo da Vinci. Rather than launch a series of lectures, it’s a good idea to give everyone the opportunity to ask the questions that matter to them first. You can always fill in the gaps at a later stage.
A fun and interactive way of doing this is to invite your new employees to a ‘press conference’ where they can ask question of subject experts and gather information. Your specialists should ideally occupy different areas of the room, so that the learners can interview each of them in turn. The event allows everyone to have ownership of their learning and become energised by moving around the room.
To add to the event challenge, get everyone to find out in advance where each subject expert will be sitting, and get them to theme that part of the room. For example, if your press conference is with someone whose job is to sell ergonomic chairs get the delegates to which the sales manager can demonstrate.
Provide an opportunity for the learners to try out the chair for themselves before asking them to hold a brief presentation on the benefits they have discovered. Get them to exhibit posters advertising the range of chair styles available, or if your organisation has a website, challenge everyone to find and display your company’s online catalogue. The broader the range of learning experiences you can offer to your new employees, the more effective their learning. This is especially the case if those experiences engage both the left and right brain.
The left brain focuses on logical thinking, analysis and accuracy whereas the right brain is drawn more towards aesthetics, feelings and creativity. Leonardo da Vinci was intrigued by the world around him, because it appealed to both his sense of logic and creativity at the same time. An induction programme will be so much more memorable if it stimulates both the artist and the scientist within each of your learners.
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