Open Insights Induction the Open University Guide to Good Practice HRG175

OpenInsights

Induction:The Open University Guide to Good Practice

The Open University aims to integrate employees into the University, their Unit and their individual roles as quickly and easily as possible. This is achieved by providing them with information, social support and initial training to enable them to work safely and become productive members of staff at the earliest opportunity.

This guide has been prepared by Human Resources.If you have any questions, comments or suggestions on induction or this guide, please contact your team Human Resources Partner.

Contents

Why Induct?

1. Introduction

1.1 Why is Induction Important?

1.2 Who Needs Induction?

1.3 Who Should Induct?

1.4 Should Induction be tailored to Individuals?

1.5 How Long Should Induction Last?

1.6 What is the Link between Induction and Probation?

2. The Three Levels of Induction

2.1 Familiarisation with the University

2.2 Familiarisation with the Unit, Department or Section

2.3 Familiarisation with the Job/Role and Initial Training Needs

2.4 Health and Safety Induction

Unit Level Health and Safety Induction

3. Induction Tools

3.1 Induction Checklist

3.2 Induction Programme

3.3 Further Resources

3.4 Mentoring

4. A Typical Induction

4.1 Pre-Employment Arrangements

4.2 On the First Day

4.3 The First Weeks

4.4 The First Months

4.5 Evaluation

Appendix 1 Further Resources

Facts and Figures

University Publications

Equality & Diversity: Policies, Guidelines and Codes of Practice

Valued Ways of Working

Learning and Development

Appendix 2 Example Proformas

Section 1: Departmental Arrangements

Section 2: University Policies /Unit Practices

Section 3: Health and Safety

Section 3: Health and Safety continued

Section 4: Your Role

Induction Summary Sheet...... 18

Evaluation of Induction Programme...... 20

Why Induct?

Induction is a planned, systematic process. It is important so that individuals gain the necessary knowledge to allow them to perform their role with confidence and feel valued by the University. It is not enough to send a new member of staff into the workplace and hope that in time they will have absorbed the main components of the job and come to terms with the complexities of the Unit and the University’s goals, organisation, staffing and geography. Induction should be seen as an important part of any line management responsibility.

Induction activities are often fairly informal but they should follow a systematic plan, which should be written down so that nothing is overlooked and each stage can be recorded as completed. This guide will help managers to structure induction for their staff.

If you have any questions on induction or this guide, please contact your team Human Resources Partner.

1. Introduction

1.1 Why is Induction Important?

Effective induction allows the new member of staff to settle down into the job quickly, and respond effectively to its demands. It also allows the new member of staff to become aware of and familiar with procedures, risks and rules associated with their employment. Ensuring that all staff receive a thorough understanding of their role, unit and the University increases the likelihood of staff being able to work in a way that considers the wider OU context and to contribute to the University's plans. Effective induction will also increase the chances of staff feeling a sense of belonging and commitment to the organisation they have joined and is a way of encouraging organisational values such as equality & diversity and healthy working. Therefore, inducting staff tends to be a good investment of time.

1.2 Who Needs Induction?

Everyone who is newly employed, or is transferred from one job or department to another, needs some induction, whether they are full or part-time, permanent or on short-term contracts. Induction programmes should be fit for purpose; for example, temporary or casual staff need induction over a shorter timescale than other groups of staff; and some employees may have special induction needs, for example school leavers, employees with disabilities or people returning to work after career breaks.

1.3Who ShouldInduct?

Induction should in most cases be coordinated by the line manager. The Head of Unit is responsible for ensuring that every new member of staff in the unit has an effective induction programme.

1.4Should Induction be tailored to Individuals?

New staff have different levels of knowledge of the University and about the purpose and nature of the job they will do. A programme which identifies the needs of individuals not only allows the induction to be more effective but gives a new employee the message that the University values them as an individual.

1.5How Long Should Induction Last?

For most people, the length of the induction process is three months. Factors which must be considered when agreeing the length of the induction period include the length of the probationary period (the induction period should not be longer than this), and other professional induction programmes.

1.6What is the Link between Induction and Probation?

The conditions regarding the monitoring and review of progress during probation are set out in the terms and conditions of service documents. A successfully coordinated and implemented induction programme during the first three months of employment will help to ensure that essential information, support and training are provided to individuals at this early stage. This should provide a good basis for progress during the probationary period.

2.The Three Levels of Induction

Induction is important at three levels:

• The University
• The unit
• The job/role

The induction checklist indicates what to cover within each of these levels.

2.1Familiarisation with the University

This stage is important in informing the new employee of the University’s mission, purpose, values and structure. Some useful elements are:

Open Insights online induction module

The University has an online induction module called Open Insightswhich can be found at:ou-induction

This is designed to give new members of staff an insight into the Open University, its history and how we deliver our strategic priorities. It is anticipated that all new staff complete this on-line module.

Valuing Diversity

Individuals are required to complete the Diversity Compliance Module which represents the minimum knowledge that the University expects employees to have about their legal and organisational responsibilities.

OU Intranet Home-Page

New staff should be made aware of the intranet homepage and how news and other information about the OU can be sourced from this site.

2.2Familiarisation with the Unit, Department or Section

Induction to the unit is important in making the employee feel at ease and should be coordinated and performed within the unit.

During the induction period unit activities should be discussed within the broader context of University activities. The Open University’s strategic plansand the unit plan, should be used to support this activity.

2.3Familiarisation with the Job/Role and Initial Training Needs

The length and complexity of this stage will depend on the specific role and the experience of the new member of staff.

The main duties and responsibilities of the job role, and person specification, should be discussed, and any initial learning and development needs identified. The University’s Valued Ways of Working framework will help in pinpointing areas for development.The areas of the Valued Ways of Working framework raise important prompts when considering individual development needs.

2.4Health and Safety Induction

A key part of an individual’s induction programme is provision of relevant and appropriate health and safety information and training. As with other elements of induction, this is a process rather than a one-off course or meeting. Informal instruction by the individual’s manager and colleagues forms an important element of induction in health and safety matters.

There is a statutory duty to provide health and safety training and information to new employees under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

The aim of the health and safety induction at the Open University is to ensure that all new employees:

• Understand the University’s commitment to health and safety
• Recognise that everyone has a role in ensuring health and safety
• Are aware of the University’s emergency and fire procedures
• Can identify those with key health and safety responsibilities in the University
• Are aware of the University’s Health and Safety Policy and health and safety management system
• Have a basic health and safety knowledge that can be built on by further training.

Unit Level Health and Safety Induction

Heads of Units are responsible for implementing the Health and Safety Policy in their area and this includes setting up appropriate systems for inducting new employees in local health and safety arrangements.

Under The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 all people at work have a duty of care to themselves and others in relation to health and safety. There are a number of issues which may vary with job roles. Please refer to the induction checklist in this booklet and on the Health & Safety website:health-and-safety-training

It is the responsibility of line managers to ensure that members of their team are notexposed to unacceptable risks to their health in the form of the adverse effects of workrelated stress and where necessary line managers should take appropriate action asdetailed in the Stress Management Policy.

It is essential that records of health and safety training, including induction, are kept and must be made available for inspection if requested by the Health & Safety Executive, or in the case of regional/national centres, their local Environmental Health Office.

2.5 Risk Management

An interactive e-learning module provides an introduction to risk management at the OU. Please go hereto access the e-module. The aim of the module is to bring everyone at the OU to a consistent level of risk awareness and then allow us to reap the benefits of risk management including becoming more proactive and informed about the uncertainties we face and how to manage them.

3.Induction Tools

3.1Induction Checklist

It is useful to prepare a checklist which states the activities and areas to be covered during the induction period. A sample checklist can be seen at the back of this guide. Checklists should be relevant to the unit and can be tailored to each induction within the unit. They allow the systematic planning of a programme in advance, to identify who will be responsible for carrying out each activity, what resources might be used and a target date for the completion of the activity.

The most effective checklists have a monitoring and evaluation function and, at the end of the induction period, are signed by the employee and the line manager, with a copy being sent to the Head of Unit. The completed checklist should be referred to when reviewing the probationary period.

3.2Induction Programme

Once the induction checklist and other induction activities have been agreed, a schedule containing all this information should be collated and a copy given to everyone who has a role to play in the induction. This will ensure that the line manager, the new employee, and other members of staff know what is planned, and where responsibilities lie. An example of a schedule is given at the back of this guide in the Example Proformas section.

3.3Further Resources

Although care should be taken not to overload the new member of staff with information, a list of publications which may be relevant is given in Appendix 1.

3.4Mentoring

Mentoring, in its broadest sense, is a confidential, one-to-one relationship in which an individual uses a more experienced, usually more senior person as a sounding board and for guidance.

For academic staff in the University a formal mentoring scheme may exist within a particular central academic unit, and other mentoring arrangements may exist beyond this. However, formal mentoring will not be appropriate to all staff.

4.A Typical Induction

4.1 Pre-Employment Arrangements

Before the new employee joins the unit, any necessary resources or equipment needs should be considered and prepared in advance, such as desk space, computer, telephone, stationery etc. Line managers should discuss with disabled employees any individual needs. Additional advice is available from the Disability and Employment website.

It is good practice to advise the other members of the unit, department or section of the new employee’s name, post, telephone number and start date, and where they will sit.

Any additional documents that are relevant to the unit or role should be collated.In some Units, a ‘welcoming’ letter is sent to the new employee before the start date. This would be particularly relevant where the interview date and start date are far apart. It may be appropriate to send some introductory information to the new employee at this stage.

Checklists should be prepared and copied for the inductee and others involved in the induction process.

When planning an induction programme, it is important to include review dates at regular intervals, perhaps after the first week, one month and three months, to allow the induction process to be monitored.

The purpose of such reviews is to:

• Monitor progress through the induction programme
• Discuss any initial and on-going training and emerging development activities
• Discuss and suggest any further induction activities
• Identify whether any further support is required.

An induction programme should be drawn up for useduring the early stages of the new appointment. Programmes will vary according to the nature and level of the post. A blank programme timetable and a detailed induction checklist are provided in Appendix 2 for your guidance.

4.2 On the First Day

It is essential that the new employee is met on the first day. This shows the importance placed on their joining the unit, and will help to make them feel valued. Where the new employee must report to a receptionist, preparations should be made accordingly so that the new employee is expected and welcomed.

An initial meeting provides a good opportunity to welcome the employee and to discuss the programme of induction and the use of the checklists. The new employee should receive a copy of each of these. By asking the new employee about their expectations of the induction programme, further activities can be identified and added to the schedule.

The new employee should be made aware of the Open Insights online induction package and arrangements made for them to complete this during their first two weeks. Some staff may need some help with the initial stages of accessing Open Insights.

Other activities for the first day will probably include a tour of the building (and the campus if Walton Hall based) and discussion of safety issues and fire evacuation procedures.

Within the first few days it may be appropriate to arrange a session to explain the unit/department mission and how it fits into the wider University picture and into the University’s equality and diversity policies. The Open University is committed to a working and learning environment that is free of intimidation or discrimination, and as an organisation has a culture of openness. The declared objective is a University which is truly open to all sections of the community and in whose activities all individuals, whether staff or students, are encouraged to participate fully and equally. Each one of us has a responsibility to behave in an appropriate way to our colleagues and respect personal dignity and diversity. It is therefore important that this is emphasised to new staff during induction.

4.3 The First Weeks

It will be necessary in the first weeks to set time aside to begin the new employee’s first Career Development & Staff Appraisal (CDSA) such as setting objectives/priorities/targets; and discussing initial training and development needs and ways of meeting these. It may also be a good time to discuss the probationary period, and the arrangements for assessing the effectiveness of the induction programme.Activities during the first week should broaden out into the other levels of induction, to the detail of the job and to University level activities.

4.4 The First Months

Meetings should be arranged in the first few months between the new employee and key individuals with whom they will come into regular contact.

There should be regular review sessions where progress through the checklist can be discussed.

4.5 Evaluation

It is important that opportunities are made to discuss and review the progress of the programme throughout the induction period.These meetings should be scheduled into the programme.

The review sessions should be used to discuss what the new employee has done and learnt during induction. The new employee should be encouraged to prepare for these meetings using the checklist to identify any remaining gaps.

During the meetings the following might be covered:

• Has the person been adequately instructed about the job?
• Is the person clear about the extent of his/her responsibility?
• How are they progressing with objectives?
• Is there any further learning and development which needs to be undertaken?
• Are there any concerns or anxieties?
• Do they understand the probation monitoring procedures in the unit?
• Does the person understand the CDSA process, procedures and timing?

Another useful way to evaluate an induction programme is to get feedback via an evaluation questionnaire. An example of an evaluation questionnaire can be seen in Appendix 2.

Appendix 1 Further Resources

You may find the following helpful when planning an induction programme.

Facts and Figures

General Information Fact Sheets

Communications produce a range of general information leaflets and fact sheets about the University, which are kept as up-do-date as possible. They also have audio-visual and multi-media programmes which can be used to inform visitors and external audiences.