What Is a Work Induction? (With Processes and Benefits)

A workplace induction involves onboarding new employees and providing crucial information to help them adjust to their new roles. Inductions can also provide new employees with an opportunity to meet their team members and managers. Understanding the induction process can help you determine what to expect from your induction with a new employer. In this article, we discuss what a work induction is, detail some specific legal requirements, review the process involved and share a few benefits of workplace inductions.

What is a work induction?

A work induction is a procedure businesses conduct when introducing new employees to the workplace. This procedure provides new employees with general information regarding their employment agreement, workplace amenities, colleague information and organisation policies. The content of a workplace induction typically relates to the business's operation and industry. The items addressed in an employee induction may vary, but they usually share similar categories, such as contract details and workplace safety procedures.

Any employee can present an induction, but businesses typically assign the task to professionals in management, human resources (HR) or health and safety. It can also be important to understand that some inductions may be larger than others. For example, employees on a mine site may require an abundance of information regarding safety procedures, while an employee in an office environment may have few safety hazards to consider.

Related: What Is the Onboarding Process? (Definition and Step Guide)

What does an induction include?

Here you can find the typical sections that a workplace induction can include:

Pre-induction

A pre-induction is a process that some businesses conduct to ensure the induction phase is effective. This process essentially involves management notifying your team members of your arrival and ensuring your workspace is ready. Managers may also develop an updated job description for you. An updated job description can help you identify your responsibilities and the tasks that belong to your colleagues.

Some businesses may assign a current team member to spend time with you during your first day or week, depending on your employment. During the pre-induction, management may identify an appropriate employee to assign to you. By having a colleague you can communicate with, you might feel more comfortable introducing yourself to other team members. This can also provide you with an opportunity to discuss aspects of the induction you might not understand.

Employment agreement paperwork

The first phase of the actual induction usually includes an overview of your contract. The manager may discuss your payment arrangements and answer any questions you might have. Managers may also discuss the industry awards relating to your new position. These awards typically outline the minimum pay rates, allowances, leave and working hours in a specific industry. If the business implements probationary periods, the manager may discuss your probationary details and explain your entitlements.

During this induction phase, managers may provide you with tax documents and payroll paperwork to complete. Some businesses may send this paperwork to you before the induction to save time and resources. If you have questions regarding the paperwork, you can usually contact management or human resources. Managers may also provide you with confidentiality documents to sign. These documents are to ensure you understand and identify the business's confidential information.

Related: Work Rights In Australia: A Comprehensive Guide

Health and safety inductions

Australia has very strong legal requirements for ensuring health and safety in the workplace. The Commonwealth government, through Safe Work Australia, develops national policy relating to workplace health and safety and workers' compensation. Both the Commonwealth and the states regulate and enforce the workplace health and safety laws. Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, all employers have a duty of care for the health and safety of employees and anyone affected by the work of the business or undertaking. A health and safety induction process helps employers meet their legal requirements under the act, and may include both a general induction and a job-specific induction. You should expect to receive most or all of the following in your health and safety inductions:

General health and safety induction

A general induction provides information to new employees about the working environment, rather than their specific tasks. The general health and safety induction informs employees about:

• the location and operation of workplace amenities, such as bathrooms, kitchens, toilets and wash down bays

• the location and safe operation of first-aid equipment and facilities

• the details and typical locations of first-aid officers

• the process for reporting hazards and safety incidents

• the colleagues who have health and safety responsibilities in the workplace, for example, an employee trained to use defibrillators

• the procedure for emergencies

• the steps required for resolving health and safety issues

• the workplace policies relating to drugs, alcohol and workplace bullying

• the process for claiming workers' compensation

Job-specific health and safety induction

A job-specific health and safety induction provides new employees with information regarding safety and operational aspects specific to their duties. Job-specific inductions require managers to inform new employees on:

• the risks and hazards associated with their specific tasks

• the safety policies, processes and procedures for resolving hazards

• the safe operation of job-specific machinery, tools and equipment

• the safe operation, storage and application of chemical products

• the location of job-specific first-aid amenities, such as eyewash stations and safety showers

• the correct use of personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE)

• the safe movement around hazardous areas, for example, vehicle loading bays or working zones

Workplace information

This induction phase introduces you to work site amenities, such as showers, kitchens, bathrooms and lockers. If you have an assigned work buddy, you may meet them before the workplace tour begins. The colleague may take you on a physical tour of the working environment. They may discuss workplace facilities, detail the locations of different departments and provide you with information on the surrounding areas of the business.

This part of the induction may also include a tour of general health and safety facilities, hazards and safety personnel. During this part of the induction, your colleague may introduce you to the business's health and safety representatives and show you the location of their offices. This tour can help you identify several workplace hazards, such as vehicle access and egress points. You may also discover safety equipment and locations, such as fire axes, fire extinguishers and emergency exits.

Related: 10 Examples of Policies and Procedures In the Workplace

Team introduction

After the tour of the workplace environment, you may meet the rest of your team. Some businesses may introduce you using different methods, such as a formal meeting or an informal greeting throughout the day. Introducing yourself to your colleagues can help you adjust to your new working environment, which may allow you to feel comfortable working alongside team members. During this part of the induction, you may also meet your supervisor and learn about hazard reporting procedures.

Team introductions may also give you a chance to discuss general working conditions and customs with colleagues. This can include break locations and popular places to order lunch. You might also discover social activities that team members organise after work, such as community sports or social dining.

Related: 14 Reasons Why Teamwork Is Important In the Workplace

Initial tasks

The initial task phase of the induction is your first introduction to your workstation and responsibilities. Management may refer to this as the job-specific induction because the information provided relates directly to your duties. During this induction phase, you may have an assigned colleague who has the same job responsibilities. This colleague can show you the procedures and activities involved in the job and answer your job-specific questions.

This part of the induction can be crucial for identifying safety hazards and procedures directly related to your job responsibilities. Your colleague may show you how to operate machinery correctly and identify the typical safety issues involved. You can review the nearby health and safety facilities, such as eyewash stations and emergency showers. This induction phase may continue for the rest of the working day, depending on the complexity or volume of your tasks.

Debrief

After you complete your induction, management may organise a debrief session where you may ask questions about your new role. Management can discuss the next steps of your employment and provide additional resources to help you adjust to your new environment. The debrief session is essentially an opportunity for management to ensure you're comfortable and confident in completing your tasks unsupervised.

It can be important to understand that, depending on your job role, you may require several days of induction before you can work unsupervised. These types of jobs usually involve hazardous tasks and may require extensive training. For example, job roles on mine sites or industrial plants may have inductions that extend for more than a week. The overall purpose of an induction debrief is to ensure employers complete their duty of care by providing you with resources and information to complete your responsibilities safely.

Benefits of a workplace induction

Below, you can find the typical benefits of completing a workplace induction:

• Understanding your role: If the business conducts an effective induction, you may identify all the responsibilities of your new job. This can help you adjust to your new position and complete your tasks with confidence.

• Meeting your colleagues: Meeting your colleagues can be an important part of feeling comfortable in your new working environment. By meeting your team members, you can engage in discussions and begin building relationships.

• Clarifying your employment agreement: During the induction, you may discuss your employment agreement and identify your entitlements as an employee. This can help you identify any unreasonable actions taken by management during your probation period.