Induction policy for new staff

1. Purpose of our Induction Period

CAAT includes an induction period in its contract of employment to provide a
framework for identifying and sorting out any initial difficulties which can occur in
the early stages of starting a job. The aim is to provide a supporting structure for
the new employee and alleviate some of the initial pressures that can arise when
starting a new post.

2. The Induction Period

• CAAT’s induction period is six months, unless specified otherwise in the contract of employment.
• During the induction period the Office Co-ordinator is responsible for ensuring that the following process and steps take place:
  • the new employee receives a full induction;
  • any appropriate training takes place at the earliest opportunity;
  • working expectations and targets as part of the CAAT work plan are made
  • explicit and are understood by the new employee;
  • a second meeting takes place after one – two months
  • a third meeting takes place at three months;
  • a final meeting takes place shortly before the end of the six-month period;
  • after six months the induction period can be extended (for example,
  • because of the employee’s sickness or other absence).

3. Details of the Induction Meetings and process

Initial induction meeting

On the employee’s first day at work the Office Co-ordinator will take them around
the CAAT office explaining where everything is and how the office systems work.
They will be introduced to all members of staff and volunteers that are in. The
Office Co-ordinator will go through the CAAT induction pack, show CAAT’s Policy
and Procedures handbook and explain the relevant office IT systems. They will also
be taken through CAAT’s annual plan and explained how their role fits within it.
During the meeting the Office Co-ordinator will make it clear they should feel free
to ask any questions they have to either herself or another member of staff, at any
time.

Individual meetings will be arranged between the new employee and each member
of staff within the first two weeks of employment. At these meetings the member of staff will explain their roles and responsibilities within the organisation to the new
employee and how they see the relationship between their job and the new post.

The one – two months meeting

This meeting will take place with their Static Reviewer or Office Co-ordinator BOUT one – two months after starting in post. The meeting will cover the following:

• Discussion on how the employee is finding the workload.
• What part of the job is going well and what are they having difficulties with?
• Opportunity to ask any questions about their roles and responsibilities, office systems or CAAT collaborative working systems
• Discussion as to whether the new employee feels they need any training relevant to their job
• Whether the new employee has any questions on the documents in CAAT’s
• Policy and Procedures handbook

Any comments following this review that require further discussion with CAAT staff
will be brought to the next WorkPlan. (This is a weekly meeting attended by all
staff).

The three-month meeting

This meeting should take place at the end of the first three months of employment
with their Static Reviewer. It is a meeting between all CAAT staff and the new
employee covering their job description and how their work fits within CAAT’s plan.
Sometimes this meeting coincides with the organisation’s (mini) Peer Review
meetings, but if not a separate meeting should be arranged. The following should
be discussed:

• Is the job description manageable and realistic, given time constraints?
• Are there any suggested changes to the JD?
• Does the new employee have any concerns regarding their work targets within CAAT’s plan?
• What targets has the new employee set for the next three months?
• Does the new employee have any suggested changes to their area of the plan?
• Constructive feedback given from CAAT staff with regards to the new employee’s roles and responsibilities, and how they are managing their workload?

The Static Reviewer will make notes from the meeting including any actions agreed
or changes suggested.

The six-month meeting

This meeting should take place before the new employee has been in post for six
months. It is a meeting between two members of CAAT staff and the new
employee. This meeting can coincide with the staff Peer Review meetings which
take place twice a year and covers questions relating to:

• Review of the last six months
• The employee’s current workload
• Targets for the next quarter
• How they are finding collaborative working
• Any support or training needs
• Any other issues to be brought up

Following the six-month meeting all staff should agree that the new employee’s six
month induction period has ended.

If the employee has had unavoidable absence during the first six months of their
employment preventing them from fulfiling their roles and responsibilities, their
induction period can be reviewed and extended.

4. Other

The terms and conditions of contract are exactly the same during the induction
period as afterwards. For example:

• During the six months of induction the period of notice is no different from that following the induction period, which is six weeks on either side.
• If a CAAT annual salary review occurs during the induction period, any increase will be paid to the new employee during the induction period at the same time as to other members of permanent staff.
• CAAT’s staff disciplinary and grievance procedure applies in exactly the same way both during and after the induction period.
• Annual leave is accrued from the first day of employment. Public holidays are to be taken (pro rata for part-time staff) as they occur.

POLICY ALSO AVAILABLE FROM:

https://caat.org.uk/app/uploads/2020/10/Induction-policy-2019.pdf