Learning Unit1 | US:10980, NQF LEVEL 4 WORTH 6 CREDITS INDUCT A NEW EMPLOYEE |
Unit Standard Purpose | Learners achieving this unit standard should help new employees feel welcome and should assist them in becoming productive as quickly as possible. |
Learning Assumed to be in Place | Apply basic planning principles Communicate organizational knowledge Perform a specific job in an organization. |
SESSION 1 SO 1 | COMPILE INDUCTION PLAN FOR NEW ENTRANT/S. |
Learning Outcomes (Assessment Criteria) | Starting dates are confirmed and communicated to relevant parties prior to the arrival of new entrant/s Planning is done for work space, workstation, equipment and mentor if required by the job/s to which the new entrant/s is/are assigned General organizational orientation, induction and job specific training are scheduled Orientation information pack is prepared |
Orientation of newcomers is a very important task and has significant benefits for both the individual and the organization:
Induction of people new to the organization is a continuing training need for businesses small and large. Much energy and effort is devoted to Induction, often without too much effective return either for the individual(s) concerned or for the organization. This is a shame as the Induction period immediately after joining is a very important one for everyone concerned.
From the individual’s point of view it is the period where they find their feet, learn about their new organization, their new job and the people with whom they will be working. It is also the period during which they absorb the culture, ethics and standards of the business and begin to form judgements about what is acceptable and non-acceptable in terms of behaviors and inputs.
From the organization’s point of view Induction is the period which, if used effectively equips and prepares the new joiner for their role and gives them the basic knowledge required to begin functioning effectively and safely at the earliest possible moment. Induction is also the period during which the employer can quickly confirm the wisdom of the decision the individual has made to come and work there and make them feel welcomed and valued.
A poor induction period where the individual is left to fend for themselves is, at best, unsettling for the individual and time-wasting for the organization and means that people take longer to learn what they need to know. At the worst it can lead (and often does) to the New Joiner leaving in the first few weeks or even days, thus wasting the cost of the initial recruitment and making it necessary to duplicate the cost and effort involved to fill the vacancy again.
Many induction ‘programmes’ are geared only to the needs and possibilities of the organization itself, for example, one day ‘courses’ run when enough new entrants can be gathered together, often weeks or months after the individual has begun work, has already formed opinions, and imbibed a mixed set of impressions and values, and is often resentful of being drawn away from the workplace for a seemingly unnecessary programme.
Another fault with this type of course or event based induction is that it tends to be so full of formal, often legislative based information that the average recipient will absorb little and retain even less of what is covered.
Such organization-driven Induction is generally so formulaic that it misses a number of issues:
One way of devising an effective Induction content is to think in terms of providing three sets of information / knowledge – these are:
Interestingly, the key early concerns of all new entrants, irrespective of age or seniority tend to be similar. These early concerns are about very personal issues such as:
Until these personal issues are addressed the new entrant will have little interest in, or retention of, other information.
What the good Employer wants to share with the New Entrant
The employing organization will want to ensure that the new employee receives quite a range of information. This is explained by this design:
This represents a lot of information, all of it important, both to the individual’s understanding of what is required of them and why and to their competence and willingness to make the necessary contribution. Many people and sources will be involved in providing the necessary information. Careful thought needs to be given to timing and method of delivery to ensure that learning takes place effectively for the new individual.
This is the driest and possibly least interesting information from the New Entrants’ point of view, The Health and Safety at Work Act, The Data Protection Act, Intellectual copyright, Food Hygiene Regulations and other compliance issues may all, or in part, be necessary knowledge. They are not, however, appropriate information to impart during the crucial first two or three days, and particularly not in a course situation. Much better to have this information readily available in one or more permanent formats e.g. intranet, video, booklet etc, and to make sure that an opportunity is structured and provided whereby the new individual has a chance to access the necessary information. The involvement of the Line Manager as overseer, and/or the use of an Induction Checklist which can be signed off on receipt of the information will ensure that the necessary information is accessed by the New Joiner.
A range of methods exists which can contribute to effective Induction. The methods available include:
Sensible use of a mixture of these methods will:
It is realistic to assume that for their first couple of days the new joiner will make a limited contribution in the job itself. Most of their attention will be focused on getting settled in. The diagram below shows the likely balance of learning and work contribution over the first month of employment.
It will, of course, be important that on their first day, the new joiner gets to their workplace and meets key people. One very effective way of making the best use of these early days is to have a learner/new joiner focused package available which, once given to the individual, can be used by them to shape their learning by visits, reading, access to the intranet and organization documentation. This package could be based, as a number which DBA have developed, on an agreed checklist of information/learning to be experienced by the new leaner, based on the headings given earlier. The checklist can indicate the ‘what’, ‘where’ or from ‘whom’ it is to be acquired and give an indication of when during the first few weeks of employment the learning is to take place. Other more formal inputs can be scheduled between the individual and their Line Manager.
The self-driven Induction package based on the checklist mentioned above makes use of the individual’s enthusiasm and interest, takes the chore of Induction away from the busy Line Manager. By programming necessary get-togethers and using the checklist to sign-off training received it legitimizes the New Entrant’s search for information. Such an approach to Induction is very much in line with current thinking on lifelong learning and personal responsibility for learning. It also provides a clear seamless link to continuing training development and, where appropriate, a career progression. The latter stages of the package can contain an analysis, against a competence framework if one exists, or against some other agreed form of list. Having completed this assessment the individual can, with their Manager and trainers, where appropriate, agree a Personal Development Plan for the first six months to a year of their employment.
An employee orientation is the most efficient way to welcome a new employee to the company. Being the new kid on the block can be intimidating. A formal orientation is an opportunity to show him the ropes, introduce him to coworkers and map out the lay of the land, all of which will help him acclimate more quickly to the new surroundings.
New employees are usually inundated with forms to be completed for human resources. Applications for benefits, federal tax forms and personnel folder forms should all be completed during orientation. This affords the new employee the opportunity to ask questions if he is unsure of anything. An explanation of applicable benefits should be given as well as options the employee has in benefits like medical coverage and flexible spending accounts.
Orientation is a convenient time to hand out any items the new employee will need as he starts his new position. Employee manuals, office keys, company equipment, policies, procedures and identification cards or badges should be distributed along with instructions for each. Employees should sign off on receipt of these items.
Along with policy and procedure handouts, the new employee orientation should contain an overview of these items. This is also the time to review the employee’s job description and what will be expected of him. Information about training, employee reviews and advancement opportunities can also be covered in the orientation as well as an overview of the company’s mission statement, core values and ethics policy. The more information a new employee receives, the more comfortable he will be starting work in his new position.
The Advantages of Orientation Programs
Effective orientation programs give an organization significant advantages in motivating and retaining employees versus competitors that have no orientations or operate programs that are poorly planned and implemented. Several specific benefits are usually experienced by companies and their new hires when orientation programs are successful and achieve the desired results.
Ideally, employees leave an orientation program feeling like they belong.
The information provided on this website is done so in good faith, however the onus is on the user to seek the advice of an expert prior to making any business or investment decisions.
You must determine the level of detail you wish to include in your orientation pack, however it is a good idea to supply detailed information that includes the following:
The most important thing that is missing in most orientation packs is what the expectation of that staff member is over the next month to 12 months. The more definitive you are and the more measurements you put in place as to what the expectations are and what the benchmarks are, the better. Also critical are the rules and regulations right from day one should be explained to staff. We find there is a lack of training of staff as they come in to most companies today and they just seem to have to bounce around until they get the law of the land.
SESSION 2 SO 2 | PREPARE ENVIRONMENT TO ACCOMMODATE NEW ENTRANT. |
Learning Outcomes (Assessment Criteria) | Employees are briefed on name of new entrant, job title, date of commencement, duties and responsibilities. Workstation is allocated in the work space and equipped before date of commencement Arrangements are in place for the direction of the new entrant to the specified person as in the letter of appointment |
Projects, Four Types of Planning
1) Passive planning happens when leadership allows the raft to travel downstream at the mercy of the current rather than steering, rowing, and turning. This kind of non-planning eventually leaves you unprepared to face whitewater rapids. Worse yet, in the absence of a plan, the current may take the raft over the edge of a dreaded waterfall.
2) Panic planning happens only after the raft is in trouble. At this point, all of the organization’s resources are scrambled in a reactionary pattern in an attempt to solve the problem. With panic planning, you may or may not come out alive and well, but you are guaranteed some bumps and bruises.
3) Scientific planning is viable, but can be laborious, mechanical, and often ends up abandoned in the process. Imagine if a raft guide constantly tried to measure the depth of the water, the distance between rocks, the wind speed, and the water current. Although the information might be helpful, oftentimes the water would be moving too swiftly to take the measurements. In a like manner, leaders often have to respond to change in an instant. There’s no time to collect scientific data on all of the variables before deciding which course of action is best.
4) Principle-centered planning is the key to effectiveness. It is the artistic or leadership approach. Principle-centered planning recognizes that life in general (and people in particular) can’t be graphed on a chart, but sees that planning still remains essential.
You don’t have to be in leadership very long to learn that planning pays off. Even so,
many people don’t plan. Here are four reasons why people neglect planning.
Some people don’t have an innate ability to project themselves into the future. They’ve never been taught to prioritize their day or to prepare for tomorrow. They’re caught in the tyranny of the urgent, and they believe that they don’t have time. Some people allow themselves to be pulled into the vortex of minutiae. As a consequence, they end up buried under a sea of details, and they can’t pull their heads above water long enough to plan.
A person conducting a business or undertaking has the primary duty under the WHS Act to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that workers and other persons are not exposed to health and safety risks arising from the business or undertaking.
The WHS Regulations place more specific obligations on a person conducting a business or undertaking in relation to the work environment and facilities for workers, including requirements to:
Persons conducting a business or undertaking who have management or control of a workplace must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the workplace, the means of entering and exiting the workplace and anything arising from the workplace is without health and safety risks to any person.
This means that the duty to provide and maintain a safe work environment and adequate facilities may be shared between duty holders, for example a business leasing premises will share the duty with the landlord or property manager of the premises. In these situations the duty holders must, so far as is reasonably practicable, consult, co-operate and co-ordinate activities with each other.
Persons who design and construct buildings and structures that are intended to be used as workplaces must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the building or structure is without risks to health and safety.
First impressions count and there are fewer times when first impressions are as vital to the quality of the relationships that are forged as when a person starts a new job. The ‘right’ person can be lost in the first few days if they experience the ‘wrong’ induction. After making the investment in good recruitment, it’s essential that a similar investment is made in high quality induction.
Every new employee should experience a pre-planned induction process designed to cover the major aspects of their job. Essentially, the aim of an induction process should be to make the new person:
It’s important to appoint someone to manage each new induction to ensure all areas are properly covered. They could be their direct manager or supervisor, a member of the human resource team or a good administrator who follows the process and secures the cooperation of everyone involved.
Appointing a buddy or mentor is another good way of ensuring the induction runs smoothly and the new employee has support close at hand. The choice of mentor or buddy is important. They should be respected people within the team who will share their experiences in company in a positive way and be happy to maintain regular contact to help the new employee settle in.
Organising an event such as morning tea, lunch or after work drinks is also a useful way to make new employees feel welcome.
An induction procedure simply needs to cover all the things a new person should know when they start a job. It can be a simple list to go through and discuss or can involve time spent in various parts of the company. The most important thing is that we don’t assume an employee has been familiarised with everything they need to know. The only way to be certain is if there is a plan and everyone involved sticks to it.
We’ve provided a general guide for inducting a new employee which can be amended to suit the specific needs of your company. If you need help designing and conducting a comprehensive induction process, Linked Consulting can provide professionals to assist you. Speak to one of our consultants to find out more.
SESSION 3 SO 3 | MANAGE GENERAL ORGANISATIONAL ORIENTATION PROCESS. |
Learning Outcomes (Assessment Criteria) | Contents of general orientation programme cover all essential areas People, presenters and venues for the general programme are notified and venues arranged prior to date of commencement of programme |
Process Orientation places a priority on “how” things are done. It is a willingness to remain open and follow in new directions. It means setting aside mainstream ways of achieving results and instead following culturally respectful processes that also produce results. It is letting go of agendas or the need to control, and trusting that the appropriate outcome will emerge from a good journey together. It means accepting that both the use of process orientation and a “good relationship” are concrete deliverables.
“Concepts of time differ. There are differences even for Aboriginal people between today’s society and yesteryear’s society. Indian time is the time in which it takes to get things done. It is when the salmon berries are out, when the deer are plentiful, when the salmon are running – traditional ceremonies always take place during this framework of time. Indian time requires flexibility, because sometimes the herring spawn early, sometimes late. It’s whatever the situation and the people tell us is right.
“So traditionally we take time to think things through, to ask elders, to ask our family members, to make the right decision. We bring all this to our business with you. If you disregard the journey then you’ve gotten away from the outcome that you set. You really just have to immerse yourself in the community and the culture to understand how that relationship will develop and how the process will lead to the outcomes.”
Student affairs professionals are dedicated to the fundamental principle that students must be considered as whole persons. This principle should be applied to the individual employee as well. The orientation of student affairs professionals to their jobs provides an opportunity to emphasize the whole employee development approach to staffing practices in student affairs.
Prior to determining the exact content and organization of the orientation program, key participants should review the existing organizational structure of the unit. Orientation is not just a program, but also a process that is integrated within the overall mission of the unit, the division of student affairs, and the institution. Objectives for the program should complement the mission and goals of each faction. Orientation policy should, then, be directed toward the following objectives:
Orientation is a function that allows a new employee to learn about the organization, what the expectations are in the position, who is responsible and accountable, and in general what they need to know to become an integral part of the company.
It is sad, however, that many companies not only don’t provide an orientation, but expect the new employee to be able to figure it out themselves. The problem is, if you don’t provide a formal orientation process, the employee will still receive an orientation and it may not be the one that will benefit the employee, their co-workers or the company.
As part of the hiring smart philosophy, orientations can be simple to prepare and conduct. All it really takes is planning. It actually begins at the point of hire when the offer is first presented. The offer letter can include a welcome and a brief overview of benefits, time to report, who to report to and what to expect the first day, week and follow-up months. By merely making sure the new employee is listed on the company roster and in the phone system can make the first impression very favorable.
On the first day, the employee should be given a tour of the facility, no matter the size, and especially those areas the employee will be most involved with during their work day. Introduce the staff and prepare a list of their names and job functions. Time should be made to go over the basic operations of the company and department, such as work hours, timeliness/punctuality, explaining the time tracking process, pay day schedules (including direct deposit information or banks used in the area), overtime policy, lunch time or break time policies, parking, telephone and Internet policies, security regulations and how the telephone system works. In addition, a review of the new employee job description, the filling our of necessary forms, and a schedule for any additional needed information – such as training.
This is an opportunity to explain to the new employee the importance of their position and how it works to the support of the goals of the company. Orient the employee to their work area and make sure they have all needed supplies, materials, documents and manuals that may be necessary for them to do their job.
Just as important as the work schedule and pay schedule is the listing of Holidays and time-off provided by the organization, or how to report a sickness or necessary absence. Explain that a 90-day review will be conducted to ascertain any difficulties or answer any questions about the job.
A good orientation may take a day to actually complete. A great orientation will continue throughout the next 3-months as the new employee learns more about the company and the job. This is accomplished by following up with the employee and asking for their feedback or evaluation of the orientation program.
An effective orientation will:
The new employee orientation process begins before the employee comes to work. Planning ahead for your new employee’s arrival will allow you to spend productive time on that first day. So, before the employee arrives you should:
A new employee may be anxious about starting a new job. Try to create a comfortable environment and remember not to overwhelm the new employee with too much information on the first day. Orientation is a continuing process, so there will be plenty of time to give the employee all the necessary information. On the first day, you should:
Over the next few weeks, schedule meetings with the employee to discuss the following:
A new employee may be anxious about starting a new job. Try and create a comfortable environment and remember not to overwhelm the employee. Refer to the new employee checklist for details. Print out a copy and use it as a reminder during all of your regularly scheduled meetings with your new employee for the first 2-6 months.
Simply needs to cover all the things a new person should know when they start a job. It can be a simple list to go through and discuss or can involve time spent in various parts of the company. The most important thing is that we don’t assume an employee has been familiarised with everything they need to know. The only way to be certain is if there is a plan and everyone involved sticks to it.
We’ve provided a general guide for inducting a new employee which can be amended to suit the specific needs of your company. If you need help designing and conducting
SESSION 4 SO 4 | IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR JOB SPECIFIC INDUCTION. |
Learning Outcomes (Assessment Criteria) | New entrant is introduced to team members and colleagues. Appropriate communication techniques are used to contribute to optimal team functioning. Duties, responsibilities and performance standards are discussed, explained, allocated, mutually agreed upon and documented. Training and development needs are identified and job specific training scheduled according to new entrants requirements. Suitable mentor/coach is identified and assigned. Role performance is monitored and developed for optimal team functioning. |
Evaluation and monitoring of Induction Process
The new employee will be asked to complete an evaluation form and return it to HR. They may also be asked to participate in the annual audit to give their feedback about their induction experiences.
The Trust is committed to taking action to continuously improve the induction and development of its employees. Additionally, quarterly attendance statistics provide a tool for monitoring compliance to this process.
Managers and/or Agencies could be asked to produce individual training records as part of the audit process.
Planning
Consider key orientation planning questions before implementing or revamping a current program. Important questions to ask are:
What does the new employee need to know about this work environment to feel comfortable and confident?
What impression do you want new employees to have on their first day?
What policies and procedures should new employees learn about on the first day or the first month? This vital information must be included in the orientation process.
How can new employees be introduced to their coworkers without feeling overwhelmed and intimidated?
What special things (desk, work area, equipment, special instructions) can you provide to make new employees feel comfortable, welcome, and secure?
How can you ensure that the new employee’s supervisor is available to assist him or her on the first day; and provides enough time and attention to let him or her know that he or she is valued an important addition to the work team?
Ask for feedback from recent hires. Find out how they perceived the orientation process and make changes based on those recommendations.
Tip:
Once you have a list of areas to cover, divide them up according to when they should be covered in the induction process: before the new hire starts, on Day 1, in Week 1, or in the first month.
One of the most important things that you may need to do before Day 1 is to get the new hire to complete a Training Needs Analysis document. This allows you to arrange training in advance and book it into the new person’s schedule when they start. Doing this will reduce their anxiety about unfamiliar systems (usually IT, but also procedures and licenses to use certain equipment). And by being able to schedule training earlier, you’ll have them up to speed and productive sooner.
This sample new employee introduction letter welcomes your new staff member. It introduces the new employee to his or her coworkers. A nice touch for the employee is to schedule an informal time, with food and drinks, for coworkers to greet their new teammate.
Send this employee introduction letter by email and post it in any department where employees have no email access. This employee introduction is an integral component in your new employee welcome process.
Employee Introduction
Dear Staff:
I’d like to introduce you to our newest employee. Mike Martin has accepted our offer of employment as a marketing manager. His first day is (date). Please join us at 4 p.m. in the main conference room for appetizers and drinks to meet Mike and welcome him to the company on his first day.
Mike has fifteen years of experience in increasingly responsible roles within marketing at several companies. In his most recent position, Mike managed marketing for (Company Name). His experience is enhanced by his Bachelor’s degree in Business with a Marketing major. He is currently working on his MBA in his spare time.
As Marketing Manager, Mike is responsible for the overall leadership of the marketing department and the marketing staff. He reports to (Name – Title) Specifically, Mike will lead our efforts in these areas:
Mike will work closely with the product development teams. His office is (Location).
Thanks for joining me in welcoming Mike to the team.
Regards,
When a new employee joins your company, you feel excited to welcome him/her. But with the new joining, you also end up getting more responsibilities. If you are the one who is training then it becomes more difficult to manage your work and train the new employee at the same time. Moreover, your teammate is new so you have to introduce and ensure that he/she is completely comfortable in the new organization. If a new employee has joined and you want to know how to smartly deal with him/her, here are few special tips for you.
Tips to welcome a new employee: Greet: Firstly you should greet your new employee at work. The day he/she joins, you have to welcome with greetings. Drop a mail to welcome and introduce the new member to other employees. Use a welcome note and paste on his/her bay. You can also gift a card or a pen to make the new employee feel friendly and comfortable.
Introduce: As mentioned, you have to make your colleagues know that a new member has joined your team. With the help of the HR Department, make your colleagues know about the new worker. You can either hurdle and welcome in front of all or drop a mail to a common group id.
Join for tea/coffee: Ideally you should not stick too much on your new employee just to make him/her feel comfortable. But, this is a time when you can relax and discuss informally with your new colleague. Do not gossip about other colleagues or teammates, not at least on the very first day. Join for a coffee/tea and show the cafeteria. It is one important thing that you should do to welcome a new employee.
Welcome in the group lunch: No one likes to eat alone. Once the lunch time comes, call him/her or go to the new employee’s bay and ask for lunch. Do not force but ask to check if he/she wishes to join you or not. If interested, go for lunch together and introduce him/her to everyone.
Be a helping hand: You do not need to throw attitude and arrogance to your new employee. Ego and self-esteem should not affect your work skills. As the employee is new, you have to explain about the way your company functions. If your employee needs help, do not hesitate. But, make sure you do help in even simple things. This will make your employee get dependent on you. Just teach him/her and let them handle. When they need help, be calm and help.
Having effective communication skills is imperative for your success. Positive communication will certainly increase the opportunities you find in your career and business. Having good communication skills will enable you to get ahead in certain areas where others who are less assertive may not succeed. A few things to keep your eyes on while practicing the fine art of communication are:
Do not shy away from the person with whom you are speaking. Be sure to maintain a relaxed, but not slouching posture, regardless whether you are the one speaking or listening. Other things that ensure your body is communicating your attentiveness to the conversation can include:
When speaking, you need to be clear and concise. Speak on important matters directly and do not waste time with long drawn out stories that will cause your listener’s mind to wander. Make sure you ask whether they understand, and be willing to further explain any of your points. Do not expect someone to just “know” what you are saying, even if it is crystal clear in your own mind.
In addition, one of the most important aspects of verbal communication is the ability to practice active listening. This is not just actively waiting to talk. Always make mental notes of key points when someone is speaking to you. That way once you are given a chance to speak, you can respond to the most vital issues being dealt with. When others are speaking, try to think about the exact words that they are saying. If you practice this, you will comprehend and contain 75 percent more of the information that you hear.
Maybe your weakness is in the quality or quantity with which you communicate to your employees. Communication seems to have dwindled to superficial small talk. Great communicators practice the ability of consistent communication by remaining available. Do not be afraid to be the one who voices any concerns or difficulties. However, ensure that you are practicing open and honest communication with those who may depend on you. Be available and bold with tact.
Be sure to leave communication lines open to those who may need to address problems with you. You will find that you prevent the small issues that normally have the habit of becoming large ones by making those in your life aware that you are open to discussing issues at any time.
During your communications with others always give them time to communicate their issues as well. Remaining focused on what they are trying to communicate will show them that you are indeed open to assisting with their issues. Many of people’s communication lines tend to break down on the side where impatience is in a rush to get out of the conversation. Since you cannot control the other side, do yourself a favor and take a breath. The conversation you’re involved in is important.
If you are confused as to what someone may be requesting, than repeat back to him or her what you think they said and ask if that is correct. Often this will inspire the speaker to be more in-depth about their needs, which will help you to understand them fully.
If someone has communicated a need or an issue to you, then your main priority should be to aid him or her in repairing the problem. Following up on an issue is the only way to convince others whom you need to communicate with that you have listened to them and that their problems or issues are important to you as well.
Practicing strong follow-up will also leave the impression that you are involved in the bigger picture. When people see this commitment, they will know you are open to future communications. This creates a loyal and discerning surrounding that cultivates positive movement and communication. This will develop a strong sense of confidence in those with whom you communicate.
If my goal is to improve my counseling skills so that I can better assist people who are afraid and anxious, then I will likely concentrate on improving a different set of skills than if my goal is to improve my ability to perform in a choir or to close a sale over the telephone.
The point is that there is no universal answer to the question, “How can I improve my communication skills?” One must first ask, “For what purpose?” Here are a few advertisement headlines I came across whilst researching this topic:
Communication means transferring thoughts and ideas with an intention of delivering information. This article is going to articulate some of the techniques for effective communication. If you follow these techniques, surely success is not far away.
You have to listen to the other party. Do not commit the mistake of thinking that communication is only a one-way street. Apart from speaking your mind out, communication is also about listening and that too very carefully. Focus on what they are saying and reflect on that conversation later. This will send out a message to them that you are grasping their point and they should do the same when you are speaking.
Honesty is very important here. Whenever you are expressing yourself, talking truthfully and honestly will send out a signal that you trust your audience. Speak clearly and properly. Also try to be precise about the subject that you are speaking on. Do not beat around the bush. This will only confuse your audience. Besides, if your audience is getting confused, the entire purpose of your self-expression is getting defeated
If someone comes to you with criticism, it’s just a natural human response to defend your stance. Try to take criticism positively and constructively. If the criticism is very hard to take and emotional, then the chances are that the person you are communicating with is in distress. Try to empathize with the person and resonate your words in a very mild language.
Most often than not, whenever you are trying to have a healthy conversation, it turns into an argument. Arguing does nothing but wastes your time. Try to avoid getting into such situations. And even if you get into such a situation, instead of trying to win the argument, find an amicable solution in a constructive way.
You need to be able to understand your audience, as they are the ones for whom you are speaking. Do not send out your message before you are absolutely sure that they will grasp what you are saying. For example; suppose the quality of work of a junior employee is really hampering the overall performance of the team, and you are really concerned about his work, do not issue an official warning straight away. Try to understand the perception of the employee and then think of taking any action.
You need to be able to understand your audience, as they are the ones for whom you are speaking. Do not send out your message before you are absolutely sure that they will grasp what you are saying. For example; suppose the quality of work of a junior
It’s one of the most common occurrence at the workplace, that a colleague does exactly opposite to what you want him to do. You keep wondering, why has he done so. You keep thinking of many reasons for that. Maybe the colleague did not listen to you or maybe he did not understand what you said. But the worst possibility could be the deliberate inaction. What do you do in that scenario? Well, you take a feedback. Without taking proper feedback, you wouldn’t know the perspective of the person in front of you. Only through feedback you will know why he or she did or did not do what they were asked to do.
Communication does not simply refer to merely articulating words. Body languages, hand gestures, along with other factors, play an important role for communicating your point. I hope that some of the techniques of effective communication mentioned here help the reader in more than one way.
coordinate project plans going forward.
Training and Development Needs
A competent workforce underpins the success of any organization. It is crucial that staff possess the knowledge, skills and competencies required for optimum performance. Recognizing the training, development and learning needs necessary to equip staff with the capabilities required to contribute to business success and progress their careers is therefore key. Most organizations acknowledge the importance of developing their staff, but many will admit that their provision for staff development through training and learning could be improved.
Cornwell helps organizations improve employee performance through effective development, training and learning. Our consultants view training and learning as components of a broad approach to competency management, aligned to HR and business strategy. Training and learning impact on many business areas including selection, recruitment and retention, performance management and staff development. Cornwell consultants therefore adopt a holistic approach that encompasses both current and evolving future requirements with methodologies tailored to individual client needs. This involves:
Analysis of the gap between current competencies held and those needed.
Preparation of a strategic competency management framework, encompassing a broad range of HR interventions including training and learning, to bridge the gap.
Combining our expertise in training and learning with that in our other consultancy disciplines such as programme management, information and knowledge management and HR to bridge gaps in areas of specialist competencies.
Our gap analysis focuses on specific competency issues such as the training implications of achieving an IT-enabled process improvement and initiates a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) to define the training needs, assess client delivery options and specify the preferred solution. Clients can then develop or procure the specified solution.
Our consultants recognize that training should be addressed within a cycle of continuous improvement, acknowledging the need to learn from past experience. Our consultants therefore support clients in measuring the benefits of their training, assessing the effectiveness of their training and in recommending practical improvements.
Before we say that technology is responsible for increased need of training inputs to employees, it is important to understand that there are other factors too that contribute to the latter. Training is also necessary for the individual development and progress of the employee, which motivates him to work for a certain organization apart from just money. We also require training update employees of the market trends, the change in the employment policies and other things.
The following are the two biggest factors that contribute to the increased need to training and development in organizations:
The critical question however remains the implications and the contribution of training and development to the bottom line of organizations performance. To assume a leadership position in the market space, an organization will need to emphasize on the kind of programs they use to improvise performance and productivity and not just how much they simply spend on learning!
The need for staff training can be identified in a number of ways, such as during interviews, through feedback from colleagues, by competence or knowledge tests, by observing work taking place, or from appraisal documents or CVs. Skills and knowledge audits and a SWOT analyses are well-known techniques that can be used for self-assessment as well as for identifying the needs of individuals and groups.
SESSION 5 SO 5 | EVALUATE EFFECTIVENESS OF INDUCTION PROCESS. |
Learning Outcomes (Assessment Criteria) | Items specified on an induction checklist are complete within the specified time frame (six weeks) or as indicated by company policies/procedures Information regarding the effectiveness of the orientation or induction programme is collated. Data from the feedback is analyzed to identify areas to improve the existing induction process and the programme is modified accordingly. |
Following a process or a procedure is a way of preventing chaos or troubles in life. Day-to-day examples like following the signal, adhering to a queue, etc. can be looked upon as ways in which order is brought about in our life. In certain scenarios, where individuals tend to miss out on the process or rules, officials are appointed to enforce the same so as to maintain order and convenience.
The same is applicable to software development too. It is not uncommon that we are often faced with the question, do we need process orientation? The answer is not just a ‘yes or no’ situation, but a whole detailed introspection needs to be carried of why we need it and how we can bring in an orientation to avoid chaos in software development. This article is a detailed discussion on the need for process orientation and the way in which it can be achieved.
Software development and maintenance requires processes and practices that contribute to the quality of the software. Thus quality software needs to be bug free and with necessary standards enforced. The difference in a code being good or bad is formed by the processes and their proper orientation in the whole development. It is a common thought that however good or bad a code is, it will not cause any harm as long as the code works. It is very rare that people take into consideration standards and regulations to make code free of errors and coding standard defects.
Any defined set of guidelines, processes and infrastructure that is used for aiding members of a team to provide qualitative and consistent solutions or end-products is known as process orientation.
When we pay for a product, we expect it to be the best and not with scars or defects. The same is the case with software products. A product that is created at the end of the development phase is required to be a complete working component without any major defects. It is a must to ensure that the product adheres to the customer specifications. Any deviations or defects can lead to customer dissatisfaction and concerns.
For a product to possess minimal defects and deviations, it is necessary to track the software processes and measure for analysis on a frequent basis. A thorough review and defect analysis before the deployment will help not only ensure completeness of the code but will also enable fixing of bugs, if found.
Process orientation and adherence to standards will not only help in finding out the defects, but also enable easy tracking and resolution with a short timeframe. This is one another advantage that is obtained from process orientation. Thus these points define the need for process orientation in any software development or maintenance as an effective means of defect and chaos prevention. Now that we know why we require process orientation, let us just take a look into the aspects of process orientation.
The primary benefit of process orientation is the elimination of chaos and inconsistency in the software product. This benefit is added on with many more things to bring in a complete enhanced feel from the orientation. Productivity and efficiency of the team members are increased with process orientation.
As individuals of a team tend to follow process, defects are reduced and quality of the product increased. The efficiency of the team is increased multi-fold and thus enables the product to be delivered on-time. Also as the complete process and the product are thoroughly documented, the process of transition or handover becomes very simple and fast.
Below are few tips that can help in achieving the best out of process orientation:
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