Induction guidance for managers

Start date

Please agree a start date with the relevant person who is dealing with the post i.e. Recruitment Manager or HR Manager.

Please make sure you are available (or have nominated an appropriate colleague) on the new employees first day to help them get settled in.

Right to work checks

• All new starters must have a Right to Work (RtW) check. UKVI rules state that this must happen in person prior to starting work. In some cases we are able to undertake a full right to work check using the Home Office Employer Checking service system and a video call.
• For others we will need scanned copies of documents and a conference call followed by a check of the original documents, before they undertake any work in the UK. We will contact all new starters prior to their start dates to arrange for their right to work check to be done remotely, if it wasn’t already done at Interview stage.
• If the circumstance arises where the new starter is based overseas and cannot enter the country, please speak to your HR Manager as a priority. Additional issues will have to be considered for staff in this category.

Checks continue to be necessary and you must continue to check the prescribed documents listed in right to work checks: an employer’s guide. It remains an offence to knowingly employ anyone who does not have the right to work in the UK.

Because of COVID-19, some individuals may be unable to evidence their right to work. During this period, you must take extra care to ensure no-one is discriminated against as a job applicant or employee because they are unable to show you their documents. For more information, please see the code of practice for employers: avoiding unlawful discrimination while preventing illegal working.

Access to IT Facilities

• All new staff’s IT account logins and email accounts are usually automatically created by the Personnel database before your employment commences. Your username will usually be the first 6 letters of your surnames followed by your initial and your password will be:  LHU@first2letterofsurnameD.O.B (Format:DDMMYY)

 e.g. username: murphym

Password: LHU@mu130887 

You should then be able to get access to computing facilities including webpages, office applications and printers, an email account and other applications as required.  If not, please contact the IT Helpdesk on Ex. 2100

• Arrange for IT equipment please liaise with the IT Services team on itshelp@hope.ac.uk
• If they are working from home due to Covid-19, please refer to the University guidance and complete a risk assessment form and check what other equipment may be needed. For example, they may have an office chair at home but not a keyboard. Do they need a work mobile or can they use a headset and Zoom? Do they have a reliable and secure internet connection?
• Arrange for the items to be dropped off to them, being mindful of social distancing guidance when doing so. Alternatively, they may be able to pick items up from the University, but opportunities to arrange this may be limited during the WFH period.
• Ensure they are given access and permissions to key files, drives and have relevant software installed on computer hardware. Ensure they have knowledge of how to get IT support. 

Payroll and bank details

• New starters are asked to provide bank details as part of the online acceptance process so payroll should already hold these details.
• P45 documents from previous employers can be scanned or photographed and sent to the relevant Personnel Administrator electronically. If this will be an issue, please contact them.
• If the employee doesn't have a P45, a Starter Checklist (replaces P46) can be completed and submitted instead.

Induction

New staff should be provided with a planned induction programme covering the University, their department and their role.

Begin planning as soon as the candidate accepts the position. Remember that induction is not a one-off event; it may take up to six months to fully conclude and should be viewed as a development programme feeding into the probationary process, ongoing discussions through the year and eventually the performance review process.

The emphasis on the induction programme and Staff Induction checklist is to identify what needs to be done. As well as agreeing what they need to do, the new starter will need to understand how well things need to be done.

Avoiding overload

The employee will need to take in a lot of information. Follow these principles when forming your plan:

• very intensive information-giving sessions or periods are likely to be ineffective
• prioritise the information you need to provide, and work out when you will give it
• be clear about their work objectives and expected standards of performance
• be sure that the information you are planning to provide is relevant to their job
• ask the employee how they best learn and consider adapting the programme accordingly - remember that people learn in different ways
• involve other people - an important part of the induction process is getting to know your new colleagues and their work environment
• do not assume that a current or returning employee does not need to follow an induction programme - they will need it to help them settle into life at Hope.

Remember that one size will not fit all. The length and content of the departmental induction will vary depending on the complexity of the new employee's role and their previous experience and background.

• Ensure you have up to date contact information for the new starter and ask them to meet via Zoom for a one to one departmental Induction if you’re not back on campus. If you are then please meet in person, as it is important for the new employee to be welcomed properly.  The Staff Development Co-ordinator will contact them separately to offer a one to one Personnel Induction or to give them details of the next upcoming Induction session (This only takes place in September and January each year).
• Check if there are any other factors that affect them while working during the health protection measures (coronavirus), such as childcare responsibilities.
• Particular attention should be paid to any additional support or adjustments that may be required for your new starter - please contact your HR Manager for guidance if required
• Make them aware of key processes (eg probation, sickness absence reporting procedure, booking holidays, access to Moodle and other important information they will require).
• Important links to show the new employee and to locate information if needed: 
• Personnel
• Finance
• Research
• Health, Safety and Security
• Covid-19 information
• For all other aspects relating to covid-19, the new starter should be treated the same as other members of staff in relation to the guidance the University is following.
• For example, if they are unwell or need to self-isolate then they should be treated the same as for any other staff member, even if this occurs on day one of their contract.
• As far as feasibly possible, try to undertake the tasks outlined in the New staff pages, particularly those outlined on the Staff Induction checklist. Also complete any local departmental induction processes, adapting as necessary.
• In line with the expectations of probation, objectives should still be set for this period and should be reviewed in line with policy. The objectives might, understandably, be different to normal and may need adjusting. It is therefore important to regularly review progress and provide feedback to the new member of staff.

Keeping in touch

• As their manager, arrange to speak to them regularly, everyday if possible, during the first few weeks. Ensure they have a second point of contact for days when you don't work or are unavailable.
• Check in on their wellbeing as for any other member of staff. Make them aware of the Training resources page which has lots of resources to assist them or they could look on the staff well-being pages.  Change at any time can be stressful, but particularly during a national emergency.
• Ensure they are added to any key Google email groups, so they receive up to date information as other staff members do.
• Add them to any regular/key team and/or departmental meetings.
• Make them aware of key communications (e.g VC's email, Hope Bulletin emails) and the importance of reading these.
• Ensure they are set up on key communication tools that your department uses regularly and given guidance on how to use these (eg Gmail, Zoom).

Meeting the team

• Arrange for the new starter to meet the team virtually as soon as possible.
• Providing a team/departmental structure chart will also be helpful.
• Arrange for a 'mentor’ to be available on a regular basis, ideally throughout the working day (eg via email or Zoom) and/or with a regular catch up call.
• Arrange for them to speak to other key contacts (eg their equivalent role in another department) if possible.

Training

• The following Mandatory training can be completed via the Training resources pages. Make the new starter aware of the courses they must complete:
• Equality and Diversity
• GDPR
• Fire Awareness Training – The employee will be contacted direct for this training.
• Review of departmental guidance and policies
• Consider other training - can another team member remotely talk them through a key system or task using phone/Zoom and screen sharing technology?

Work tasks

• This will largely depend on the work carried out by your department, the role the employee has been appointed to and the current priorities for the team in the present climate. Departments will be best placed to understand the details of each job function and what tasks are achievable remotely.
• As far as possible, arrange for the new starter to undertake the usual tasks expected in their role. Make them aware that other, non-standard, work may be undertaken to support the rest of the team, department or University and that this may change at short notice.

Actions needed on first day

• Where required, arrange for a full right to work check to be completed.
• Ensure they obtain an ID card from the Personnel Office as a priority.
• Arrange a walk around to show them key office facilities (eg toilets), fire exits and to physically meet colleagues. In relation to Covid-19, please go through all Health and Safety measures with the new starter
• Double check all actions from the induction checklist have been completed.
• Follow up on the outstanding issues that you have not previously covered due to remote working.