Article: Induction - To integrate employees and systems with organisation

Employee Assistance Programs

Induction - To integrate employees and systems with organisation

The whole atmosphere during the course of induction should help develop the feeling of warmth and the feedback received through informal channels of communication should be used to review the effectiveness of induction programme.
Induction - To integrate employees and systems with organisation

The managements in general and human resource propossionals in particular agree that one of the important human resource systems that influences the thinking and actions of the employees is induction programme. Unfortunately such an important function is quite often in most of the organisations is neglected and many a times becomes ritualistic exercise of joining formality.Induction in the normal course is construed as introduction of a new recruit to the organisation its people and  systems. If induction is understood in such a limited sense, the very purpose and the importance for which it has been emphasised as a vital human resource system is negated. It is in fact in its broader sense, all important and all pervading human resourse system that integrates the culture. Induction should therefore aim at transforming the perceptions, attitudes,approaches and even the value systems of the individual and brings about a harmony between the individual and organisation goals.

It is an establishment fact that first impression is the best impression. Induction programme should necessarily be designed in such a way that instills and reinforce positive impression about the oragnisation its people and systems. The induction programme should therefore take care of

  • Introduction and integration of the person with the organisation,people and systems.

  • Reasonable reconciliation of diversified interests of various stake holders within the oragnsisation. 

  • New recruits as well as experienced employess with varied  values and cultural background.

  • Must be an on going process to prepare and make the employees amenable to changes and challenges from time to time.


Induction programme designed should be realistic rather than ritualistic. This should not be an exercise to project a rosy picture  and a selling proposition. Employees should be told and inducted in a congenial atmosphere to make them feel at home. Any induction programme that does not reflect the true spirit of an organisation is  hippocratic  and frustrating to the employees leading to develop negative feelings. Proper care should be taken at the designing stage itself to avoid causing more damage than serve the purpose for which induction programme is designed, developed and implemented.

Induction of new recruits

The induction programme for fresher from the school/collage for employment should be designed assiduously.

  • To expose them to the industrial work culture.
  • To impart  the necessary skills required to help them adjust to the company’s policies,people and systems.
  • To identify their  aptitudes and interests  in order to place the right man on the right job,etc.


Induction is really a foundation on which the edifice of career can be nicely built. New recruits can be moulded easily and hence implementation of a systematic induction programme for new recruits would make them highly motivated, effective and efficient. At the same time,new recruits should not  be taken for granted. They also watch things carefully and make their own assessment. The contents of the induction programme should therefore reflect the realities of the organisation.

Since the induction programme is the first step of transforming amateurs into proficient, it should be designed carefully  and related to the educational background and designation, instead of stereotype schedule of making the fresher to go  round all the departments.

Induction of experienced people

Recruitment of experienced people to take up positions directly with a short induction programme is also practised in the industrial organisation.

By virtue of their experience they may already have had

  • Exposure to industrial work culture

  • Formed their own beliefs and attitudes

  • Acquired necessary skills to perform their jobs.

  • Worked in an atmosphere with set system and procedures.


Induction  programme for such inductees should be designed to bring in reasonable reconciliation of their values, beliefs, attitudes, the systems, people and culture of the organisation they have joined. As long as there is no conflict between the individual aspirations and organisation interest, the individuals should be allowed to express their opinions about the systems, culture and people within the organisation in free and frank manner. Feed back received should be used to review the existing  practises,policies and systems. Induction programme should be continuously monitored and reviewed from time to time so as to take care of the individual as well as the organisation needs.

Induction of new systems or modifying existing systems

All of us agree that organisation are operating in dynamic and turbulent environment . Introduction of new systems or modifying the existing systems is an essential requirement of  the organisation process to take care  of the organisation needs and helps to cope up with changes from time to time. Systems and policies that effect the behaviour and actions of human beings in the organisation should be carefully implemented without hurting the feelings of the people. It is desirable to have a dialogue with the people concerned or atleast representatives of the people on the new systems to be introduced before implementation to accommodate as far as possible their views and feelings for smooth implementation.

Systems  should not emerge all of a sudden as a bolt from the blue. A well orchestrated  system introduced with the consent and consensus of the people stands a chance of being efficiently implemented. Organisation do not change their  culture and systems to accommodate individuals. Only persons have to adjust to the organisation culture. Such persons only can aspire to ascend the ladder of hierarchy. One who wants to change the organisation  culture to suit his thinking and perception is either forced to leave or feels frustrated. On the other hand changes can be brought about with the combined and consensus efforts of all individuals together. The mangers interest and his involvement in integrating the people through a properly drawn up programme can ensure the successful implemented of induction programme.

Induction  programme implemented  as a ritual only is futile exercise . often people  complain, criticise and display other forms of resistance due to improper integration with the organisation, system and people . Importance attached to the induction programme by the management and the concern shown by the senior mangers towards the people  to be integrated are the essential  prerequisites  to make it meaningful to achieve  the desired objectives. Mere preaching and promising  things without realising  feasibility  of their implementation  would hardly serve any purpose. More over this can cause damage  and disintegration. Induction, therefore, should  be realistic  and meaningful  to coordinate and integrate the organisation the people and the system. Top management’s  interests and informal interactions  with the people to be integrated would provide an opportunity to find out the process of adjustment of the people.

The whole atmosphere during the course  of induction should help develop the feeling of warmth and  the feedback received through informal channels of communication should be used to review the effectiveness of induction programme. It is certain  that carefully developed and implemented induction programme would help the employee to understand  the organisation as a whole in a right perspective and reduce the effect of negativity spread by vested  interests  through informal channels of communication.

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Topics: Employee Assistance Programs, Employee Relations

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