Day one at this particular Association as a temporary Housing Officer and you are sent to head office. You will save your receipts and fill in your time sheet. The travel is fully reimbursed and you will get paid for the time.
Your initial task is to sit with the I.T team to get log in details and a swipe card. Your own log in (already set up with the relevant permissions) gives you access to everything you will need to carry out your role that are contained on the computer system.
Your email address will already be working and at the office location, a work station is being made ready for your arrival as well as a car parking space if needed.
Your second task is to meet the HR team so you know who they are and how to contact them. After this, off home to get ready for your second day in the office.
Day two and your line manager will have an induction plan ready for you to follow. After meeting the other members of team, see your work station and have a Health & Safety check carried out, you will do a tour of the office with the facilities team to get involved in a building check whilst learning where the toilets, kitchen, fire exits and chocolate biscuits live.
Your last task is to sit with your line manager and have a private chat about the expectations of you and the role during the first week and ultimately, the duration of the role.
All this before starting the role properly. It sounds a bit far-fetched to expect every new temporary member of staff to follow this process and for it all to tie in with I.T, HR, the wider team and the line manager, but this Housing Association does. Every time.
The line manager who spoke to our consultant explained why it is so important to follow this thorough process;
“We need our temporary members of staff to be comfortable with the organisation, the staff and their surroundings. We also need them to fully understand our expectations of them and have the right tools in place to be effective straight away. How can we expect to get the best out of our temporary staff unless we invest in them initially?’
For some, this may be common sense. However we see the impact of getting this wrong and it happens more than you may expect. A temporary hire may be planned or it may be reactive due to unforeseen circumstances. Best practice shows that it is vital to have a thorough induction process in place in order to give a new member of staff the right tools to get off the best possible start.
Daniel Short is co-founder and Managing Director at Greenacre. Daniel has worked in the recruitment industry since 2004 and is responsible for setting the company vision, leading the growth plans within the business across the UK and building strategic relationships within the housing sector and associated industries.