Induction

An induction program welcomes volunteers to an organisation and assists them prepare for their role by providing the necessary information, resources and motivation to assist new volunteers to adjust to the work environment quickly.

A good induction program has been associated with increasing early productivity, decreasing volunteer turnover and reducing the frequency of workplace injuries. Studies have shown that the first six to eight weeks are when employees are most at risk of work related injuries and the risk to volunteers is most likely similar.

An induction program can be as large or as small as you need. Its size will be largely dependant on the reason you recruited volunteers, the types of tasks your volunteers will be performing, the resources you have available and your organisation's timeframe.

An induction program can familiarise new volunteers with a range is topics including:

• History, mission, vision and values of your organisation
• Occupational health and safety issues and procedures
• Work procedures and reimbursements
• EEO policies
• Codes of acceptable behaviour
• Probationary periods and conditions
• Training and promotional opportunities
• Reward and recognition programs and initiatives
• The level of support and supervision they can expect
• How to report concerns and discomforts
• Performance management programs

Developing an Induction Program

When developing your induction program consider the following activities:

• Forming a small working party consisting of managers, volunteers and HR staff to ascertain what is required in your volunteer induction program
• Surveying current volunteers to find out what issues need to be considered and included in an induction program.
• Ensuring that your induction program is consistent with your volunteer policy.
• Making your induction program easily accessible to all volunteers in all work areas.
• Ensuring that those staff members most likely to provide assistance in conducting the induction program know where to find the program and how to modify it.
• Ensuring that the induction program is checked and updated regularly so that information remains current and relevant to the work area and new volunteers.

Determining the content of an induction program is somewhat of a balancing act between providing the right information and not overwhelming a new volunteer. Common pitfalls to avoid in developing your induction program include:

• Providing too much information, too soon
• Pitching presentations and materials at an inappropriate level - either too high or too low
• Creating a program that generates unrealistic expectations
• Lengthy dull programs

Delivering Your Induction Program

Communication Mediums

New volunteer induction programs can use a variety of materials including entertaining presentations, workbooks, activities, conversations and discussions etc. However, unless you are conducting a major volunteer recruitment drive it is unlikely you will have the resources to utilise all of these mediums. Therefore, select the mediums most appropriate to the delivery of your information and timeframe.

Also be aware that volunteers will have different learning styles, some learn better visually, through their eyes, some verbally through auditory memory or through understanding of ideas, some mechanically, some even by touch. Many aspects of learning styles depend upon experience and personality therefore try to incorporate information in a variety of mediums.

For example, a detailed safety policy can be included as part of booklet and the most important details can be reiterated when giving a tour of your facilities by pointing out the emergency exists and briefly summarising the basic safety procedure in an action orientated context.

Furthermore, as previously noted in the 'Screening and Selection' module, not all volunteers have sound literacy skills, therefore, a text based induction manual or booklet may not be the most appropriate medium for communicating information to all new volunteers. A method of avoiding this pitfall is to incorporate information in charts or pictorial representations or have an audio version available. Additionally, having supervisors or mentors available to discuss induction materials is always a good idea.

Types of Volunteer Induction Programs

Often volunteer organisations do not have the time to conduct resource intensive volunteer induction programs. Therefore, it may be appropriate for you to adopt one of the following three approaches to the development of your volunteer induction program.

1. FORMAL APPROACH

   Involves a day of induction training, including the provision of notes, activities, discussions and guest speakers.

   Advantages

   • Covers a large amount of information in one day
   • Works well when you have a large group of new volunteers
   • Volunteers can meet each other and form friendships

   Disadvantages

   • Skilled facilitator is required.
   • Extensive preparation and planning time is required for materials and presentation notes
   • One day can be difficult for people to attend

2. SEMI FORMAL (buddy or mentoring process)

   A written/tape version of the induction manual is provided with sections for signatures as evidence of reading. For a period of one month volunteers are restricted to low risk activities and observational opportunities. During this period staff members also explain different aspects of the organisation and ask the volunteer questions to determine their understanding. When a staff member is satisfied that the volunteer has a sufficient understanding, they sign a form to that effect.

   Advantages

   • Relationships can develop and the abilities and limitations of volunteers can be noted and addressed
   • Questions can be linked to actual situations
   • Volunteers are exposed to a variety of learning experiences and mediums

   Disadvantages

   • Induction process takes longer to complete
   • Requires assistance and attendance from other workers and volunteers
   • May have people who decide to discontinue due to limited opportunities while on probation

3. CASUAL APPROACH

   The volunteer is placed on probation during the induction process. In the casual approach the process includes a brief conversation to discuss confidentiality and probationary agreement conditions. The volunteer and intake officer then sign a form indicating that this part of the process is complete. After this the volunteer is then given limited tasks with a high level of direction (how, what, why, when) and monitoring.

   An induction manual (written or audio) with graded self paced learning questions that volunteers are required to respond to and record answers could be used. Typically questions can be divided into:

   • 'must know' (end of first shift)
   • 'should know' (end of first week /month)
   • 'could know' (optional)

   Once questions are adequately completed an authorised person signs-off on this part of the process and the probationary period ends.

   Advantages

   • Volunteers can develop an understanding of the organisation through the different tasks they will perform
   • Questions can be linked to actual situations
   • Less resources are required on the part of the organisation

   Disadvantages

   • Ineffective for people with low literacy skills
   • Induction process may take longer to complete and requires some assistance from other volunteers or staff
   • People may decide not to continue due to limited opportunities while on probation

Best Practice Tip

• Whatever induction approach you select, it is important to ask volunteers how useful they found the induction. This allows you to fine tune the induction program and ensure it remains useful to new volunteers.