Successful induction

Offshore companies often invest a great deal of time and money on recruitment, using sophisticated techniques to select the best staff and present a polished image to the outside world. In consequence, expectations of the firm can be very high amongst successful candidates.

If these expectations are not met, not only may a new employee end up leaving but your company can end up footing the bill for a replacement as well as incurring all the costs of the time and effort needed to find a suitable replacement.

It’s far simpler and more cost-effective to make sure new employees are properly inducted in the first place. A properly planned induction can make all the difference. This short article sets out to provide a basic primer to help you achieve this.

Making the offer of employment

Everything you do between the first interview and the proposed start date will help form candidates’ view of your company and influence their decision as to whether to join your organisation once an offer has been made. It doesn’t help to mislead candidates into thinking that the job is more interesting than it is, as this can result in a de-motivated employee and a higher turnover of staff. The way you notified them they had successfully got the job, and what they were to do after that, are all part of the induction process
Be friendly and professional in everything you send out. Put together a personalised, well-presented welcome pack. Pay attention to detail indicating any support measures you may put into place to counter such early stressors as changes in country, culture, employer, new responsibilities, and so on. In the absence of visiting your office in person (often not practical), the literature you courier will have a major influence on the way both you and your firm will be perceived
At a minimum, the welcome pack should include the letter of offer, the work permit application form, together with detailed instructions, and any other useful material that will help them settle in as smoothly as possible (such as literature on the office and the Island, guidance on how to find accommodation/arranging short-term finance if needed etc.)

Helping with the work permit

The immigration process can seem daunting to candidates. Make sure that you guide them through the work permit process and ensure that they have complied with everything required prior to submission of their application to Immigration
Do not assume that just because you are familiar with the requirements for assembling work permit documentation (e.g. the meaning of "certified" copies) that this will be the case with the candidate. Remember that this process is new to them
You should advise the candidate from the outset that the time taken for Immigration to approve work permits can vary significantly. This will ensure that they do not become unduly anxious if delays do occur
For speed of processing, it is also a good idea to ensure the candidate returns the completed acceptance and work permit documentation by courier (rather than regular air mail or registered post)
Some employers request that candidates first fax over all their work permit material prior to submitting it by courier. This gives you a chance to review the documents and ensure that everything is in order, thereby avoiding simple errors and consequent delays from arising

Before they arrive on the Island

If there is a significant time lag between when you do your recruiting and the candidate’s start date then it is especially important to stay in touch with your candidate during the intervening period to guard against losing them to another, more immediate and tangible opportunity
Many employers utilise a ‘buddy system’. The buddy should ideally be of a similar background (age, gender, nationality, professional status) to the candidate and should also be relatively new to the company so that they can best relate to each other. It is important that the buddy should be a willing volunteer and an accepted member of the office team, with a confident, outgoing and approachable personality. Depending on the size of your organisation, it may be helpful here to have a standardised briefing session to assist buddies in their role so that they are effective from the start
You should appoint the buddy before the new starter flies out to the Island so that they have a chance to make contact prior to the new employee’s arrival. This will provide an opportunity for the candidate to ask basic questions without fear of embarrassment. It will also give them a friendly face to help them feel more at home on their first day
Make sure that you know exactly what you are going to do with new recruits on their first days and weeks in the office. Your plan of action should include bringing them up to speed on their job, training, the company and the Island environment
Other staff should have been briefed about their arrival before they start work. Make sure everyone on the team understands what is expected of him or her. Existing staff members can make or break a new beginner’s morale quicker than anything you can do to welcome them
Ensure that the candidate knows where they will be staying and is briefed on arrival procedures in the eventuality there is a problem and the buddy is not there to meet them as expected

Arrival at the airport

You should arrange for the buddy to meet them at the airport and escort them to their accommodation. Note that it is common practice for many employers to provide initial accommodation and transport for the first two weeks or longer, sometimes supplemented by an introductory loan, repayable out of the first six-to-ten months’ salary, to help with start-up costs (e.g. rent deposit, equipping the apartment, securing transport)

Welcoming them to the office

Ensure that your receptionist is expecting their arrival and knows where to take them
Some new starters seem to fit in right away, others take longer and need more reassurance that they are not being abandoned to ‘sink or swim’. Make sure the tone of their first day is especially positive. First impressions count both ways!
No one can be expected to start a new job in a new country and do well immediately without proper supervision, training, encouragement and support. Fail to give any of these and they may struggle; help them and they should reward you with a job well done
New employees do not like to feel that they are pestering people by asking a lot of simple questions. With an office buddy, it is useful for them to have someone whose job it is to help with such questions
The more you can demonstrate how you plan to develop their professional skills (through training, exposure to new areas of responsibility), the more they will feel valued and see a long-term future with the company
Ensure they are given a guided tour and introduced to other members of the office
If they spend most of their first day sitting in a corner wading through a mountain of reference material they are unlikely to be hugely impressed so it's best to avoid this approach
Try to make sure that on their first weekend on the Island they have the option of going along to a social activity, perhaps with their buddy
Any advice and assistance you can provide to help them get settled will also ensure they become productive more quickly

Follow-up procedures

At the end of the first day, make sure they briefly report back to you. This will provide an opportunity for you to make sure that they are settling in satisfactorily and gauge how they feel about their first day
They will undoubtedly have a lot of relocation and personal administration issues to tend to - a nice touch on the first day is to be flexible and let them leave a little early
You should also regularly follow up with their buddy or line manager to monitor progress. If there are any issues to address, it’s best if these are identified and addressed on a timely basis
Finally, when they are scheduled to leave your employment, conduct an exit interview with them so that you can evaluate how effective your welcome and induction process is. Invite feedback and ideas from them with regard to how your process can be improved for future recruits

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