Unit 21: Induction Training Plan (Assignment 2)

Dec 18

Written By Rebecca Gossage

Sample work for unit 21 training and development. Sample work for BTEC Level 3 Business Studies

Induction Training Plan

at

Dove and Olive

First Day of Induction

Itinerary

Morning Session(café closed)

Introduction and company culture

Menu walk-through

Key Skills

Coffee Making
Other drinks
Using the cash register
Speaking to customers
Communicating with the kitchen
Keeping the café clean

Dealing with issues: What would you do? Scenarios

Recap on policies and sign contracts

Afternoon session (Café open)

Observe key skills

Practise key skills with observation

Feedback session

First week and Beyond

First Week of Induction

During the first week of work, new recruits will practise the key skills they covered in the first day induction. They will work with a supervisor throughout the week who will be observing and giving continuous feedback throughout their shift. At the end of each shift they will meet briefly with their supervisor to rate skill development from novice to expert, discuss what went well, what needs improving and to set targets on skills to work on the following shift.

Feedback Form

Here is an example of the feedback form that employees can use to support discussions on their progress with their supervisors.

Name of staff:
Skill	Novice	Advanced beginner	Competent	Proficient	Expert
Coffee Making
Other drinks
Using the cash register
Speaking to customers
Communicating with kitchen
Keeping café clean
A challenge I dealt with today
What I am still struggling with
Targets for tomorrow

First month and beyond

After the first week, new recruits will begin to receive less direct supervision if their supervisors feels they are ready to be more independent. They will have a supervisor check in meeting to reflect once a week instead of daily.

More highly skilled training on food and beverages will be delivered by Dove and Olive managers including

Wine tasting
Food and drink pairing
Origins of the food we serve

At times external trainers are brought in to deepen our knowledge of food and beverage. All staff are welcome to attend this training. Examples of training that may be available in the coming months includes

Barista training
Mixology
Food preparation

A Report on the Likely Impact of Induction on New Recruits at the Dove and Olive

Introduction

I was given the opportunity to develop an induction programme for a local business. I chose a local café/restaurant called The Dove and Olive because I completed my work experience there in year 11 and have been working there part time on Saturday afternoons for 2 months. In order to plan the induction, I met with the owners and managers to discuss their current induction plan and the areas in which they felt it could be improved. I then researched what makes an effective induction and advice on specific activities to include in induction programmes in the hospitality industry.

What makes a good induction?

Creating a positive environment is an important factor affecting an induction. This is because staff that feel settled quickly into an organisation’s culture are likely to be better motivated which will improve their performance and make them less likely to leave. This is important to the Dove and Olive because they are a small business so losing just one member of staff represents a very large proportion of staff available to work. This puts a lot of pressure on other staff to cover their hours until a replacement is found.

A good induction has an appropriate pace. If trainers go through the new skills and knowledge too quickly, staff will not get the chance to consolidate these skills. This can make them feel overwhelmed and can have a negative impact on morale. For example, it takes time to learn how to use a new coffee machine and make a range of different coffees. If trainers rushed through this in ten minutes, staff would be unlikely to remember what was covered.

Using a range of communication methods will help staff to understand what is being delivered. This is because different people have different learning styles. For example, some people learn best from visual presentations, some people learn very easily from listening to somebody explain things and some people learn best from practising. When teaching how to use the coffee machine, trainers can do a visual demonstration, explain verbally what they are doing and give staff the opportunity to practise. This gives all staff the best chance of understanding regardless of their learning style.

Prioritising Skills and knowledge is an important factor in ensuring staff are prepared for their first shift. This is because there is limited time available to have off-the-job training before staff begin work so managers have to make a decision on what is most important for them to cover. At Dove and Olive, it is important that staff feel settled, know how to use the equipment and understand the main policies and procedures. Therefore the induction plan covers these on the first day with a plan to integrate further skills and knowledge into ongoing training.

Responding to feedback can both make employees feel valued and support the development of future induction training that is streamlined, specific and gets the most out of the limited time available. As the Dove and Olive is a small business, managers and owners have easy access to speak to staff so can informally gather feedback on how they feel about the initial induction. I have also created a feedback form with open and closed questions for my planned induction. Seeing their feedback have an impact on future changes should make employees feel more valued, which should increase morale and retention.

Overall, the new recruits should be at the centre of all decisions related to planning an induction programme. Creating a positive environment, an appropriate pace, communicating through a range of sources, prioritising the most important skills to learn before starting work and responding to feedback should all support the development of a strong induction programme.

Planned Induction at the Dove and Olive

Prior to face to face training, all new recruits will be sent a handbook. This has key information regarding their role and relevant policies. This gives them an opportunity to read them in their own time.
During the induction day, new recruits will meet key staff, be introduced to relevant information about the Dove and Olive, talk through policies and practise skills related to their job while the restaurant is closed. They will also continue their induction once the restaurant is open by practising their skills by serving real customers once we open in the afternoon. This will be under the supervision of an experienced member of staff.
During the first week, new recruits will have daily reflections with their supervisor to review their progress on key skills. They will set their own daily targets based on this review and will work with a buddy to make achieve them.
In the first few months of work, new recruits will continue to meet with supervisors as and when is felt necessary to continue to set and review targets. They will also be offered further training on new skills once they reach a stage when they feel confident in the basics.

Induction Objectives

For new recruits to feel comfortable, settled and an important part of the business quickly.
For new recruits to understand their role in the business
For new recruits to feel confident in the skills and knowledge of their job role
To ensure that new recruits are aware of policies and procedures related to their role in a timely manner

Evaluation

One strength of this induction programme is that it can support the aim of new recruits to feel settled in more quickly. This is through having the opportunity to spend time with key staff while the restaurant is closed and by being paired with a colleague while the restaurant is open. This creates an environment where there is more time to talk, get to know each other and ask questions compared to during a normal shift when things can be very busy.

Another strength of this induction programme is that it supports the aim of new recruits understanding their role and its relation to others. Time is spent on and off the job to teach the most common skills that an employee will use and to discuss the different roles in the business. This means that employees feel more confident in what they need to do once they start work and can better communicate with their colleagues as the significance of their roles in relation to each other.

Another strength of the induction is that it supports the awareness and understanding of key policies and procedures. For example, time is spent talking through health and safety policies and practising role play situations. This prepares new recruits for situations that may arise when they are on shift. This can reduces accidents, which can prevent legal action and negative impacts on brand image.

A drawback of this induction could be that staff may become overwhelmed. There is a lot of information to read through in terms of the policies and procedures and the terms and conditions of the contract they need to sign. As this position may attract young people with little experience due to the pay being just above minimum wage, new recruits may be unfamiliar with reading and understanding formal documents like this. This can lead to staff being unaware of their expectations without managers realising.

Another drawback of this induction is the time constraints. New recruits only have one morning to learn the skills of the job before they are serving customers in the afternoon. Depending on how quickly staff pick up the new skills, The Dove and Olive could potentially be risking poor service if the new member of staff fulfils an order they do not know how to complete. For example, they may serve the wrong coffee or give them wrong information from the menu. This could lead to customer dissatisfaction and negative word of mouth.

A final drawback is the cost of training. This training requires managers or supervisors to be available in the morning which they and the new recruit will need to be paid for. In the afternoon, due to the buddy system being used, an additional supervisor will need to be paid to observe the new recruit. This can be expensive for a small business such as the Dove and Olive who may not experience the economies of scale that a larger organisation enjoys and therefore may be a reason for them to rush some parts.

Overall, the planned induction programme has elements to cover the main objectives of the programme. Consideration is given to the constraints faced by a small business such as time and money. However, if the managers of Dove and Olive feel that the costs outweigh the benefits, they may want to consider a more gradual on-the-job strategy.

Research Log

Rebecca Gossage https://www.yourbusinessroom.com