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Do you place as much importance on your induction system as you do on your training safety? While the link between the two is obvious, many organisations will have a solid working system around their training, while their induction program flounders in a state of something resembling chaos. Apart from the obvious argument that a poor induction program can have an adverse effect on safety, it can also help to create a dangerous attitude of casualness towards safety throughout the organisation.
Here's a scenario that may feel familiar:
"Just watch this DVD"
You've hired a couple of new drivers for your delivery fleet. They have a lot of experience under their belts and can jump straight into it. Everyone's happy to see them and eager for them to lighten the load. The fleet manager throws in the induction DVD and says he'll be back in 45 minutes. He's definitely too busy to stick around. The drivers have seen it all before so they take the time to get to know each other. It's the natural, human thing to do. Who can blame them? And maybe there is nothing new on the DVD. Perhaps they really have seen it all before. However, a precedent has been set - one that will take a lot of hard work to change. The new employees have been shown by their manager and the company's casual approach to the induction process that safety is taken pretty lightly. What's more, when they start working with the other employees, they are likely to experience the same attitude. After all, those employees went through the same induction process.
Improve your induction system, improve safety and attitude
It's a simple idea, yet one that's all too often left lingering in the back of the mind. I'll get to it eventually but I'm way to busy! How on earth will I convince branch managers that it's important? I could computerise it, but then I'll have to deal with the IT department.
Legitimate reasons. But the fact is, not only is an effective induction system vital to safety, it's probably a lot easier to implement than most OH&S or HR Managers are aware of. These days there are a number of companies that offer an online induction system that allows you to create courses that can be accessed and completed by inductees before they even arrive on site. And your IT department won't need to touch it. There are a number of solutions out there, but we believe there is none better than Rapid Induct – so contact us today for a free demonstration.
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