Induction Training: Build Your Best Brand Ambassadors
Transform new joiners into true believers
New joiners to your organisation may groan at the idea of induction training, particularly if it lasts several days. Unfortunately, induction training has gained a poor reputation for being both overwhelming and boring. In other words, too much information is delivered unemotively.
The core problem is that most induction programmes focus on introducing the practicalities of working at an organisation, such as its systems, policies, procedures and expectations of conduct. To some extent, this is unavoidable because organisations need new joiners to be as effective as possible as quickly as possible. However, what often gets missed is the need to inspire employees as well.
Induction training is significantly more memorable and motivational if you deliver it in the context of your brand. This is the lifeforce of your organisation, and the sum of its purpose, mission, values, culture and more.
An employee’s relationship with their employer’s brand is critical. They should not only feel they contribute to the brand’s reputation in the world but also gain value from it. If one or both of these are missing, then the employee will start to lose motivation to do a good job. Naturally, induction training is the perfect opportunity to plant the seeds of this essential bidirectional employer-employee relationship.
Here are our top ten ways to build the power of brand into your induction training. The techniques can be added to any type of induction you undertake, from face-to-face sessions to remote onboarding.
Start with the Ambassador Statement
Whenever an employee is asked “What does your organisation do?” they should answer with approximately the same sentence. This is your organisation’s ambassador statement or elevator pitch that states its purpose and competitive advantage concisely and engagingly
A carefully constructed ambassador statement provides clarity and consistency about what the organisation achieves for its customers and what makes it stand out from competitors. Furthermore, it turns every employee into an effective sales representative.
State the Mission
Next, make sure your induction training sets new joiners on the same path as other employees. This is where you introduce the overarching objectives the organisation is working towards, and the strategies for achieving them. The aim is to motivate new joiners with an enticing vision of the brand’s future successes, and the benefits and possibilities that will flow from them.
Introduce the Customer
Most organisations exist for the benefit of customers. As every employee contributes in some way, make sure new joiners know exactly who your customers are. You can usually gather this information from marketing and business development teams. They tend to have clear breakdowns of the customer segments that buy your products and services and any that are being targeted with new marketing and sales initiatives.
Experience a Customer Moment
Beyond simply talking about the customer, why not allow new joiners to meet them? Non-customer-facing roles can often feel distanced from the very people the organisation serves. That means they don’t have any firsthand experience of what customers want, or how customer-facing teams operate.
An excellent way to close this knowledge gap is to get new joiners to observe a customer-facing employee as they talk to customers. They will learn about the different needs and challenges, and gain insight into perceptions of the brand.
Define the Brand Values
Beyond simply satisfying a requirement, we tend to buy from brands that have qualities we trust and admire. These are your organisation’s brand values, and new joiners need to understand what they are so they can exhibit the same behaviours. However, bear in mind that official brand values can sometimes be a bit vague, particularly if they are distilled to simple words and phrases such as ‘reliable’ or ‘customer-focused’. Use your induction training to explain how these values are actually embodied by employees and delivered to customers.
Justify What With Why
If you want to change someone’s behaviour, you need to explain why. Rather than simply outlining your policies, procedures and expectations of conduct, always try to phrase them in the context of your brand and its values. For example, employees must observe strict security procedures when handling personal data so customers feel confident about providing their information. You can also explain how colleagues benefit. New joiners will be far more receptive to dry subjects such as health and safety if they understand what the risks are, and why taking certain actions keeps them safe.
Talk About Successes
People like to know they are on a winning team, so it helps to compile a list of successes that the organisation has achieved. This could be major customer wins, pioneering innovations, and awards and accolades. If possible, you should also add corporate social responsibility (CSR) achievements to show your organisation adds value to the community as well. Overall, using induction training to communicate successes sets an expectation of the many future achievements that new joiners will ultimately help to deliver.
Delve into the Culture
Another valuable inclusion for induction training is to talk about what it’s actually like to work for the organisation. When doing this, you obviously want to focus on what you do well. Look for positives such as close working relationships, strong teamwork and a passion for excellence. However, don’t omit or sugarcoat any glaring negatives that new joiners will discover within a few days of working there. Every organisation faces challenges, particularly in our post-pandemic world with its geopolitical and economic pressures. Be clear about these internal challenges and explain what the organisation is doing to address them.
Find a Personality that Embodies the Brand
Nothing conveys the brand of an organisation better than an employee who embodies it. An inspiring employee can be a powerful role model who exhibits the attitude and behaviour you want new joiners to embrace. If you hold face-to-face induction training, ensure the person delivering it is inspirational and good at presenting. If you undertake remote onboarding, then a short video can capture some of the same effects.
Take a Tour
Face-to-face induction training can be far more interesting when conducted in different locations rather than a single room. A long walk around your building is often the best way to immerse new joiners in your organisation and its brand. It allows you to orientate, explain facilities and services, and introduce key people and teams. Remember that the best brand ambassadors have a knowledge of your organisation that extends well beyond their own role.
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