Do you give your induction programme the same attention that you give your training programmes? Bet you don't! Chances are you haven't updated your induction programme for months, (years?) but your training is continually being improved. Don't worry, you're not alone.

But if you want to stand out from the pack – and you do – you need to provide your employees and contractors with a positive experience from the very beginning. The first real impression you are able to provide when you begin your relationship with a new employee is your induction programme. The quality of this programme – it's content and how it's delivered – will have a lasting effect on how your training efforts are perceived. So make the most of it and do it right!

How to effectively deliver content

Don't just hand the poor saps a booklet and ask them to read it. Don't sit them in front of a video. If you want your people to actually absorb and retain information – and that is what it's all about – they need to engage with the content. Depending on time, resource and financial constraints, you can involve face-to-face training as part of your induction programme.

A recent study by the US Department of Education, however, showed that the best way for students to retain information is a combination of face-to-face learning combined with online learning. The benefits of online learning, the study shows, are that each student is able to absorb the information at their own pace.

Interactive Online Induction Programme

The beauty of having access to an online induction system is that you can often deliver your company training through the same system. But make sure it has everything you need it to:

What to look for:

Web-based – access it from anywhere and eliminate IT issues

Self editable – update courses immediately and for no cost

Proven – make sure other reputable companies are using it

Comprehensive – can you include images, video, audio?

Reports – does it give you instant access to all statistics

Interactive – it needs to be able to test knowledge as the inductee conducts the course

Finding a system that suits your organisation can begin by talking to professional peers or even a simple Google search. Try searching for "induction programme" or "induction training" and see what comes up. Try the paid links as well – it's often the best choice when looking for business-related solutions. There are some great online training solutions out there, so do the research and good luck.