CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Brief Introduction

This chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, aims and objectives of the study, research hypothesis, research question, significance of the study, and the scope of the study.

1.1 Background Of The Study

An induction program is a process used within many businesses to welcome new employees to the company and prepare them for their new roles. Prior research suggests that most organizations implement some forms of induction to help employees familiarize themself with their jobs (Wesson and Gogus, 2005).

An induction program can be seen as a formal training program and an informal training program carried out by coworkers (Cobber system) and supervisors or a combination of the both. (Klien and Weaver 2000).

According to Mestre, Stainer, and Stainer (1997) the main aim of induction is to lessen the fear or anxiety experienced by new employees in regarding settling into their new jobs or performance.

Induction is known in the United States of America USA as onboarding. It is a management jargon first created in the 1970s that refers to the mechanism through which new employees acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors in other to become effective organizational member and insider.

To effectively impact new employees through induction programs one need to teach the employees about organizational issues, this is greatly supported by (Mestre et al 1997) and Snell (2006) and Wanous and Rechiers, who said they are two types of information required in an induction program.

Firstly the general information about the employee’s work routines and secondly a review of the organizations history, health and safety procedures, a tour of the organizations building, and introduction to coworkers are some of the essential aspects for creating an induction program.

And induction training should follow the TPI (theory, practical an interaction) theory, this theory refers that new employees develop theoretical and practical skills towards the performance of the job, but also satisfy the need of interaction that exists among employees.

These three conditions need to be fulfilled to become integrated into the organization. This theory is important to approach and understand of integration and socialization effects.

To and extern this theory is supported by the Abraham Maslow Hierarchy theory of motivation which states that employees require a need of belongingness and love, the need focuses on the social aspect of work, affiliation, and friends, traditional organizations usually hold regular social activities to meet social needs of their workers (Ndelle Wang 2014).

According to Snell (2006) induction provides benefits to organizations such as a reduction in the amount of time taken for a new employee to adjust in and organization (Ragsdale and Mueller) and to reach full working capacity.

A well-organized induction program will aid staff in dealing with anxiety by providing them with coping strategies like goal setting and planning during one of the most stressful times in their organizational life (Wanous and Rechers, 2000).

This help employee settles in faster and feel more at home in the organization (Doddes and Verest, 2002; Ragsdale and Muller, 2005) which in turn could translate into more productive workers who feel part of the organization (Daurizio, 2007).

It‟s very important for organizations to have a well-defined and structured induction program that will provide appropriate information, and the employee should prepare a post-orientation report to provide management with feedback on the entire program (Saif Ahdmed 2014).

Induction programs are very important in every organization as it is a proactive move to solve future organizational problems, just like a famous English philosopher ( Francis Becon) said, He that do not apply new remedies must accept new evils, for time is the greatest innovator. So organizations definitely need to practice induction.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

Induction programs are very beneficial to both employees and the organization, it provide the employees a sense of belongingness thereby improving their performance, for the organization it provides a good cooperate image and definitely a good working environment thereby increasing outputs, but based on research and observation it disturbing to note that most big organization simply ignore induction training as they see it to be a burden, most often when people leave an organization poor induction rather than poor recruitment and selection techniques is the cause.

When an employee can‟t familiarize himself with organization’s goals, values, and objectives then there is a big problem and the need for proper orientation.

It is doubtful to ask if induction can affect an employee‟s performance. This research is therefore intended to find out the impact of induction programs on an employee‟s performance.

1.3 Aims And Objectives Of The Study

1. To identify the benefits of implementing induction programs in an organization.
2. To determine the extern to which induction programs can increase employee‟s performance.
3. To examine the various forms of induction programs.
4. To suggest strategies of better application of the induction program to best increase employees’ performance.

1.4 Research Question

1. Are induction programs actually provided to workers?
2. Do induction programs actually do increase the performances of employees?
3. To what extern do organizations provide induction programs?
4. To what extern does it contribute to the organization’s output?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

Induction programs contribute a lot to employees’ performance.

Induction programs have no connection to employee’s performance.

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