We are currently trying to build a themed induction course that will run for 3 weeks. Has anyone got any ideas/thoughts or anything from previous experience that has made an impact on your own learning? i.e. courses bases around a telelvision show or quiz show?
Kerrie Milner
5 Responses
Themed Inductions
Kerrie,
I would be very interested to hear more about your ideas for a ‘themed’ induction. I have used both quizzes and television ideas in induction programmes before however I have not based the whole induction on a theme.
Feel free to drop me an email if you wish to discuss it further or share any ideas.
Keeping it real!
Hi
In our exerience induction is a vital part of any retention strategy, getting it right here really helps the new employee settle in and boosts their opinion of L&D.
People tend to be quite excited about their new company, and that’s the big theme in their lives when talking to friends and family. If at all possible, try theming around what you do, for example, for a motor manufactuurer or supplier a grand prix or rally theme works. For a financial company try a money based quiz show theme, or a chart based theme for a CD distribution centre.
Whatever theme you decide on, if any, remember it can be tempting to put the theme before the content. Give yourself plenty of ‘reality checks’ in the design phase to keep yourselves on track.
Good luck
Claudine
Fantastic Idea
I think this is a great idea and have been racking my brain over how it might work.
I’d agree with other advice here in that it would be best themed around you industry but it might be difficult to stretch a single theme across three weeks coherently.
It might be best to theme it by week instead so that if you were a financial services provider for example you could use a money/finance overall theme and then choose 3 sub-themes tied in to game shows etc. to keep interest at a high throughout.
Awarding prizes at the end of each week and at the completion of the course, to keep things fun but focused.
I’d love to know how this turns out in the end though.
Around the world in 80 days
I agree with other comments that this is a great idea – an effective induction is so important. What about ‘Around the World in 80 Days(and around the company in 15)’? Each department or section could be a different country/ city and the travel theme would allow you to build in goals and planning, budgets etc (even different departments having different’cultures’ could be related to how internal customers have different needs and operational styles). You could then have fun quizzes related to the countries(anything from food and drink to football teams to films set there etc.) I’ve done lots of travel related quizzes in the past and they have endless possibilities! Good luck with whatever you decide to go with!
Themed Inductions
Hi Kerrie, what a great way to welcome new people to your organisation!
There are some great ideas in Dave Meier’s ‘The Accelerated Learning Handbook’, it’s a few years old new but well worth a read.
When we work with clients to redesign inductions we coach them quite strongly to help them get clear on the overall outcome of the induction.
Delivering an induction which is designed ‘make sure they follow all the right policies’ is very, very different to one which is designed to ‘make them feel they’ve made a great choice in coming to work here in the first place’.
Often when you’ve got this really clear the theme will fall out of the design.
Themes I’ve seen work well range from ‘Musicals’ including the ‘Staying Alive (At Work)’ session, through to an induction that was designed around a product exhibition that participants held for managers on the final day.
I’m happy to share any other ideas if you’d like to give me a call.
Regards,
Richard
07932 725113