What is Induction Program?
Induction includes an introduction to the organization, its culture and the job responsibilities of new employees. Induction programs are important in overcoming possible sources of anxiety. These programs are a chain of planned activities to enable employees to acquire the necessary skills, knowledge and capability to carry out their employment.
A well-planned induction helps the employee to become integrated into the organization, maximizing morale through early success and quickly raising the level of performance. Recruitment is not complete until the individual is effective in the job and has adopted the values of the organisation. Induction (orientation) is a very common type of training. All employees, whether managerial or non-managerial, should be provided with systematic induction when they first join an organization (Sims 2002). Induction starts before the employee is hired. During the recruitment stage, the employee learns about the organization’s reputation as an employer and the types of products or services it provides. During the selection process, the new employee usually also learns other general aspects of the organization and what the duties, working conditions and pay will be. After hiring the employee, the organization begins a formal induction program. Induction is ideally the first part of a bonding process between the new employee and the organization which requires careful planning, supportive orientation packages and effective liaison between all parties. It involves introducing employees to their new job, work section, work colleagues and the practice as a whole.
Project Background
ABC Company has been approached by Y-Call, which is call centre company to implement a new induction system across the United Kingdom. The implementation at the new Y-Call Induction system at the pilot location in Manchester has been successfully completed. ABC company are now responsible for implementing the system across 28 sites in 5 locations situated in the United Kingdom. The locations are as follows; England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the Channel Islands. The initial reason behind Y-Call implementing new induction system is because the company is facing high staff turnover, which results in poor performance of the company. This in turn will impact and reduce the efficiency which gives poor impression to existing and potential customers. At present Y-Call’s current induction process is very basic and simple results in recruiting the less capable staff. The main purpose of ABC Company is to introduce a well designed and enhanced induction process within the other 28 sites.
What is a Project?
A project is a unique endeavour to produce a set of deliverables within clearly specified time, cost and quality constraints (Reiss 1995). Projects are different from standard business operational activities as they:
- Are unique in nature. They do not involve repetitive processes. Every project undertaken is different from the last.
- Have a defined timescale. Projects have a clearly specified start and end date within which the deliverables must be produced to meet a specified customer requirement
- Have an approved budget. Projects are allocated a level of financial expenditure within which the deliverables must be produced to meet a specified customer requirement
- Have Limited resources. At the start f a project an agreed amount of labor, equipment and materials is allocated to the project
- Involve an element of risk. Projects entail a level of uncertainty and therefore carry business risk (Frame 2003)
Project Management Method: Phase by Phase (Life Cycle Approach)
The team made a proposal for the Y-Call company regarding its induction program. The project management method used was the Phase-by-Phase or Life Cycle Approach. The project was divided into four phases. These phases were:
1. Initiation – the initiation was the first phase in the project. In this phase a business opportunity which is to develop the skills, abilities and knowledge of new employees and help them to adapt to the organizational culture was defined. A feasibility study was conducted to investigate the likelihood of each option that will help in the achievement of the business goals. After the deliberation, a final recommendation was put forward. Once the recommended approach was approved, a project was initiated to deliver the desired outcomes. A ‘Terms of Reference” was completed, which outlines the objectives, scope and structure of the new project and a Project manager was appointed. The Project Manager started recruiting a project team and establishes a Project Office environment. Approval was then sought to move into the detailed planning phase.
- 2. Project Planning – once the scope of the project has been defined in the Terms of Reference, the project entered the detailed planning phase. This involved the creation of:
- Project Plan outlining the activities, tasks, dependencies and timeframes
- Resource Plan listing the labor, equipment and materials required
- Financial Plan identifying the labor, equipment and materials costs
- Quality Plan providing quality targets, assurance and control measures
- Risk Plan highlighting potential risks and actions taken to mitigate them
- Acceptance Plan listing the criteria to be met to gain customer acceptance
- Communications Plan listing the information needed to inform stakeholders
- Procurement Plan identifying products to be sourced from external suppliers
3. Project Execution – this phase involved the execution of each activity and task listed in the project plan. While the activities and tasks were being executed, a series of management processes were undertaken to monitor and control the deliverables being output by the project. During this phase, the changes, risks and issues surrounding the project were identified and the review of deliverable quality and the measurement of each deliverable being produced against the acceptance criteria were conducted. Once all of the deliverables have been produced and the goals of the project have been achieved, the project was ready for closure.
4. Project Closure – this phase involved releasing the final deliverables to the client, handling over project documentation, terminating supplier contracts, releasing project resources and communicating the closure of the project to all stakeholders. The last remaining step was the Post Implementation Review to quantify the overall success of the project and list any lessons learned for future projects.
Evaluation
The project was divided into sequential phases. These phases are extremely useful in planning a project since they provide a framework for budgeting, manpower and resource allocation, and for scheduling project milestones and project reviews. The basic phases are Initiation, Planning, Execution and Closure (Stuckenbruck 1981).
The Y-Call Induction Program was divided into different phases. The first phase – Initiation involved the analysis of the firm, its plans and goals including the firm’s internal and external business environments. The project proposal for Y-Call was evaluated during this phase. The risks, benefits and costs of that the project entails were studied and analyzed. The Initiation phase is very essential as the viability of the project will be determined and its long-term impact on the company. Once the decision has been made, formal plans were developed. The project team conducted project planning. The objective of this phase was to develop a master plan that details how each asset of the organization will be used to accomplish the project’s goals. Thorough and aggressive planning increased the team’s commitment to success. The two most important components of the master plan were the project budget and the master schedule, which were developed from a detailed list of specific project tasks. The master plan included measure for evaluating the progress of the project as well as guidelines for its termination. During the execution phase, resource are consumed to complete the project. Throughout this period, the actual progress of the project, in terms of cost, schedule, and performance, was measured against the planned goals. The results of this monitoring process were assembled into status reports which were distributed to the project team and senior management. In the end, the project was terminated. During the closure phase the project’s resources were redistributed, financial records were closed, and project personnel were reassigned. A final report, which discusses the project’s successes and shortcomings was prepared for senior management. This report can significantly influence how the organization manages projects in the future.
The project life cycle or the phase-by-phase methodology in project management was used in the Induction Program for Y-Call. The said methodology was effective and efficient and was able to aid the team in achieving the objectives and goals of the client. Through the phase-by-phase methodology, the team was able to systematically handle the project and the issues, risks and opportunities along the way. The phase-by-phase methodology is applicable to the organization because it offers an organized way to initiate, plan, execute and close the project.
Tools Used in Each Phase
Initiation Phase
The initiation phase involved the project start-up. It is the phase within which the business problem or opportunity is identified and the project was formed to produce the goals of the organization.
1. Business Case – the business case included a detailed definition of the opportunity, an analysis of the possible options and the recommended implementation plan. In the induction program for Y-Call, the team conducted an analysis of the business which included the identification of the goals of the company, the history and background of the company, its size and population and the requirements of the company.
2. Feasibility Study – after the development of the business case, the team conducted a feasibility study. The feasibility study aimed at identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the project and the benefits and risks that it entails. The purpose of the feasibility study was to assess the likelihood of the particular option’s achieving the benefits outlined in the Business Case. The feasibility study was also used in investigate whether the forecast costs are reasonable, the goals are achievable, the risks are acceptable and/or any likely issues are avoidable.
3. Appoint Project Team – at this [pint the scope of the project has been defined in detail and the project team are ready to be appointed. This is one of the most crucial part of the project as the composition of the team may affect the outcome of the project. I think it is relevant to discuss the different stages of team development.
- Forming – During this stage of group development, the members get acquainted with each other. During this stage we established the ground rules by finding out what behaviors are acceptable regarding the job. The forming stage of our group development was very crucial. It was the stage where we need to eliminate fears, confusions and uncertainties. It was also the stage where every member must commit to the goals of the group.
- Storming – This stage is characterized by a high degree of conflict within the group. Members often resist the control of the group’s leaders, and they show hostility toward each other. The storming stage was also crucial. I consider it the ‘make or break’ point of our group development. During this stage issues regarding leadership and team relationships surfaced. If the group was unable to resolved those issues, then the group may be disbanded. Luckily, we were able to resolve the conflicts and were able to establish the group’s leadership. The group became cohesive.
- Norming – During this stage, the group becomes more cohesive, and identification as a member becomes greater. During this stage, the group members started to develop relationships. Shared feelings became common. During this stage each member felt a spirit of camaraderie and shared responsibility for the group’s activities. Our team building efforts focused on establishing team cohesion.
- Performing – During this stage, questions about group relationships and leadership have been resolved and the group is ready to work. Our group is now on the performing stage. Each member devotes his/herself to getting the job done. The group members have a good relationship and everyone is motivated to perform well. The team is concerned with productivity, efficiency and potentiality.
- Mourning – Groups may cease to exist because they have met their goals and are no longer needed.
Presented below is the overall aim of the project:
Overall aim of the project:
The overall aim of the project is to reduce the staff turnover within Y-Call. In order to meet this aim, the main key objectives are;
Success criteria:
1. To ensure the project is completed by the specified date.
2. To ensure that the project is completed within the specified budget.
3. To ensure an acceptable level of quality.
4. To certify the human resources managers are trained.
5. To ensure there is consistent time to time communication with sponsor.
6. The main purpose of the induction is to ensure there is a reduction in staff turnover at Y-Call.
Planning Phase
By this stage, the benefits and costs of the project have been clearly documented, the objectives and scope have been defined, the project team has been appointed and a formal project office environment established. The project team devised a detailed plan to ensure that the activities performed in the execution phase of the project are properly sequenced, resourced, executed and controlled.
1. Project Plan
The first step in the project planning was to document the project plan. The team created a breakdown of the phases, activities and tasks to be undertaken on the project. After that, an assessment of the effort required to undertake the activities and tasks was made. The activities and tasks were sequenced, resources were allocated and a detailed project schedule was formed.
2. Resource, Quality, Risks Plans
After the project plan, the team formed the resource plan. The resource plan was designed in order to properly allocate the resources required to undertake each activities and tasks within the project plan. A detailed resource management assessment were conducted to identify the types of resource, total quantities of each resource type, roles and responsibilities of all human resources, purposes and specifications of all equipment resource, and quantities of material resource. The quality plan was also devised. Meeting the quality expectations of the client is critical to the success of the project. To ensure that the quality expectations were clearly defined and can be reasonably achieved, a quality plan was documented. The foreseeable project risks were documented within the risk plan. Developing a clear risk plan is an important activity within the planning phase as it is necessary to mitigate all critical project risks prior to entering the execution phase of the project.
Project Execution Phase
The execution phase was the longest phase of the project. It was the phase within the deliverables were physically constructed and presented to the client for acceptance. To ensure that the client’s requirements were met, the Project Manager monitored and controlled the activities, resources and expenditure required to build each deliverable throughout the execution phase. Presented below is the list of deliverables that were presented to Y-Call for approval.
Deliverables:
The project will deliver:
A. Project brief
B. Project initiation document
C. Project schedule
D. Risk log
E. Quality control sheet
F. Work schedule
G. Communication plan
H. Advice and guidance
I. Training staff how to use new system
J. Post project review
1. Quality Management
Quality management is the process by which the quality of the deliverables is assured and controlled for the project. The quality was managed from time to time to at each major mile of the completed work in order to ensure that it meets the standards required by Y-Call. A quality assurance procedure was followed for each site to identify any errors, omissions, misunderstandings, false assumptions.
Project Closure Phase
Following the completion of all project deliverable and acceptance by the client, the project after meeting its objectives was ready for closure.
1. Review Project Completion
The final activity that the team undertook was a review of the project’s overall success by an independent resource. Success was determined by how well the team performed against the defined objectives and conformed to the management processes outlined in the planning phase.
References
Frame, J. D. (2003). Managing Projects in Organizations: How to Make the Best Use of Time, Techniques, and People. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lewis, J. P. (ed.) (2007). Fundamentals of Project Management. New York: AMACOM.
Reiss, G. (1995). Project Management Demystified: Today’s Tools and Techniques. London: E & FN Spon.
Sims, R. (2002). Organizational Success through Effective Human Resources Management. Westport CT: Quorum Books.
Stuckenbruck, L. C. (ed.) (1981). The Implementation of Project Management: The Professional’s Handbook. Reading MA: Addison-Wesley.
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