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Induction & exit

By Sirajuddin Aziz
Mon, 01, 22

The process of induction and exit of people from an organisation is a critical factor in the making or breaking of its reputation. Organisations who value the importance of human resource as an asset: will usually have well-documented policies and procedures relating to the hiring and exit of this important resource. Both, for those joining or leaving it must without an iota of doubt be conducted with grace and dignity. These two significant activities cannot be consigned to the popular mechanism of ‘business as usual’. Hiring and certainly the off-boarding of a colleague can never fall within the realm of ‘usual’. Both scenarios are ‘unusual’ and hence of criticality, in the hiring and maintenance of good human resources.

Induction & exit

The process of induction and exit of people from an organisation is a critical factor in the making or breaking of its reputation. Organisations who value the importance of human resource as an asset: will usually have well-documented policies and procedures relating to the hiring and exit of this important resource. Both, for those joining or leaving it must without an iota of doubt be conducted with grace and dignity. These two significant activities cannot be consigned to the popular mechanism of ‘business as usual’. Hiring and certainly the off-boarding of a colleague can never fall within the realm of ‘usual’. Both scenarios are ‘unusual’ and hence of criticality, in the hiring and maintenance of good human resources.

For those leaving an institution, they have to go through an ‘exit interview’, which is part of the process of off-boarding. More on this aspect, later. . . .

The arrival of a new joiner heralds a euphoria of emotions, ranging from absolute expectations of goodness to the opposite of the spectrum that is laced with suspicion. The induction of senior or C-level suite employees is usually done through an official circular. Again depending upon the seniority of the concerned inductee, the circular will be signed, either only by the CEO or the CEO jointly signs with the HR head. This is done to oil and tickle the ego of the new entrant. The level of hierarchy used for signing circulars of welcome are directly proportional to the level of the joining person. For junior officers, a lower hierarchical employee of the HR Group, might or may be considered to suffice the requirement.

Once, the new entrant joins, depending again on his/her seniority, he/she is escorted to meet the senior management by head of HR; the other minions who join are left to the usual following two options; they are taken around by the personal secretary of HR head to meet the senior management or they are shown the desk/chair, that are placed to welcome him/her. In the introduction of middle junior level employee scant respect is paid to give them a sense of belonging. A better way is to collect all members of senior management in the conference room, where the CEO can formally introduce the new entrant. In welcoming of senior colleagues, who may carry a better functional title, the HR at times goes completely over-board; even a minion of a professional, who may essentially qualify to the title of being a pygmy, is made to appear as a giant. For such bestowing of unnecessary royal treatment, the organisation ultimately pays a heavy price over long-term. The process of induction does not have to be pompous. It must be formal and graceful.

Organisations (human resources division) must endeavour to go beyond announcing the joining of only senior personnel; why can't a beginning be made to announce the induction of a new batch of management trainees or even other junior most staff, with their names on the circular, inclusive of their academic achievements - this will serve as a great tool for their motivation, which certainly will be long lasting. This scribe is aware of an international banking institution that actually gave its management trainees, two suits, six shirts and a few neckties, as a gift for joining. Then there was no concept of joining bonus, nor were people totally materialistic in their approach. Of late, on LinkedIn, I have noticed many a post that displays the ‘arrival kit’ given to new joiners by some enlightened institutions. This is a very positive practice that organisations can emulate. Good habits are more infectious than bad habits, the trend to welcome with some graceful, not ostentatious, gifts, will be a good act to induce in management practices.

Just as induction process is of significant importance, so is the process of off-boarding an employee. Employees, leave due to retirement or resign for a reason or are terminated for a reason; in each case, the HR has to engage with a delicate touch to ensure no sentiment is hurt or damaged, at least in the first two possibilities of retirement and resignation. Even termination of employee must be dealt with no hurling of insults or taunts. For a good enough reason, if any is terminated, it must be an act done with softness, without losing one's own shirt.

The presence of grace, calm and stable circumstances must always remain a given thing, but to exhibit these qualities in agitation and stormy weather is a constant demand upon HR practitioners. In most circumstances, resignation of an employee is seen as an offensive act by the management, that tantamount to corporate blasphemy. In reaction, every effort is made to find and inquire from the leaving person, the reason(s) for such a decision.

The employee not being sure of how much to disclose, invariably is illusive in responses; sometimes to the extent of misleading, their fear being that their exit may be made difficult.

Then there are occasions where the supervisor is caught with absolute surprise by a resignation from his team, and hence is ill prepared to find immediate replacement - in desperation the line manager and HR “collude” to offer and match, the opportunity the employee has, from the prospective employer. Most occasions, a professional would not fall for such tactics, but many personal and accentuating circumstances, compel an action of taking back the resignation. Once done, the employee will either be ‘really looked after’ or may end up with ‘a stick’. It would depend on professional sagacity of the manager/supervisor. A low quality manager would react negatively. He/she may retaliate later in life.

This brings me to the need of having within an organisation a sound rotational policy. The departure of one colleague should not upset the entire apple cart. Also, there should be no room for the organisation to become hostage to a single or a group of employees.

Exit interviews are a major farce. It is essentially an exercise where falsehood prevails. Absolute waste of time, full of futility. As CEO, I used to randomly go through exit interview notes, and mostly they were full of irrelevance. The leaving employee refuses to disclose the real reasons of his decision, and to the contrary, showers heaps of praise, this is done to ensure smooth exit. It is very rare, that an exit interview will reveal, a matter of substance, for either correction or introduction. In my view, exit interviews are meant to be an elixir of intoxication for the management/organisations, who just need to be assured (wrongfully) that all is well- the loss is not of the institution, but of the employee, is the thought that prevails and numbs any sense of improvement in management practices. Employees are affected not by the presence of good policies, but by the level of its implementation ie practice; hence it is rightfully said, “no employee leaves the organisation they leave the supervisors/managers”. Simple pleas of adjustment of notice period through saved holidays is dealt with an iron hand. Once an employee has tendered his/her resignation, across all cultures, barring the Chinese, I have noticed that the interest in the work/organisation progressively diminishes; hence therefore as CEO I would in most cases encourage HR personnel, to let go --- the soonest, the better. A dead fish in the pond can be an organisational havoc!

HR professionals must recognise that the joining employee and a leaving employee, both are ambassadors of the organisation, one is serving, the other will be ‘former’- but ambassador, they remain, at all times. And both influence in equal degree upon the reputation of the organisation. To avoid being bad mouthed in the marketplace, organisations must treat the leaving employee and the joining employee with equal attention and honour.

Politeness in disposition costs nothing to either the individual or the organisation. HR must encourage an environment of mutual respect within the entity. As said, good habits are more infections than bad.

Both the on boarding and off boarding exercises should be done with grace, dignity and honour- only that will last longer for any institution.


The writer is a senior banker and freelance columnist