New Starters
Your Recruitment has been Successful - Now What?
There is a lot to take into consideration when bringing on a new employee. There are administration and legal matters, and you also want to make sure that the new recruit settles in quickly and can start to contribute as soon as possible, so they will need some Induction Training and on-boarding.
A summary of key areas to be covered with a New Starter are outlined below:
Administration
Getting the administration right is essential for both practical and legal reasons. This is where a new starter checklist can really help. Areas to consider include:
Issue a contract of employment (and get a signed copy back from the employee). Employees need to be issued with written terms on or before their first day. See the section on Contracts of Employment for more details and for template contracts.
Issue the job description so that the individual can review and understand their duties (hopefully they saw this at the recruitment stage as well).
Make sure you check that the employee is eligible to work in the UK, and collect and keep copies of relevant documents on file. This is important to avoid possible penalties and fines.
Collect information for payroll (and HMRC). This can be done by asking an employee to complete a new starter form and provide other documents listed.
Have details of referees and emergency contacts.
Set up an employee file - please see notes on Employee Files.
References
It is recommended that you take out references and check qualifications, other licences or training an individual needs for their job. For example, if you have a driver, you should see their driving licence and also take out a check with the DVLA.
Probationary Period
Once an employee has joined the organisation, it is strongly recommended that they are subject to a clear probationary period, for example three to five months. This allows the organisation to assess whether the employee is suitable for the role, including their performance, conduct, attendance, capability and overall fit.
The probationary guidance on the following pages explains probationary periods in more detail. It also highlights why effective probationary management is important in protecting the organisation, particularly given the changes to the unfair dismissal qualifying period, which mean that employees will have the right to claim unfair dismissal after six months’ service.