Getting your new employees off to a great start begins with the time you spend on new hire orientation. While you have their undivided attention as they are signing up for their employee benefits, a successful onboarding experience should also include a review of important statutory responsibilities, district policies, and compliance training they will need to complete. When these requirements are handled at the very beginning of their employment, you have the best assurance that new employees are well informed from their first day on campus.
Mandated reporters under California AB 1432 must be trained on their responsibilities to report suspected child abuse within the first six weeks of hire. Employee orientation is an ideal time to get this legal requirement on their calendar. The Keenan SafeSchools online training portal provides a turnkey solution for meeting this requirement and allows you to track and document their completion.
“Employees in their first month have more than three times the risk for injury.”
Depending on their job description, other safety and compliance training should also be scheduled at the time of their orientation. From actions to take during a natural disaster or a violent incident, to the safe use of equipment and materials specialized to their function at the district, early training is a best risk management practice for avoiding injuries and property damage. According to the Institute for Work and Health, employees in their first month on the job have more than three times the risk for a lost-time injury than workers who have been at their job for more than a year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates nearly one-third of nonfatal occupational injuries or illnesses were suffered by workers with less than one year of service. Training is an effective tool for reducing new hire workers’ compensation losses.
Be sure your new employees are informed of your district’s specific policies during your new hire orientation. Before they sign on to your computers, they must be instructed about critical cybersecurity and internet use policies you have implemented to reduce the risk of new employees inadvertently or deliberately compromising your network and data. Provide them with a copy of your policies and employee handbook and have them sign their acknowledgement to be maintained in their employee file.
Prepare your checklist now for your upcoming employee orientation for the new school year ahead. Including these details for everyone’s safety will help get your new staff members started with knowledge and confidence.