When selecting a new Chef from TSS Recruitment a successful and comprehensive induction is important to familiarise your new employee with your venue / organisation. An induction procedure simply needs to cover all the things a new person should know when they start a job. It can be a simple list to go through and discuss and should involve time spent in various parts of the venue. The most important thing is that you don’t assume an employee knows everything about the venue before they arrive. It can be very useful to appoint someone to manage the new employee’s induction to ensure all areas are properly covered. Appointing a mentor or buddy is another good way of ensuring the induction runs smoothly and the new Chef has support close at hand when needed.

Your Chef will have interviewed with you and will also have a contract of employment and a thorough understanding of the expectations of the role however it is still wise to explain all aspects of the role and conditions to the new Chef during their induction. Some tips are listed below:

• Explain employment status, salary, job description, probationary period, leave entitlements
• Hours of work and rosters – how to apply for time off, how to report sick leave, where they can access information in regards to their employment conditions
• Uniform, disciplinary and grievance procedures, drug and alcohol policy, parking, personal visits and phone calls
• OHS around equipment, environment, hygiene, sanitation, food handling rules and procedures, personal presentation
• First aid and who to contact in an emergency, evacuation procedures
• Tour of workplace - toilets and facilities, back of house, front of house, grounds
• Introductions – colleagues, supervisors, management
• Paperwork – tax declaration, superannuation, employee form, bank details and any other relevant paperwork
• Overview of the organisation / kitchen / staff / operations / trading hours / covers / how we communicate
• History of the venue / organisation – values, vision and mission
• Plans for the future
• How the business is successful and what makes it different from others in the local area etc.
• How the Chef’s role integrates into the venue / organization and their relationships with other staff
• How the kitchen is set up and how it runs – guidance on how to complete day-to-day tasks and some on the job training
• Employee benefits – discounts / awards etc.
• Learning and development opportunities

Don’t underestimate the benefits of a good induction program – they increase retention, improve your new Chef’s morale and increase productivity, not to mention giving them a sense of acceptance into your venue. A well designed employee induction program not only saves you money and time in the long run but also ensures that your Chef is learning things the “right” way rather than making it up as they go and not being as effective as they could be. Should you need guidance on any of these steps please contact TSS Recruitment for a confidential discussion.