Employee induction

A good induction of a new employee to their tasks and the company is as important as finding a suitable employee.

• Well before the employee arrives, plan kind of induction they need for their position and how the induction is provided.
• In the induction, take into account the employee's competence level and personal characteristics, such as age, language skills and individual limitations or needs.
• At the same time, consider how you can support the new employee even after the induction.
• Remember to reserve time for the induction.

It is a good idea to draw up an induction plan in writing to keep both the employer and the employee informed of the progress. Carry out the induction in several phases over the first days and weeks.

If the employee is not familiar with Finnish working life and working culture, pay particular attention to presenting the characteristics of Finnish working life, labour legislation and occupational safety requirements in the induction.

You can direct the employee to familiarise themselves with the Work in Finland guide published by the Finnish Institute of Occupational HealthOpens in a new window., which is available in 13 different languages.

Also review your company's principles regarding adherence to schedules, relationships between supervisors and subordinates and what the company expects from the employee.

Instruct your employee to read the Work in Finland guide, which gives them instructions on how to handle practical matters. You can also study the guide yourself so that you know what the employee should do.

Encourage your employee to learn Finnish or Swedish. Find out if they can participate in, for example, adult education centres’ language courses whose classes usually take place in the evening after the regular working hours. Depending on the situation, it may be possible to include your employee’s language studies in their working time.

Prepare the other employees of your company for the arrival of the foreign employee. Encourage them to support and assist your foreign employee in both work- and free time-related matters.

When providing induction for a young employee, please remember that they probably have little experience of working life. The Top 10 checklist prepared by the Finnish Institute of Occupational HealthOpens in a new window. provides tips for successful orientation (in Finnish).

When preparing the induction of a person with partial work ability,

• plan the induction according to their needs and limitations
• reserve enough time for the induction
• go through the tasks together and adapt the work or working hours again if necessary.

It is a good idea to name a support person at the workplace who can give advice and help the employee also later during the employment relationship. You can also find out whether the employee could receive job coaching from your local employment services or patient organisation, for example.

Read also the Supporting work ability at workplace guide.

Remember that almost everyone has some limitations. While some are visible, others are not. Let the employee decide what they want to share with others about their limitations or special needs.

A trainee's working hours consist entirely of familiarisation with the tasks. Your company must appoint an instructor for the trainee, and the instructor must have sufficient skills and time for guiding the trainee. If the training is unpaid, the instructor must be constantly present to guide the trainee.

You are expected to engage in close collaboration with the educational institution or other education organiser that sends the trainee to your company throughout the training period.

Instruct your entire personnel to take a respectful, encouraging and helpful attitude towards the trainee.

At the end of the training period, organise a feedback discussion with the trainee and provide them with a certificate of employment. The trainee may also request for a skill-based certificate of employment. In the certificate, specify the types of work carried out by the trainee and the skills required for performing the work.