Following on from the post that provided and introduction to the PMO Induction process. This post will build on this by going into more detail of what components should be included within a PMO Induction pack.
PMO Induction Pack
This is typically a presentation that provides all of the information that a new recruit will need to quickly become effective in their role. It can also be called a PMO Onboarding Pack.
Investing time in creating a professional pack is worth while as not only will it provide a good impression to the new recruit and get them up to speed, it can also be reused for all future new recruits.
Format
The pack will typically be in the form of a presentation. Therefore, it does suit a tool like Microsoft Powerpoint. However, there is no reason that it cannot be in a different format. You may even decide to have it available online.
However, consider that you will probably want a printed version to give and walk through with the new resource. Even if the new resource is sent as a link to online content, remember the recruit will probably want to print to make notes.
Title
Make sure that the pack has a title page (a front cover) with a clear title that is self explanatory i.e. Business Change Transformation Induction Pack.
Have the date the pack was published and version number if applicable. I also like to include the author. You may wish to add division / department if this will help.
If there is specific branding / logo include this making sure you brand the entire pack in the same scheme.
Content
Table of contents are very useful, especially if the pack has a lot of pages. This will allow the new resource to get a good overview of what is in the pack and then, when they refer back to it in the future, it will make it easy for them to find specific information without having to go through each page.
The concept of making information easy to use should be used in all material you create.
Programme / Objective Overview
Ensure you provide a clear explanation of the programme and the objective. Remember, the reader will have very limited, if not no knowledge of the programme. Ensure you describe the programme that will ease them in.
Another concept to remember for this and any document your create, presentation you give, etc is avoid using acronyms. Those that are universal to the business you are in are probably OK. But, how will a new recruit have any idea on the acronyms unique to your organisation. Worse still, they will probably be too embarrassed to ask what it means as will not want to risk being seen as not competent.
So avoid using acronyms. Where there are ones important to your organisation, spell them out in full and explain what they mean before using the acronym.
Structure
Include organisation and project structure charts. This will help orientate the new recruit to how the programme / PMO fits into the organisation and, more importantly, where they sit. It is human nature to want to know where we belong.
The charts will also help when you are holding the induction meeting as they are typically a good medium for explaining and promoting two way conversation through questions and answers.
Programme Details
This is where you provide the specifics of the active programmes, projects, workstreams, etc to build on the information shared in the Overview.
For example, if a programme has a number of workstreams it allows each one to be explained including objectives, leads, sponsors, timescales, etc.
Using the current programme dashboard is a good idea as it saves extra production work and will give the new recruit and insight to what information is being communicated.
Tools / Processes / Methodology
You may choose to include details of the tools and processes that need to be used. However, you can also just include a summary and then reference the PMO Handbook as a separate document. If you do, you should include an overview of the methodology and a link to the detailed information.
Either way you want to ensure that the new resource understands what they must use when executing their role.
Contacts
This is very useful to new resources. Include a contact / roles & responsibilities list so that they have a single reference of key contacts. This should include name, corporate title, role and contact details.
This short post covers the benefit of a PMO Contact List.
Useful Links
For most projects, information will be held in a number of sources including Intranet, SharePoint, Shared Drive and others. Make sure that links are included to all of the important storage locations.
If you have not already arranged access for the new recruit, help them to set this up or, at a minimum, provide details of who they need to contact to arrange access.
The following article provides more on Project Document Storage.
Summary
The induction process is critical for a new member of staff to feel valued and to make them effective as quickly as possible. Following the steps above to create a professional induction pack will set the right impression. It will reassure them that they made the right career choice and, it will mean you can get the full benefit of them joining a lot quicker.
It is simple attention to detail like this that will make you stand out as a change professional and, help you to build a loyal and productive team.
