Reception and documentation in organization

Reception

Most people suffer some feelings of trepidation when they start a new job. However outwardly confident they may appear, they may well be asking themselves such  question as: what will the company be like? How will my boss behave to me? Will i get on with the other workes? Will i be able to do this job?

These question may not be answered immediately, but at least general fears may be alleviated by ensuring that the first contacts are friendly and helpful.

The following checklist for receptionis recommended by fower(1996)

•           Ensure that the person whom the starter first meets ( ie the receptionnist, personel, assistant or supervisor) knows of their pending arrival and what to do next
•           Set a reporting time, which will avoid the risk of the starter turning up before the reception or office staff arrive.
•            Train reception staff in the need for friendly and efficient helpfulness towards new starters.
•            If the new starter has to go to another location immediately after reporting, provide the guide, unless  the route to the other location is very straightforward.
•           Avoid keeping the new starter waiting, teady, unhurried, guided activity is an excellent antidote to first-day nerves

Documentation

The new employee will be asked to hand over the p45 income tax form from the previous employer. A variety of documents may then be issued to employees, incuding safety rules and safety literatured, a company rule book containing details of disciplinary and grievance procedures and an employee handbook as desdribed below

The employee handbook

The employee handbook is useful for this purpose. It need not be too glossy, but it should convey clearly and simply what new staff need to know under the following headings:

•          A brief description of the company –its history, product, organization and management.
•       Basic conditions of employment – hours of work, holidays, pension scheme, insurance
•      Pay – scales, when paid and how, deducations, queries
•      Sickness-notification of absence, certificates, pay;
•          Leave of absence;
•          Company rules;
•          Disciplinary procedure;
•          Capability procedure;
•          Grievance procedure;
•          Promotion procedure;
•          Union and joint consultation arrangement
•          Education and training facilities
•          Health and safety arrangements;
•          Medical and first-aid facilities;
•          Restaurant and canteen facilities;
•          Social and welfare arrangement;
•          Telephone calls and correspondence;
•          Rules for using email;
•          Travelling and subsistence expenses.

·         If the organization is not largeenough to justify a printed handbook, the least that can be done is to prepare a typed summary of this information.