Summary
Explanation of the operation and importance of the introduction of new employees within Fontys ICT.

The Collective Agreement for Universities of Applied Sciences sets: “In consultation with the personnel group of the IPC, the employer formulates a policy for the introduction of new employees”. ¹⁾ Policy should ensure that new workers are recruited over a maximum period of three years. The training colleague will also be facilitated in time. Beginning lecturers will be facilitated to at least complete the initial qualification education (BKO) to achieve it.

Fontys ICT recognizes the importance of a good introduction; A well-introduced employee will feel involved in the organisation from the outset and will feel that he or she is appreciated for the attention given to a good start.

Introducing and training a new employee takes place on 3 different levels:

1. The Fontys organisation
2. Fontys ICT
3. The position to which the new employee has been appointed.

Fontys HR provides a number of fixed components in the introduction programme of the Fontys organisation:

• Introduction mail on the first working day. See also the page new employee on the Fontys HR portal for practical information.
• Central introduction meeting of Fontys.
• On the Fontys HR portal the new employee page lists all kinds of things that are important for onboarding, broken down into phases. Starting with the first working day. It is a kind of digital path in which the new employee is taken along with the ultimate destination: being fully facilitated to do his or her job well.

Fontys ICT provides twice a year an introduction day for new employees, depending on the intake of new employees. Once in summer (August) and once in spring (February). During this introduction day, during which new employees are given the opportunity to get to know each other, interactive information exchange is central. The programme of the introduction week is laid down in a Course: Fontys ICT-Intro within Canvas and is composed in such a way that a new employee has at least become acquainted with it after the end of this day:

• the structure and culture of Fontys ICT;
• Fontys ICT's educational vision;
• the HRM vision of Fontys ICT;
• the different roles a lecturer can take;
• The way Canvas facilitates the learning environment within FIontys CT;
• the support provided by the Business Office's departments to the teaching staff;
• The way in which internal and external communication takes place (e.g. Policy Wiki);
• The place on the Fontys ICT portal where information for new employees can be found.

As a follow-up to this day, monthly onboarding meetings are scheduled in such a way that at the end of the semester, a new employee has at least been introduced to the institute, their role within Fontys ICT and they have been introduced to a wide range of themes. Topics include:

• Scheduling/ allocation;
• Content of various curricula;
• Inclusive and talent-oriented education Student+;
• Research group Fontys ICT;
• Structure of the semester;
• Quality assurance within Fontys ICT;
• Open education.

Prior to the first working day of the new employee, the people manager makes sure that a buddy is appointed to accompany the new employee. The buddy is someone to whom the new employee can fall back and who acts as the first point of contact for the new employee. The amount of time (in hours) for which he will be facilitated during the training course is agreed with the buddy in advance and is determined. On day 1, the people manager/buddy ensures that the induction programme drawn up with the new employee is discussed (customisation). The new employee is given room (hours) in order to be able to get to grips with things. For a maximum of the first three years the new employee shall be given 40 hours a year (or in the case of part-time 40 hours a year in proportion to the employment) to be spent on introduction.

One of the most important developments in education and the Educational Vision, the student centred approach, is implemented in our introduction policy. This means that the new employee can feel welcome and is supported by people manager, buddy or colleagues if there are any questions. Demand-driven introduction helps to implement customised programmes for new employees in the best possible way.

During the first year, the new employee will be interviewed by the people manager at least once every 3 months. On this basis, the employee's needs and the way in which the induction period will be shaped (and the role in the content and size of the buddy during this period) are periodically agreed upon.

In any case, new teachers will be facilitated to obtain the BKO during their first year. With sufficient intake, Fontys ICT will strive to form its own BKO class. The added value of this is that new Fontys ICT instructors get to know each other (even) better and can exchange specific information and questions.

At the end of the first year, some 8 months after the start date, the first year is evaluated together with the employee. In addition, it is agreed with the employee what the training period will look like in the second and third year. The way in which this is done depends on the needs of the (new) employee and what the manager deems necessary. Depending on the position, this can vary greatly per employee (e.g. from following a speech therapy to coaching, from an Excel course to attending a colleague's lectures, from a course acquisition to a support in the development of teaching material). The agreements are recorded in Hello Talent.