It takes time to settle into a new social care job – on average three to six months – but longer for it to feel as comfortable as Granny Ina’s slippers.
Once the first day jitters have subsided you can settle into the induction period.
Sometimes lasting a day, a week or maybe longer, this settling-in time is vital for new starts, especially in social care work where being part of a team is an essential part of the role.
Whether you’re a social worker, healthcare assistant, support practitioner, or activities worker, an induction period is vitally important to a new starter. Here’s why.
Meet the team
Your manager should show you around and make the introductions but we all know that doesn’t always happen. It pays to be proactive and introduce yourself to as many people as possible. If you can’t remember all your new colleagues’ names, try to pair them with distinguishing features – Brian with the beard, Tracey with the tattoo and so on. Or was that Brian with the tattoo and Tracey with the . . . oh, never mind!
Learn the layout
Anyone who’s ever been lost in a labyrinth of corridors, stuck on the wrong floor or found themselves trying to make a cuppa in the mop cupboard instead of the kitchen knows how important it is to have a tour of the workplace. Being able to create your own mental roadmap avoids embarrassing wrong turns.
Safety first
Unlike the airline safety demo where most of us have one eye on the cabin crew putting on their life vest and another on the soon-to-be released food trolley, the health and safety briefing in a social care setting is required listening. Be all ears when it comes to equipment usage, first aid and fire procedures.
Happy holidays
You shouldn’t really be thinking about holidays when you begin a new job but it’s helpful to know how your workplace operates. Is there a scramble for school holidays or is it a lottery? Similarly, it’s good to get the heads-up on sickness procedures.
Question time
It becomes a lot easier to integrate into the workplace when you ask questions, so ask as many as you like. Don’t pretend to know things you don’t, as in social care this could lead to some serious mistakes further down the line.
Before you know it, you’ll be six months in and your work will feel as familiar as Granny’s Ina’s fur-lined booties.
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