From a safety standpoint, there can be no stone left unturned when onboarding fresh candidates to work on a construction site.
To guarantee the safety of the site and other workers as much as possible, it is essential for these new workers to have undergone a thorough site induction, to ensure they have the knowledge and the skills necessary to do the job properly.
But while site inductions have (and still do in many cases) taken place in person, on the first day when the candidate arrives on-site, this isn’t always the wisest option in the digital age. Online site inductions allow candidates to complete this process ahead of time, so companies know their new workers are fully prepared before they even arrive on site.
But do online site inductions actually encourage proper site safety more than the alternative, and what other advantages do they have for companies that want to gain the most productivity from their projects?
What is an online site induction?
Online site inductions are digitised versions of a site induction process companies can use to have candidates complete the necessary paperwork and assessments before they arrive on-site for their first day of work.
They allow candidates to complete essential forms and reading materials before their role begins, with all this information being passed to the employer. The employer can then review the documents and confirm whether or not the candidate is suitable to work on a specific construction site.
What are the benefits of online site inductions?
Safety understanding ahead of time
The first day on the job can be daunting for any candidate entering a new role, but it can be especially daunting for someone in such a safety-critical industry as construction.
In-person inductions aren’t always a bad thing – they allow the new candidate, their employer and potentially members of their new team to spend some short time together as the candidate fills out all the necessary paperwork – though socialising is not their sole purpose and can serve as a distraction.
Plus, if the candidate is new to the safety rules of a certain site, it may take them more than the short time they have to spend in their first-day induction to truly learn the ropes, which could result in accidents down the line if they make a mistake which proper reading time could have helped avoid.
However, with online site inductions, candidates can read all essential safety regulations ahead of time, taking more time than they would have had in an in-person setting, increasing the chances of them fully onboarding the important safety information and being able to call back to it in a moment of crisis.
No rushing on the first day
If time is of the essence and a new candidate is being brought in to help lighten the load and keep things on schedule, it is understandable that some employers and companies would want said candidate to get to work as quickly as possible.
But this rushed way of thinking does nothing to serve an in-person induction because important paperwork and information could be missed in favour of getting the candidate on-site in rapid time.
That’s not the case with an online site induction, though. An online induction gives the candidate plenty of time to read, learn and complete any essential paperwork from the comfort of their own home or anywhere they choose, heightening the chances of them being fully prepared before they ever step on site.
Online assessments prove a candidate’s skills and experience
Depending on the specifics of a company’s site induction, they may include assessments designed to prove a candidate’s knowledge and skill – ensuring they have the mental tools they need to work effectively and safely.
These assessments could be completed in person on the day. But in the event of a failure, this results in candidates having travelled to the site only then to be told they’re unable to enter for work, wasting time on the part of both the employer and the candidate.
However with online site inductions, these assessments can be completed well before the candidate is due to begin. If the candidate struggles with certain questions or fails entirely, these issues can be addressed ahead of time, either with further education and training or by the replacement of the candidate for a more suitable, experienced worker.
Choose online site inductions for your construction site to improve safety standards
By replacing in-person inductions with online site inductions, construction companies can save time and money by allowing workers to continue with their roles without having to spend valuable time inducting new recruits. On top of this, they allow for recruits to prove their ability and worthiness to be on-site long before they arrive for their first shift, effectively guaranteeing unqualified individuals will never stumble their way into a construction environment.
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