An induction program is typically a one-time, formal orientation activity run on or near a new employee’s first day, covering company culture, introductions, a workplace tour and initial administrative briefing. It’s the opening component of the broader onboarding process, not a synonym for the whole thing.

Induction, orientation and onboarding

Induction and orientation are used almost interchangeably, with “induction” more common in Indian and UK English and “orientation” more common in US English, while onboarding is consistently treated as the umbrella term both sit inside. Larger Indian employers, especially those hiring campus batches on a common joining date, often run structured multi-day or multi-week induction batches, particularly IT services firms putting fresh graduates through classroom or virtual technical training before client deployment, rather than a single half-day session.

Frequently asked questions

Is induction the same as onboarding?

No, induction is the short, front-loaded orientation event. Onboarding is the extended process, often weeks to months, that induction sits inside.

Who typically runs the induction session?

Usually HR, sometimes alongside department representatives, particularly for compliance and policy content that needs to be delivered consistently.

Does every new hire go through the same induction?

Broadly yes for company-wide content like policies and culture, though role-specific technical induction often varies by department or function.

See how a buddy system often runs alongside induction, and what an employee handbook should cover.