What if Your Employer doesn't have an induction for you

Let’s be honest, how many Registered Managers actually received a proper induction when we stepped into our role as a Registered Manager?

Not the “here’s your login and a list of policies” version.
But a meaningful, structured, leadership-level induction.

For many, the answer is: we didn’t.

And if that was (or is) your experience, it’s not a reflection of your capability.
But how you respond to that gap really does matter.

🧭 Why Induction Still Matters at Senior Level

When we talk about induction for RMs, we’re not talking about where the fire exits are.

We’re talking about:

• Knowing what you are accountable for

• Understanding the service’s regulatory and cultural history

• Getting early grip on systems, staffing, and governance

• Being clear on your authority and your limits

• Protecting your registration from day one

Without it, even the most experienced RM can be set up to fail.

🛠 If It’s Not Provided — Build It Yourself

If you’re reading this and thinking,
“I never got that induction” you’re not alone.
And you don’t have to wait for someone else to hand it to you.

Here are five key focus areas to build your own self-led induction:

1️Clarity on Accountability

Before you jump into rota reviews or policy rewrites get clear on this:

• What am I legally responsible for?

• What am I operationally expected to manage day-to-day?

• What decisions sit with me and which don’t?

These may sound basic, but they’re often blurred. And if you don’t know where the line is, you’ll end up carrying risk that was never meant to sit with you.

If it’s not written down? Ask the questions. Professionally, calmly, confidently.

2️ Know the Service’s History

You can’t lead effectively if you don’t know what’s come before.
That includes:

• Inspection history

• Periods of special measures

• Ongoing LA/ICB involvement

• Legacy complaints or safeguarding themes

This isn’t about judging the past, it’s about understanding the context you’re walking into, so you’re not blindsided when an inspector asks about it.

3️ Understand the People and the Culture

Services don’t run on organisational charts, they run on people, habits, and unspoken rules.

As part of your early weeks, observe:

• Who holds influence both formally or informally?

• Where’s trust high… or low?

• What have staff “just learned to live with”?

• How is risk spoken about (or not)?

Ask open questions. Listen carefully. Don’t assume your title gives you instant insight.

4️ Get Early Grip on Governance

This doesn’t mean marching in with an audit schedule on day one.

It means quietly reviewing:

• Incidents — are they reported clearly and followed through?

• Complaints — how are they responded to?

• Supervision records — are they meaningful or rushed?

• Recruitment files — are checks complete and safe?

You’re not looking to fix everything immediately. You’re looking to understand how safe the service really is before a crisis forces you to.

5️ Set Your Own 30–60–90 Day Plan

If you’ve not been given a plan then sit down and create one.

Ask:

• What do I need to understand in the first month?

• What do I want to stabilise by 60 days?

• What will I strengthen by day 90?

This gives you direction and shows senior leadership that you’re approaching the role with intention and credibility.

💬 Final Thought

If your employer hasn’t provided a proper induction, it’s not necessarily a red flag. But it is a sign that you’ll need to lead deliberately from the start.

Creating structure and clarity isn’t about being difficult, it’s about being safe and it’s one of the strongest things you can do as a Registered Manager.