How do new starters form their first impression of UNISON?
Before Covid-19, it was standard practice for UNISON branches to attend new starter inductions, allowing them to recruit and engage with staff at recognised employers as early as possible. However, according to the 2024/25 Organising Framework, 70% of branches report that they no longer take part in these induction sessions.
As a result, many new starters are never directly invited to join UNISON, leaving their first impression of the union entirely to chance. In these cases, perceptions are likely shaped by comments from the employer, non-members, or other unions—making recruitment and early engagement far less likely and ultimately weakening UNISON’s density and branch strength.
A set of new materials has been produced by the “Organising to Win – Branch Vision Project” including:
- New starter recruitment and engagement guide.
- Template induction presentation
- Template GDPR data sharing agreement for new starter lists from the employer
Please speak with your regional organiser to get copies of the new materials and develop a new starter engagement and recruitment strategy for your branch.