Your first week in a public sector job

The first week in most public sector jobs is mostly paperwork, systems and training rather than the job itself. Expect to collect an ID badge, set up IT accounts (and an NHS smartcard if you will use clinical systems), complete payroll and pension forms, attend corporate induction and start a block of online mandatory training. You should also have your written statement of terms by your first day. Real work usually starts in the second week, once the accounts work.

Before day one

Your employer should have finished pre-employment checks and sent a start date, place and time. If you have not received it, check:

• where to go and who to ask for, especially on large hospital or council sites
• parking or travel arrangements, as many sites have permit schemes
• dress code or uniform, and whether uniform will be issued on day one
• what documents to bring

Common documents to bring are your passport or other identity documents (unless already checked), your P45 from your last job, your bank details, your National Insurance number and any professional registration details. Right to work checks must be done before you start; if you used a share code or digital identity check, that should already be complete.

Day one: ID, systems and induction

Most employers start with a welcome session or corporate induction. In the NHS this is often a full day for all new starters across the trust. In schools, new staff often start on an INSET day. In the Civil Service, induction may be partly online.

Things you will set up:

Item	What it is for
ID badge	Building access, identification; must be worn on most sites
Network login and email	Access to computers, email and shared drives
NHS smartcard	Access to clinical systems such as patient records; issued after an identity check
ESR (NHS) or HR self-service	Payslips, leave, training records and personal details
Phone or laptop	For hybrid, community or mobile roles
Key fob or keys	For schools, councils and estates roles

Accounts often take a few days. Keep a list of usernames and the service desk number.

Paperwork that affects your pay

Your first payslip depends on the forms you fill in during week one. If you have a P45 from your last job, give it to payroll so they can use the right tax code. If you do not, you will complete a starter checklist instead, and payroll may use an emergency tax code such as 1257L W1 or M1 until HMRC sends the correct code. The guide to emergency tax codes explains what that means for your first pay.

You will also be asked about:

• student loan plan type, if you have a loan (Plan 1, 2, 4 or 5, and any postgraduate loan)
• pension scheme membership, as you are usually enrolled automatically
• bank details for salary payments
• emergency contacts

Your employer must give you an itemised payslip. In the public sector, most staff are paid monthly, and if you start part way through a month your first payment may be smaller or delayed to the next payroll date. The guide to reading your payslip explains each line, and the take-home pay calculator gives an estimate of your net monthly pay.

Your contract and pension

Employers must give you a written statement of the main terms of employment on or before your first day. It covers pay, hours, holiday, sick pay, notice and the probation period. Read it, keep a copy and raise anything that does not match your offer.

You will usually be enrolled into the employer’s pension scheme from your first day: the NHS Pension Scheme, the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, the Local Government Pension Scheme or Civil Service alpha. Contributions start with your first pay. Opting out is your choice, but it means losing the employer’s contribution, and you should understand what you are giving up before you decide.

Mandatory training

Most public sector employers require new staff to complete mandatory and statutory training within a set period, often starting in week one. Topics usually include safeguarding, information governance and data protection, fire safety, health and safety, equality and diversity, and, for clinical roles, infection prevention and basic life support. Some is online; some, such as moving and handling or resuscitation, needs a face-to-face session. The guide to mandatory training explains what is common in each sector.

Meeting your team and manager

Your manager should arrange a local induction: a tour of the workplace, introductions, an explanation of how the team works and what is expected of you in the first weeks. Many teams assign a buddy. Ask about:

• who to go to with day-to-day questions
• how rotas, cover or leave requests work
• the dates of your probation review meetings
• any shadowing you can do before working on your own

Your probation period usually starts on day one, with reviews at set points. Keep notes of what you were asked to do and what training you have completed.

Things people often forget

A few things are easy to miss in the first week:

• joining a union, which you can do at any time but which is often easiest when reps are introduced at induction
• registering for staff benefits such as the Blue Light Card, cycle to work or travel loans, some of which have application windows
• updating your professional regulator with your new employer if your role needs registration
• checking your annual leave year, which may not run January to December