Specific responsibilities are often called out in the new employee onboarding buddy guidelines. The following responsibilities are common for individuals participating in an onboarding buddy system in most industries.1. Meet the New Employee on Their First DayA new employee’s at a new company can be a and nerve-wracking event. The new hire’s onboarding buddy should be waiting to greet them as they enter the office. An onboarding buddy can ease the tension, especially while waiting for to begin.2. Introduce the New Hire to Other EmployeesIn the first days on the job, the onboarding employee should make a point to introduce the new hire to as many co-workers as possible. Onboarding buddies should focus on introducing direct team members that the new employee will work with on a regular basis. Additionally, they can ask the new hire what activities they are interested in to try and find co-workers who share similar interests.3. Answer Questions About the Job and the CompanyOne of the most important responsibilities of an onboarding buddy is to answer questions about the company and about the specific position. Onboarding buddies will hold a similar role as the new hire they’re supporting, so they should share firsthand experiences that can help answer questions and ease concerns. Since they’re on the same level of the , new hires will likely feel more comfortable asking their onboarding buddy questions as compared to asking a .4. Take the New Employee on a Tour of the WorkplaceOn a new employee’s first day, their onboarding buddy should give them a . They should highlight any areas that are unique to the company and the sections of the office that the new hire can expect to spend most of their time in.5. Teach the New Hire Unfamiliar TasksAnother key responsibility that onboarding buddies own is teaching their new hire unfamiliar tasks. New employees are not expected to be able to complete every task and requirement of their new position on the first day. The onboarding buddy should have sufficient experience in all areas of their role and be able to assist new hires on tasks where they’re lacking experience.6. Cover the Company Guidelines, Culture and Unwritten RulesOutside of the hard skills that need to be developed, new hires are not aware of all the company guidelines and the nuances of your . Onboarding buddies serve as an informal support system that can help inform new hires about the culture and prepare them for any unwritten rules that apply at the company and in the office.7. Allow the New Hire to Shadow on the JobMost new hires won’t be prepared to jump into their day-to-day responsibilities on the first day, or even within the first few weeks. Onboarding buddies can have their new hire them on relevant tasks to get an idea of how the job is completed.8. Hold Weekly Check-in MeetingsAlong with the tasks mentioned above, onboarding buddies should hold weekly with their new hire for at least the first month of their tenure. This can be through a calendar hold in a conference room or via an informal lunch meeting. In these meetings, the onboarding buddy should gauge how comfortable new employees are in the company and their role. They should be sure to answer any lingering questions until the new employee feels completely acclimated to the company.Required Skills fun buddy
