Buddy
The buddy supports the new employee during the first month in accordance with the agreement with the leader. The buddy's role includes assisting the new employee with social inclusion and practical information. It is important that the buddy is available to the new employee during the first month and can offer assistance, address ongoing questions, and refer the new employee to the right resources.
Who should be a buddy?
The selection of a buddy can depend on various factors. It could be someone relatively new who has recentlty gone through the onboarding process themselves. At the same time, they should have sufficent experience to offer reliable support to the new employee. It could also be someone particularly friendly and inclusive, with th availability to dedicate time to the new employee.
In most cases, the buddy should belong to the same job category as the new employee. For examble, a PhD candidate should be paired with another PhD candidate as their buddy.
To ensure a successful onboarding, it is essential for the manager, along with the buddy, HR and other people involved, to collaborate in establishing a plan for implementation and determining which tasks will be assigned to whom.
During the first week, the buddy should clear their schedule to be available and provide support to the new employee. To ensure their availability, it may be necessary for the buddy to dicuss and coordinate with their own manager.
Examples of tasks the buddy can perform:
- Provide practical and social support to help the new employee acclimate quickly.
- Be available to address ongoing practical questions.
- Support in training on administrative support systems.
- Have lunch with the new employee.
- Give a tour of the garden and museum buildings if the manager is not available.
- Arrange for a photoshoot for the personal profile page with Karsten Sund.
- Accompany the new employee to SiO Customer Service at Blindern to obtain an employee ID card.
Colleagues
In addition to the buddy, it may be beneficial for the manager to involve other colleagues in the onboarding process. This could include other managers or colleagues who will work closely with the new employee.