Onboarding: 4 Reasons Recent Hires Should Have a Buddy [Part 1]

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

In keeping with research from The Josh Bersin Company, the typical time to rent is 44 days. This implies when organizations have a brand new hire start, they need to get them onboarded as quickly as possible in order that they can start being productive and contributing to the organization’s goals.

Frankly, it must be no surprise that recent hires want that too. They’re enthusiastic about joining the corporate. They need to exhibit their knowledge, skills, and skills (KSAs). Recent hires want the corporate to know that they didn’t make a mistake hiring them. 

So, onboarding programs should be effective and efficient. Considered one of the activities that may bring value to the method is a buddy program.

What’s a Recent Hire Buddy Program?

In the beginning, it’s vital to notice that a buddy program isn’t an alternative to company training or proper management. A buddy program is designed to be an extension of the general onboarding process. An onboarding “buddy” helps the brand new hire feel welcomed and assists with the socialization process. 

Buddy programs could be used for brand spanking new hires in addition to promotions or transfers. Any time a person is being onboarded, there’s a possibility for a buddy program. And while a proper buddy program could be ideal, organizations can support informal programs.

4 Advantages to Onboarding Buddy Programs

If designed properly, onboarding buddy programs can profit each the worker and employer. Listed below are 4 advantages the organization can realize: 

1. Recent hires know more people than simply their boss and HR. In a typical hiring scenario, a candidate meets human resources and the hiring manager. On day one, those are the 2 people they know. But let’s face it, that’s not enough. Organizations is likely to be reluctant so as to add more people to the hiring process because it’s going to slow the method and increase time to rent. So, a buddy program may help recent hires meet their colleagues. 

2. Engagement and retention increase by constructing positive working relationships. A lot of us have seen the Gallup statistic that claims employees who’ve an in depth friend at work are seven times more prone to be engaged of their jobs. Against this, those without work friends have a 1 in 12 probability of engagement. And everyone knows that engagement results in retention. While buddy programs aren’t a guarantee that employees will turn out to be best buddies perpetually, the organization does must create situations where recent employees can begin to assimilate and make friends. 

3. Recent employees learn the corporate’s unwritten rules. Each organization has a couple of unwritten rules and untold stories. It’s normally information that HR and management doesn’t make a degree of sharing, but recent hires must know the data. An onboarding buddy often knows those stories and may share them informally with recent hires. They may help recent hires maneuver these unwritten “landmines”. The final thing anyone wants is for brand spanking new hires to learn the unspoken rules by making mistakes.

4. Orientation doesn’t cover all the pieces. As much as organizations need to present a comprehensive orientation program, sometimes it’s simply impossible. Some things might be learned informally on the job, like how the phones work. An onboarding buddy program could be designed to specifically cover those things that recent hires must know but don’t must know on day one.  

Buddy Programs Set Recent Hires Up for Success

I promise to jot down one other article soon with some activities you’ll be able to include in a buddy checklist. I’m a fan of a very good checklist and this is likely to be helpful to share with recent hire buddies, in order that they know what to do. Organizations will want consistency within the activities that recent hires are exposed to with their buddy. 

We all know that onboarding programs help recent hires find out about their recent role and get set-up for fulfillment. Recent hire buddy programs may help with conveying information and constructing relationships. And that’s to not say the organization (and the buddy) don’t reap any advantages from a buddy program. Like mentoring programs, not only does the mentee learn however the mentor does too. The brand new hire advantages from this system and so does the “buddy”. 

In case your organization doesn’t have a buddy program, it is likely to be price considering one. And if the organization has a program, be certain that it’s doing what you wish it to do.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while grabbing a bubble tea at Kung Fu Tea in Gainesville, FL

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