Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
According to research from The Josh Bersin Company, the average time to hire is 44 days. This means when organizations have a new hire start, they want to get them onboarded as quickly as possible so they can start being productive and contributing to the organization’s goals.
Frankly, it should be no surprise that new hires want that too. They’re excited about joining the company. They want to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs). New hires want the company to know that they didn’t make a mistake hiring them.
So, onboarding programs need to be effective and efficient. One of the activities that can bring value to the process is a buddy program.
What’s a New Hire Buddy Program?
First and foremost, it’s important to note that a buddy program isn’t a substitute for company training or proper management. A buddy program is designed to be an extension of the overall onboarding process. An onboarding “buddy” helps the new hire feel welcomed and assists with the socialization process.
Buddy programs can be used for new hires as well as promotions or transfers. Any time an individual is being onboarded, there’s an opportunity for a buddy program. And while a formal buddy program would be ideal, organizations can support informal programs.
4 Benefits to Onboarding Buddy Programs
If designed properly, onboarding buddy programs can benefit both the employee and employer. Here are four benefits the organization can realize:
- New hires know more people than just their boss and HR. In a typical hiring scenario, a candidate meets human resources and the hiring manager. On day one, those are the two people they know. But let’s face it, that’s not enough. Organizations might be reluctant to add more people to the hiring process because it will slow the process and increase time to hire. So, a buddy program can help new hires meet their colleagues.
- Engagement and retention increase by building positive working relationships. Many of us have seen the Gallup statistic that says employees who have a close friend at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs. By contrast, those without work friends have a 1 in 12 chance of engagement. And we all know that engagement leads to retention. While buddy programs aren’t a guarantee that employees will become best buddies forever, the organization does need to create situations where new employees can start to assimilate and make friends.
- New employees learn the company’s unwritten rules. Every single organization has a few unwritten rules and untold stories. It’s usually information that HR and management doesn’t make a point of sharing, but new hires need to know the info. An onboarding buddy often knows those stories and can share them informally with new hires. They can help new hires maneuver these unwritten “landmines”. The last thing anyone wants is for new hires to learn the unspoken rules by making mistakes.
- Orientation doesn’t cover everything. As much as organizations want to present a comprehensive orientation program, sometimes it’s simply not possible. Some things will be learned informally on the job, like how the phones work. An onboarding buddy program can be designed to specifically cover those things that new hires need to know but don’t need to know on day one.
Buddy Programs Set New Hires Up for Success
I promise to write another article soon with some activities you can include in a buddy checklist. I’m a fan of a good checklist and this might be helpful to share with new hire buddies, so they know what to do. Organizations will want consistency in the activities that new hires are exposed to with their buddy.
We know that onboarding programs help new hires learn about their new role and get set-up for success. New hire buddy programs can help with conveying information and building relationships. And that’s not to say the organization (and the buddy) don’t reap any benefits from a buddy program. Like mentoring programs, not only does the mentee learn but the mentor does too. The new hire benefits from the program and so does the “buddy”.
If your organization doesn’t have a buddy program, it might be worth considering one. And if the organization has a program, make sure it’s doing what you want it to do.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while grabbing a bubble tea at Kung Fu Tea in Gainesville, FL
The post Onboarding: 4 Reasons New Hires Should Have a Buddy [Part 1] appeared first on hr bartender.
