What it is
A matching program pairing a new hire and a current employee to educate the new hire about day-to-day processes, introduce them to the rest of the team, and answer questions as they arise
Why it matters
Onboarding buddies help new hires navigate unspoken social and cultural cues, increase their confidence in social setting, and become productive quicker.
Examples
- Buffer’s culture & role buddy program
- HelpScout’s work best friend, support buddy, people ops pal, and mentor programs
- Microsoft’s onboarding buddy program
Recommended tools / resources
⭐️ Gather for assigning onboarding buddies
Best practice FAQs
- Who should be assigned as an onboarding buddy?
- When should the onboarding buddy & new hire meet?
- What should new hires and onboarding buddies be encouraged to talk about?
- What information do buddies need ahead of meeting with the new hire?