The onboarding process (introduction of a new employee) – a compilation of extreme emotions on the part of both the new employee and the employer. Both parties want to make the best impression on the other party during the first few days. Sometimes, however, it turns out, especially in large entities, that the process of introducing a new employee does not last a week, but a month. In such cases, a good solution is to appoint a so-called buddy, whose role will be to help the employee acclimatize to the new workplace.
What qualities should a Buddha have?
First of all, he should be an extrovert, i.e. an open person. He must be a communicative person who easily makes friends, even through small talk. In large institutions, people who are liked by their co-workers are good material for this role. Apart from being go-getters, they should be motivated to act and empathetic towards others. Another desirable feature is the ability to construct constructive feed-back in the initial cycles of introducing the employee to tasks that will be his future duties. Buddy should be able to deal with different types of personalities and be understanding when something is unclear to the employee being introduced.
The role of Buddha and job-related responsibilities.
Often, people designated for the buddy role, apart from introducing new employees, have their own duties related to their position. As an employer, you should bear in mind that the person performing this function should also have time to perform them. Introducing a new employee may be associated with delays in the work of the "buddy". The proximity of the dead line may reduce the effectiveness of the employee's introductory work. What's more, the multitude of duties may cause negative effects such as irritation or fatigue after previously working overtime. It is therefore worth considering temporary absence or reduced time of the employee responsible for introducing a new person by extending deadlines or dividing their duties and transferring them to other people in the department.
Can a superior also function as a Buddha?
The role of the buddy should be played by a person who works in the same department as the new employee. Whether this is the direct superior or an employee in another position depends on the size of the organization. If the departments are characterized by a small number of employees, it is possible that the role of the buddy will be played by the superior, as the person who knows the company best and the longest. However, in larger institutions, the role of the buddy is assigned to a person who is in the same position as the new person. Another decision maker in the selection of a person is age. The buddy is selected based on this, the aim is to reduce the risk of a lack of a common language and to minimize stress for the new person.
What types of activities should be on a buddy’s to-do list?
It all depends on the organizational culture of the company in which the employee is being introduced. If the infrastructure around the workplace allows for meetings after work or during a break, it is worth including, for example, a joint lunch with the new employee in the buddy tasks. At the same time, the activities should be matched to those performed by other co-workers.
Example Buddha Tasks:
- picking up a new employee from the reception,
- a tour of the company and introduction to other employees,
- introduction to the use of company systems,
- first meal with an employee.
Can the role of Buddha find application outside of office work?
The Buddha figure is a way to meet new employees in their first days on the job. Although the Buddha role is more common in office work, it does not rule out the need to introduce a similar position in factories, for example. However, it is important to remember to match this role to the appropriate workplace, because the Buddha's tasks in the office will be completely different than on the production floor.
Summary – the role of a “buddy” at work
The presence of a person acting as a buddy for a new employee can significantly translate into adaptation to the new work environment and faster implementation of tasks. It is important to remember to carefully choose a person who has all the features that a buddy should combine. When appointing this person, one cannot forget about the professional obligations they perform outside of the role of a buddy. Activities that take place outside the workplace, such as going out for dinner or bowling to integrate with other employees, should be a reflection of activities from the life of the company. The role of a buddy can be used in other modes of work, but they should be appropriately adapted to the rules and needs prevailing in the workplace.
