New Employee: ____________________ Title: ____________________________
Department: _______________________ Date of Hire: ______________________
Hiring Manager/Supervisor: _______________________________________________
This is a guide for benefits-eligible new hires. Some items on the checklist will not be applicable for all positions.
Please add [department specific] steps as needed.
ONBOARDING STARTS BEFORE THE NEW EMPLOYEE ARRIVES
- Reach out to new employee, prior to their first day. Help them feel welcomed upon their arrival!
- Does HR have the employee’s phone # and building location/office # as applicable? This information feeds into the directory via Workday. If included at the time of completing the online hiring proposal, then HR has what is needed. Otherwise, please call the HR Employment & Staffing Coordinator at x3468 to provide these details.
- Send a welcome letter/memo or make a phone call to your new hire confirming their start date/time/place. Let them know that you’re looking forward to their arrival!
- Offer directions and employee parking info.
- Let them know who they should report to their first day. If for some reason their supervisor isn’t available, let them know who will greet them.
- Will they be invited to lunch with colleagues their first day or should they plan to bring lunch?
- Suggested attire and what, if anything, to bring with them on their first day.
- Ask them what immediate questions they might have.
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In addition…
- Announce to the department and other employees across campus, as appropriate, the new
employee’s name; arrival date; and overview of responsibilities. Encourage support in welcoming the new hire. - Does the new employee go by a name other than their legal name? What pronoun do they use?
- Discuss the new hire’s role with department staff, answer any questions that arise and provide clarity as needed. Imbed into this discussion why it’s valuable to include people with different perspectives and skills.
- Get others involved! Select a mentoring/welcoming colleague to answer questions, to take your new employee to lunch, and provide a tour of the College.
- Prepare a comfortable work space; clean the office/workstation/desk. Order supplies and stock desk.
- Assemble potential resources (dept. staff list, key campus contacts for position, etc.)
- What systems access is required (e.g., Polaris, Canvas, etc.)? Does their computer need to be re-imaged? (IT Service desk: x3030; help3030@bowdoin.edu)
- Determine telephone extension/PIN access (Telecommunications Office x3966).
- Arrange for any necessary training over the upcoming weeks with co-workers, others on campus, formal in-class or online training, etc.
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NEW EMPLOYEE’S FIRST DAY
Review the basics and share this with your new employee. What would you want to know on your first day?
- Greet your new employee at the door!
- Introduce them to colleagues and staff members.
- Arrange a tour of building and the work area, pointing out conference rooms and restrooms (the latter should be done generally without assuming gender).
- Review the plan for the day/week.
- Plan to take them to lunch, if not the first day then another day in their first week.
- Schedule appointment with HR if Workday onboarding (e.g. I-9, W-4, direct deposit, etc.) has not been completed prior to their first day of employment.
- Obtain ID card and check that access to required areas is set (One Card Office: x4241).
- Obtain Bowdoin Username and Password and set up e-mail account (IT Help Desk: x3030).
- Issue required keys.
- Share information on how to make internal and outgoing phone calls.
- Common/break areas (where it’s OK to smoke if a smoker or make personal phone calls if do not have an office).
- Campus mail.
- Dress requirements reviewed (e.g. Safety & Security, Dining, and Facilities).
- Attendance/punctuality (e.g. review regular hours; expectations and who to call if have a last minute absence).
- Safety & Security office, x3458: parking pass, personal and building safety, parking & shuttle info, registering bicycles.
- Meal/break schedule and food/beverages at work area (as applicable).
- Where to eat on Campus. Get the Bowdoin Dining App for free on iTunes!
- Moulton Union dining hall (MU) and MU Express lunch or dinner option
- Thorne Dining Hall
- Jack Magee's Pub and Fast Track option (a weekday express lunch operation); also check out Magee’s re-usable container which, when used, gets you 25 cents off your order.
- The Café and the Bowdoin Express
- Dining website
- Discuss noise levels/radios/music in the workplace, especially if working in a cubicle or open area (it is sometimes appropriate for staff to use headphones, but depends on the nature of their work).
- Printer, copier, fax machine, shredder
- Supply room and how to order supplies
- Fire extinguishers/emergency exits/green stripe phone/first aid supplies
- Point employee to online resources, a few listed here:
- Order business cards, if applicable.
- Review employee’s work schedule and expectations.
- Arrange a meaningful assignment for the remainder of the day.
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NEW EMPLOYEE’S FIRST WEEK
- Make important introductions with those whom your new hire will regularly interact with in the course of doing their job. Purposeful introductions and sharing of information will help your new team member be successful and is the start of building relationships. Schedule time for this through a staff meeting, over lunch, or 1:1 meetings as appropriate.
- Provide an organizational overview: share org charts for the department / division / College.
- Discuss the department mission, goals, significant projects that are in process or upcoming.
- Review with the new employee their role and how this integrates with others in the department.
- Discuss job assignments/expectations and set initial goals and objectives in context of the six month adaptation period and the review that will occur by the sixth month of employment.
- Review important department policies, guidelines, ‘how to’ (e.g. confidentiality, who to call if need to be out sick, how to schedule a conference room, cell phone use at work, etc…).
- All new employees are required to take the online Workplace Harassment Prevention training, in accordance with Maine State law. This is available in Canvas once access is set up which typically occurs within the first two weeks of employment. If not able to sign-in after this time frame contact Jennifer Snow, Educational Research Consultant, x: 3707 or if the College login password needs to be re-set contact the IT Help Desk, x: 3030
Employees are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the employee handbook found online, and the following policies, per Workday onboarding:
- Freedom from Discrimination, Harassment; Sexual Misconduct & Gender Based Violence
- Code of Conduct; Professionalism; Attendance; Ergonomics and Workplace Safety
- Computer Use & Network policy
- Financial policies
- Request access to IT Security Awareness training video (~20 minutes) by e-mailing itsecurity@Bowdoin.edu.
- New employees attend the HR sponsored New Employee Orientation session (½ day) within a month of their date of hire, scheduled by HR.
- Optional: review of benefits & opportunity to ask questions if needed, contact Mary Cote, Asst. Dir. of Benefits and Absence Management, x: 3033
- If safety/OSHA training is required for this position contact Lisa Coombs, Assoc. Dir. Environmental Health and Safety, x: 3763
- Follow up as needed with IT re: computer needs, email address, phone, training, etc.
- Is their work area comfortable and do they have what they need?
- Explain how to use Workday to record hours worked (if hourly) and time off; or if a supervisor how to approve time, and review the related College policies.
- Explain payroll schedules and overtime policy (for both supervisors of hourly staff and staff members).
- All employees should be aware of College Emergency Planning, which includes: emergency procedures, Campus Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), and the video Run.Hide.Fight. Surviving an Active Shooter Event. The College annual security report includes all crimes reported to the Office of Safety and Security or to a campus security authority, as well as institutional policies concerning campus security.
- Tour campus with member of department and/or sign-up for Admissions Office Tour.
- If it is necessary to drive a Bowdoin vehicle for business related purposes (e.g. business trip; employee or student outing, etc.) see driver certification requirements.
Ways to connect on campus:
- The Digest (daily e-mail with announcements, events on campus and in the community; need to subscribe)
- College events calendar
- Faculty Seminar Series (all Faculty and Staff are welcome to attend – this is updated each semester)
New employees have many questions so check in with them periodically, some may initially be more reticent than others to ask. Encourage them come to you with questions! Communicate your expectations: do you have an open door policy or do you prefer that they touch base with you at a certain time of day? Check-in at end of first week and ask how the week is progressing. Do they have what they need?
Consider these checkpoints on the way to the six-month adaptation evaluation and beyond.
WITHIN ONE MONTH
Required training scheduled. Make new employee aware of the HR Learning page.
Meet regularly to discuss progress. Review job description, goals, and expectations as needed. Solicit ongoing feedback using a strength-based approach. Ask questions and listen. Related articles:
Strengths based leadership ~ Mindtools.com
Strengths based goal setting ~ Gallup.com Business Journal
What Great Managers Do ~ Harvard Business Review, Management Tip of the Day
Strategies for success book recommendations, for the supervisor and employee, available through the College Library via link provided:
How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life by Marcus Buckingham
GO Put Your Strengths to Work by Marcus Buckingham
The first 90 days : critical success strategies for new leaders at all levels by Michael Watkins
Talk with your new employee about the six-month adaptation review. This will come quickly! Should you have any concerns be sure to discuss early on with the employee and contact HR sooner than later.
Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) and Supervisors.
Those new to supervising (external hire or internal promotion) will be given access to the applicable HR systems on or close to the effective date of their start in the role. Beyond this they should be introduced to the processes and policies related to hiring, performance management, payroll, and leave management, within the first month. This responsibility falls primarily to their manager and appropriate department colleagues. In addition, time can be scheduled with the applicable human resource representative, especially in situations where performance reviews are coming due or a position needs to be filled.
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WITHIN THREE MONTHS
Regular meetings and/or check-ins continue.
Ask the employee where they feel they are exceling and where they need assistance.
Discuss performance evaluation goals and progress toward goals.
Consider matching newcomers with seasoned mentors. When new hires have an experienced person
to turn to it helps them acclimate to the team more quickly and better understand the workflow.
Schedule appointment for adaptation review before the 6 mth anniversary date (e.g. in the 5th mth).
Attend a New Employee Meet & Greet session sponsored by Human Resources (typically offered three times a year, October, February, May/June. Dates may vary based on new hire volume).
Voluntary attendance at Safe Zone training sponsored by the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity (offered each semester). This training covers a basic understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. Upon completion of this program staff and faculty receive a Safe Zone decal which can be displayed in their work area as a visible show of support of students and community members of all gender identities and sexual orientations.
Additional ways to connect on campus. Get to know the members of either the:
- Support Staff Advocacy Committee (SSAC) for hourly staff
- Bowdoin Administrative Steering Committee (BAS) – for administrative staff
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SIX MONTH EVALUATION
A critical check-in point to discuss and document accomplishments, opportunities for
improvement, additional training and future goals. The goals set here will be utilized in the annual
review.
Write goals with clarity and that are: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.). See the Managers Toolkit for resources to assist with accessing the Review system and writing performance reviews.
Now is a good time to discuss the upcoming annual review process and associated goals/expectations.
Continue to meet regularly to discuss progress in reaching goals, continued development of strengths, and
opportunities for growth/development.
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AFTER THE FIRST YEAR AND BEYOND
The employee has now completed a full cycle in their job! Ongoing, two-way, communication
should be the norm via regularly scheduled meetings, project updates, and on the fly.
The focus shifts to retention and engagement. Research shows that the #1 thing employees want is
development. Ask them what they need and provide growth opportunities through training, conferences, stretch assignments, mentoring opportunities, etc… Refer to the HR web site Learning page for resources.
Consider conducting annual stay interviews, a structured conversation where the manager talks with their employee(s), 1:1, regarding what is working and what isn’t working for them. This is a way to measure employee job satisfaction and is recommended at least once a year opposite the performance review. Resources:
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