How to Create an Onboarding Buddy Program in 5 Steps (+Examples)

Buddy systems in the workplace facilitate a smooth onboarding process for your new hires, boosting productivity and employee satisfaction.

Follow our detailed guide for structuring a robust onboarding buddy program tailored to your business’s needs and maximize new hire engagement. We have also included some examples of companies successfully adding buddies to their onboarding programs.

1. Define the objectives and scope of your buddy program

Establishing clear objectives for your buddy program is essential to ensuring it aligns with your organization’s goals. A well-defined program helps new hires integrate seamlessly into the company culture, reduces time to productivity, and builds strong interpersonal connections that can boost employee retention.

Before launching your program, consider what you want to achieve:

1. Do you want to improve the new hire experience by providing social support and integrating your new workers culturally?
2. Are you looking to decrease turnover rates by offering smoother transitions for new employees?

Examples of objectives might include:

• Accelerating the learning curve for new hires
• Enhancing team cohesion
• Improving overall job satisfaction

By defining the scope and desired outcomes of your new hire buddy program, you lay the foundation for a successful and impactful onboarding experience.

2. Define the criteria and procedure for selecting buddies

The criteria for choosing buddies should align with the program’s objectives and the unique needs of your new hires.

Key factors to consider here include the buddy’s level of experience within the organization, their willingness to participate, and their ability to provide a welcoming and supportive environment.

Buddies can either volunteer for the role or be suggested by managers. Depending on your organization’s structure, you may also assign different buddies to different departments to provide more specialized support.

An ideal onboarding buddy possesses qualities such as:

• Empathy
• Patience
• Friendliness
• Strong communication skills
• A thorough understanding of the company culture
• A profound understanding of the company processes and vision

They should be able to offer guidance without overwhelming the new hire. In addition to these personal attributes, it’s important to define the buddy’s role description clearly. Buddies should know how to balance their regular responsibilities with their onboarding duties, ensuring they remain accessible to the new hire.

By carefully defining the selection criteria and outlining a clear role description, you can ensure that your onboarding buddies are well-equipped to form positive and productive relationships with new hires.

3. Provide training for buddies

To maximize the effectiveness of your onboarding buddy program, it is crucial to provide comprehensive training for buddies. This training should equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to support new hires effectively.

Start by ensuring that buddies have access to the right information, such as:

• Company policies
• Cultural norms
• Key resources that new employees may need

It’s also important to clearly define the scope of the buddy’s role—buddies typically focus on the social and cultural aspects of onboarding rather than covering specific role expectations or performance metrics.

However, the precise scope covered by buddies may vary depending on the organization’s goals and the defined objectives of the program.

4. Add buddies to existing onboarding workflows

Integrating buddies into your existing onboarding workflows helps create a seamless experience for new hires.

Introduce the buddy early in the onboarding process—ideally during the preboarding phase. You could send a welcome message or a brief introduction email that outlines the buddy’s role.

Alternatively, you might invite the new hire to meet their buddy virtually or in person before their official start date. This early introduction helps new hires feel supported from day one.

Determining the frequency and duration of meetings between buddies and new hires is also crucial. Regular check-ins, such as weekly or bi-weekly meetings during the first few months, can help new hires feel more comfortable. These meetings could be short, informal catch-ups or longer, more structured sessions, depending on the needs of the new hire and the objectives of the program.

The types of activities that buddies and new hires engage in should be varied and tailored to facilitate social integration and cultural acclimation. These are examples of activities to include in your buddy program:

• Virtual coffee chats where the buddy can answer questions
• Team lunches where the buddy can introduce other team members
• (Virtual) office tours
• Attending company or industry events together

For remote employees, these activities might involve virtual team-building exercises or guided introductions to various digital tools and platforms used within the company.

Effective matching of buddies and new hires is key to the program’s success. When pairing buddies with new hires, consider factors such as:

1. Shared interests
2. Similar professional backgrounds
3. Complementary skills

5. Monitor and adjust the program

Continuous monitoring and adjustment of your new hire buddy program are essential to its long-term success and effectiveness. Gathering regular feedback from all participants—new hires, buddies, and managers—provides valuable insights into what is working well and what areas need improvement.

One effective strategy for collecting this feedback is through an employee onboarding survey. These surveys should be conducted at multiple stages throughout the onboarding process, such as after the first week, first month, and after the onboarding period concludes. This approach allows for real-time adjustments and ensures the program remains aligned with organizational goals and worker needs.

When designing feedback surveys, include a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions to gain a comprehensive understanding of the program’s impact.

Here are some examples of questions to include in your onboarding buddy program surveys:

For new hires:

• How helpful was your onboarding buddy in helping you acclimate to the company culture?
• Did your buddy provide sufficient support in understanding your role and responsibilities?
• How frequently did you meet with your buddy, and was this frequency adequate?
• What aspects of the buddy program did you find most beneficial?
• What improvements would you suggest for the buddy program?

For buddies:

• How prepared did you feel to take on the buddy role? Did the training provided equip you well for this role?
• Could you manage your regular work responsibilities alongside your duties as a buddy?
• How effective was the buddy matching process? Were there any challenges you faced in building rapport with your assigned new hire?

For managers:

• How has the onboarding buddy program impacted the integration and performance of new hires in your team?
• Have you noticed any changes in team dynamics or employee engagement since the implementation of the buddy program?
• What suggestions do you have for improving the onboarding buddy program?

Examples of successful onboarding buddy programs

Let’s explore successful onboarding buddy programs from Microsoft, Buffer, and Zapier, demonstrating the effectiveness of these programs in improving new hire experiences and outcomes.

Microsoft

Microsoft has long recognized the value of a well-structured onboarding buddy program. At Microsoft, new hires are paired with an onboarding buddy from day one. The value of an onboarding buddy seems to be proportional to the frequency of interactions:

An internal study showed that 56% of new hires who met with their onboarding buddy at least once in their first 90 days said their buddy helped them get up to speed faster. That number jumped to 73% for those who met 2-3 times with their buddy, 86% for those who spoke 4-8 times, and 97% for those meeting their buddy more than 8 times during the onboarding process.

Through surveying new hires, Microsoft found that an onboarding buddy gives much-needed context to the new workplace experience beyond what can be found in a guidebook. Also, employees with buddies seem to be happier at work—new hires with buddies were 23% more satisfied than those without buddies after the first week on the job. At the 90-day mark, those with buddies reported a 36% increase in satisfaction.

Buffer

Buffer is another company that has successfully leveraged an onboarding buddy program to enhance the new hire experience. They replaced their 45-day boot camp with an onboarding process that promotes diversity, offers psychological safety, and enables new hires to enjoy the same benefits as other full-time employees.

Buffer employs a two-buddy system with defined roles and different meeting frequencies to help new hires:

• Role-buddy: An employee who knows the new hire’s role and is a peer. They talk with the new hire once or twice a week via Zoom
• Culture-buddy: The most experienced buddy that helps recruits learn about the company’s vision, culture, and strategy. The culture buddy will chat weekly with the new hire for the initial six weeks and as needed after that

A hiring manager is also responsible for the onboarding. The hiring manager is typically the recruit’s supervisor. They work in close collaboration with the two buddies to ensure the onboarding is on track.

Zapier

Zapier is another example of a company successfully implementing an onboarding buddy program. The buddy program at Zapier is called the “Zap Pal” program. Each new hire gets assigned a Zap Pal, who sets up a Zoom call during the new worker’s first week.

The Zap Pal keeps checking in with the new hire during their first month. Zapier highlights how this can bring forth innovation and unexpected ideas since buddies and new recruits can work in different departments.

Onboarding buddy program best practices

Implementing an effective onboarding buddy program requires careful planning and a focus on onboarding best practices. This ensures a smooth transition for new hires and active engagement from all participants. Here are some actionable tips to help you successfully implement your onboarding buddy program with minimal disruption and maximum engagement:

Ensure clear communication

Clear communication is the foundation of any successful onboarding buddy program. It’s essential that all parties—new hires, buddies, and managers—fully understand their roles and responsibilities from day one.

A detailed onboarding plan outlining the buddy’s duties, the new hire’s expected learning curve, and the manager’s oversight role helps prevent misunderstandings and sets everyone up for success. Regular communication between all parties ensures that any questions or concerns are addressed promptly, inspiring a positive onboarding experience.

Set expectations

Setting clear expectations is crucial for creating a productive and supportive onboarding environment. Define what new hires should learn and accomplish during onboarding and what buddies are expected to deliver.

Outline specific goals, such as mastering certain tools or understanding team dynamics, and define the type of support buddies should provide—be it cultural acclimation, practical guidance, or social integration.

Clearly delineating these expectations helps ensure mutual understanding and accountability, making the onboarding process more efficient and effective.

Schedule regular check-ins

Regular check-ins between buddies and new hires are essential for maintaining momentum and tracking progress throughout onboarding. These meetings should be scheduled at consistent intervals, such as weekly or bi-weekly, depending on the needs of the new hire and the complexity of their role.

Regular check-ins provide a dedicated time for new hires to ask questions, discuss challenges, and receive feedback. They also give buddies an opportunity to gauge how well the new hire is integrating and to offer additional support where needed. Consistent meetings help build a stronger rapport and ensure that the onboarding process remains on track.

Encourage feedback

Creating channels for open feedback is vital to the ongoing improvement of your onboarding buddy program. Encourage both new hires and buddies to share their experiences, insights, and suggestions for enhancing the program. This feedback can be collected through regular surveys, one-on-one meetings, or informal conversations.

By actively seeking and responding to feedback, you demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and show that you value the input of all participants.

Tips for creating a buddy program for remote workers

Creating a successful onboarding buddy program for remote workers requires thoughtful adaptation to ensure seamless virtual integration. Here are some tailored strategies to meet the unique needs of remote employees:

1. Utilize digital tools for effective communication

Leverage virtual communication tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Slack to facilitate regular check-ins and casual conversations between buddies and new hires.

Encourage buddies to schedule both formal meetings and informal chats to help build rapport and create a sense of belonging. Video calls can create a more personal connection, which is often missing in remote work environments.

2. Implement an LMS for buddy training

Using a Learning Management System (LMS) such as Deel Engage can streamline the training process for onboarding buddies. An LMS can provide structured modules on how to be an effective buddy, including best practices for remote engagement, guidance on cultural integration, and communication techniques.

Providing this training online ensures that buddies are well-prepared to support new hires, regardless of where they are located.

3. Schedule regular virtual meetups and social activities

Schedule regular virtual meetups and social activities to recreate the social aspects of in-person onboarding. These could include virtual coffee breaks, team-building exercises, or interactive online games.

Such activities help new hires feel more connected to their colleagues and the company culture, fostering a sense of community despite the physical distance.

4. Leverage collaboration tools for document sharing and knowledge transfer

Remote onboarding can benefit significantly from collaboration tools like Google Workspace, Notion, or ClickUp for document sharing and knowledge transfer.

Buddies can use these tools to share important resources, company documents, and onboarding materials with new hires. This ensures new employees have easy access to the information they need and can refer back to it as necessary.

5. Foster a supportive remote culture

Creating a supportive and inclusive remote culture is essential for the success of any buddy program. Encourage buddies to proactively reach out to new hires, offer support, and check in regularly. Promote a culture of openness and inclusivity, where new hires feel comfortable asking questions and seeking help.

By tailoring your onboarding buddy program to the unique needs of remote employees, you can create a more engaging, supportive, and effective onboarding experience that facilitates a smooth transition into the company for workers from all over the world.

Create a successful buddy system in your workplace with Deel Engage

Running a well-functioning buddy system can be a lot of work. Its success will also depend on whether you:

• Guide all involved parties—new hire, buddies, and manager—to get the most out of the program
• Engage people at the right time instead of overwhelming them with a huge guide
• Collect feedback to improve the workflow continuously

With Deel Engage, you can easily incorporate onboarding buddy programs into your onboarding process:

• Send surveys to identify volunteer buddies, or make managers nominate the buddy as you prepare for onboarding the new hire
• Customize onboarding journeys with steps for buddies
• Create custom training journeys to prepare buddies for this role
• Send instructions and preparation tips for buddies in advance
• Add conversation starters for each step of the onboarding
• Automatically send reminders via Slack or Teams
• Collect feedback at every milestone from both buddies and new hires
• Create onboard workflows in Slack without an external login

Deel HR, our truly global HRIS solution, is always included for free.

Learn more about creating a successful onboarding process with Deel Engage.