Starting a new job can be overwhelming. New hires must navigate unfamiliar processes and get to know their colleagues and the company culture.

To help them adjust easily, organizations assign each new hire an "onboarding buddy" to help them settle in and get to know the company. 

With our onboarding buddy program template, you can ensure new hires quickly learn the ropes and feel comfortable in their new environment.

 📝 What is a Buddy program template?

A buddy program template is a ready-to-use document outlining the steps in implementing a successful onboarding buddy program. It includes a clear timeline with activities and expectations for the buddy, the new hire, and their manager.

💡 Who is a Buddy program useful for?

A buddy program is helpful for new hires as it gives them a familiar face to help them acclimate to the company. 

Buddies ensure new hires fit into the team and help them understand their role by answering questions about the company.

A buddy system creates a smoother onboarding transition period for the new hire, establishes psychological safety within the organization, and improves productivity. 

But the onboarding buddy can also develop their skills, enlarge their network and contribute to a welcoming and cooperative company culture. 

👥 What's included in this buddy template?

Our onboarding buddy program template provides all the tasks and activities for a successful buddy program.

These include:

• Welcoming the new hire.
• Helping them understand their tasks and roles.
• Scheduling check-in meetings.
• Checking in with the buddy/new hire.
• Providing end-of-week feedback.
• Arranging 1:1s or coffee chats to answer the new hire's questions. 

And to make sure the activities are successful, the template also provides the following: 

• Reminders 
• Onboarding buddy checklists
• Ready-to-use buddy program evaluation form 
• Customizable questionnaires
• Timeline of tasks 

We also included the benefits of an onboarding buddy system to ensure everyone understands what's at stake. 

🏆 What are the top features of the Buddy program template?

Our onboarding buddy program template is ready to use so that you can get started immediately. 

Plus, it contains various features to ensure the onboarding process runs smoothly.

• 🔗 Integrations: Integrate the template into existing company workflows and communication channels such as Slack, MS teams, or emails for a seamless onboarding process.
• 🔔 Notifications and reminders: Get reminders and notifications of upcoming activities and tasks, so you and the new hire don't miss any action items. 
• 👩‍💻 Admin and user-friendly: Our template is easy to use and understand with user-friendly visuals and step-by-step instructions. It is incredibly intuitive for admins to adjust and customize.
• 🧠 Developed by our experts: Our template is designed by onboarding experts, considering industry best practices to ensure new hires have a successful onboarding experience. 
• 🤝 Collaboration-friendly: Our template allows easy stakeholder collaboration and encourages a more interactive and personal onboarding experience.

🏢 How do I adapt this Buddy onboarding template to my needs?

Our onboarding buddy program template is highly customizable and can be tailored to your organization's specific needs and goals. You can: 

• Add company-specific details, such as company vision, mission, and values. 
• Assign tasks and activities.
• Change the timeline of activities to reflect the onboarding process of your organization.
• Customize the buddy program evaluation form. 
• Customize reminders and notifications.
• Use employee onboarding software to automate repetitive tasks. 

🕛 How long does it take to complete the Buddy program? 

It will take two weeks for your new hires and buddies to complete this sample buddy onboarding program. 

But it is customizable, so the length of the program can vary depending on the size and complexity of your organization.

⚙️ Automate your Buddy onboarding with Zavvy and stop wasting time on manual onboarding tasks

Let Zavvy take the wheel and automate your Buddy onboarding! Our easy-to-use onboarding software helps you run effective and efficient preboarding and onboarding processes. 

With Zavvy, you will: 

• ⏱️ Save time and money by automating all the manual preboarding and onboarding tasks.
• 💻 Streamline processes by integrating with your existing workflows.
• 💪 Build your onboarding program in minutes with our ready-to-use templates. 
• 😃 Create better employee experiences by providing a more personal, friendly introduction to your new hires. 
• 🔔 Stay on top of tasks with reminders and notifications.