On Boarding Checklist — New Employee
Stage 1: Pre-Arrival
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- Stay in regular contact with your manager, especially if there is a long period between the job offer and the start date.
- It may be too early to know if you need workplace accommodations, but take the time to speak to your new manager about the workplace and any potential workplace accommodations.
- Ensure your manager sends you reference materials (i.e. phone list, organizational chart with titles, staff lists, other contact lists, voicemail and email instructions, job description, etc.).
- You should receive your letter of offer three weeks before your start date.
- A welcome email and a workplace information package will be sent to you shortly before your start date.
- Before your first day, make sure you are clear about the location, contact information for your manager and/or supervisor and/or administrative support staff for your new team and the date and expected time of your arrival.
Stage 2: First Day, First Week
First Day
- Bring photo identification with you on your first day as this will be required to obtain a temporary access card to your building.
- Meet your manager (or Peer Partner) at the front entrance of the building – introduce yourself.
- You will:
- Be shown your workspace and your manager (or Peer Partner) will discuss the plan for the day.
- Review with your manager your letter of offer, terms and conditions of employment, relevant provisions in the collective agreement (if applicable), salary (or wage), values and ethics codes (organizational and public sector), employment equity self-identification, required training and accommodation needs (if applicable).
- Discuss your working hours, breaks, leave reporting and language of work.
- Take the oath or solemn affirmation (for first time employees only).
- Be escorted to meet with security services for an ID photo card and security access pass.
- Be provided with cabinet keys and the combination to the safe (if applicable).
- Be introduced to your co-workers and given a tour of the workplace – get familiar with the location of rest rooms, kitchen areas, cafeteria, printers, fax, photocopiers, recycling, etc.
- Be provided with basic health and safety information (i.e., building exits, fire drill routes, first aid kit, etc.).
- Ensure you have all of the office supplies you need as well as basic reference materials (i.e. phone list, organizational chart with titles, staff lists, other contact lists, voicemail and email instructions, job description, etc.).
- Don’t forget to check out these handy resources:
- iService (the internal, departmental web site)
- Intersection (newsletter for all ESDC employees)
- The Top HR Clicks for Employees
What is a Peer Partner?
A Peer Partner assists hiring managers and shares the work involved with onboarding a new employee. They play an informal but vital role in making the new employee feel at ease during their transition into the new job. Selected on a voluntary basis, the Peer Partner should be a high-performing individual, have strong interpersonal skills and have shown his or her commitment to their job, the organization and our shared public sector values
Although it will be up to the hiring manager to decide which onboarding tasks will be the responsibility of the Peer Partner, the partner’s main role is essentially to be available to provide information, general advice, guidance and encouragement. They are there to answer any questions that the new employee may have in their first few months on the job.
Stage 2: First Day, First Week
First Week
- Meeting times will be scheduled for you by your manager or Peer Partner with points of contact to discuss required training and/or briefing sessions (i.e., security, information systems, etc.).
- Ensure you have completed the Mandatory Training for New Employees.
- Confirm with your manager (or Peer Partner) that your workstation is properly set up and your accommodations needs have been met (if applicable).
- Your manager (or Peer Partner) will follow up with the Public Service Pay Centre and the required training coordinator to ensure you have received all required forms.
- You will be provided with key information for pay services (e.g., Phoenix Self-Service/Compensation Web Application).
- Your manager (or Peer Partner) will help you register for your “myKey” – ensure that you understand how and when this is to be used (i.e., Compensation Web Application, performance management application).
- This is also a good time to discuss with your manager any accommodations that you may require in the workplace.
- Your manager (or, in some cases, Peer Partner) will:
- Discuss with you key government-wide policies (i.e., IT acceptable usage, harassment prevention, workplace health and safety disclosure of wrongdoing, access to information and privacy, etc.).
- Explain the organization’s structure and how you fit within it.
- Assist you in creating necessary online accounts (e.g., GCConnex, GCPedia, GCCampus).
- Discuss with you the performance management process, including probationary period attestation and how your performance will be assessed, and will provide you the link to the performance management application.
- Establish preliminary work objectives and a learning plan (including all required courses and training).
- Double check that you have been included on all relevant contact and distribution lists.
- Be proactive and begin initiating one-on-one meetings with other team members, based on their availabilities, so that you can better understand their work.
Stage 3: First Month
- Discuss your performance management agreement with your manager and ask your manager for preliminary feedback on your performance to date.
- Follow-up with your manager (or Peer Partner) on any questions you may still have about HR and/or compensation.
- Should you have any questions regarding compensation and benefits, ask your manager. He/She will provide you with the appropriate information.
- If you wish, ask your manager (or Peer Partner) if they can help you find a mentor.
- Confirm that you are enrolled in any required job-specific training (including mandatory occupational health and safety training specified in Module 5 of ESDC’s OHS Program).
- Meet with your manager (or Peer Partner) to discuss your experiences to date.
What is the difference between a Peer Partner and a Mentor?
A Peer Partner is a team member and is there to answer any questions a new employee may have, and help them navigate and integrate into the organization.
A Mentor, on the other hand, is typically more experienced and does not work directly with the employee. Their role is to guide and assist the new employee with their professional and personal development.
Tips for Managers to help New Employees find a Mentor
Begin by asking the new employee to look for people in the organization who they admire for their skill, knowledge and leadership. You could suggest to visit ESDC’s Mentoring Program SharePoint site and/or refer the new employee to National Mentoring Inventory.
You may also know of colleagues or supervisors who you feel could be a good match. Qualities to look for in a mentor include:
- Available and willing to spend time and give appropriate guidance and feedback;
- Experienced in a field of interest to the new employee;
- Knows how to develop a career path within the Public Service; and
- Enjoys helping others and is flexible, empathetic, and encouraging.
Stage 4: 3 – 6 Months
- Revisit your work objectives with your manager – he/she should provide you with meaningful feedback on your performance to date.
- Highlight any concerns you may have with your manager (or Peer Partner) about your role or the workplace.
- If you feel that you have difficulty doing some of the tasks or may need workplace accommodations/arrangements, this is a good time to discuss the situation with your manager.
- Ensure you have completed all mandatory training and follow-up on suggested learning activities.
- Provide feedback to your manager (or Peer Partner) on the onboarding process and let him/her know of any concerns you may have.
- Discuss professional development and networking opportunities with your manager (or Peer Partner).
Stage 5: Year 1
- You and your manager will conduct a year-end performance assessment based on your established performance objectives.
- If you have succeeded in completing the probationary period, ask for a confirmation in writing.
- Discuss with your manager your overall impressions of the workplace – what is going well and what could be changed (including if you require workplace accommodations or have functional limitations that prevents you from being fully productive in your position).
- Congratulate yourself on your first year as a federal public servant! Apply your experiences and lessons learned to your second year and continue to develop.