New Employee Orientation / First Day in Unit - Human Resources at Ohio State

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Manager Guide to Onboarding New Employees

for managers of staff employees

New Employee Orientation / First Day in Unit

Virtual New Employee Orientation

Objective: New employee feels welcomed into the Buckeye community and is excited about what Ohio State has to offer. The employee learns about our values and the many wellness opportunities.

All new employees attend a virtual orientation on the morning of their first day. About a week before their first day, new employees receive an email with:

  • The orientation date and time and a CarmenZoom link to join
  • A link to a brief New Employee Essentials Guide
  • A link to the New Employee website

You will receive a copy of this email.  Discuss how the employee will join the orientation (from the office, from their home, in a group with others, etc.) and how they will spend the rest of their first day.

Benefits Webinars in the first week

Your new employee can also attend these benefits webinars. Consider this schedule as you plan their first week:

Employees can attend these “combined” new hire webinars during their first week or register for a 90-minute Health and Benefits webinar or a 90-minute Retirement Choices webinar.  These are offered monthly.  Learn more about the these webinars.

First Day in Unit

Objective: New employee feels welcomed and prepared to start working; begins to understand what it means to be a part of Ohio State, their position and performance expectations.

NOTE: Ohio State Wexner Medical Center employees may have multiple orientations, so their first day with their team may not be until Day 2 or Day 3. This will be noted in their offer letter.

  • Welcome and introduction to team/department
  • Provide new employee with orientation packet and discuss the following:
    • Job description including roles, responsibilities and expectations
    • Clarify the first week’s schedule
    • Confirm work schedule
    • Discuss probationary period, if applicable
  • Take photo for staff directory, bulletin board, etc.
  • Provide your new employee with a warm welcome. Plan to begin and end the day with the new hire.
  • Introduce employee to others in the workplace.
  • Introduce employee to their onboarding partner.
  • Take employee out to lunch and/or arrange for onboarding partner or team members to do so.
  • Review the New Employee website with employee. Be sure to point out the additional resources and videos on the right side of the page.
  • Take new employee to get their BuckID and/or arrange for onboarding partner or team member to do so.
  • Help new employee obtain their parking pass (if not already completed during pre-boarding) and/or arrange for onboarding partner to do so. NOTE: This can be done online or you can visit CampusParc.
  • Confirm employee introduction is on all team updates (intranet, etc.).
  • Give employee key(s) and building access card.
  • Provide department or building-specific safety and emergency information.
  • Provide ID badges and parking information (if applicable).
  • Provide Staff List/Directory
    • Include important telephone numbers, including the new employee’s contact information
  • Take employee on a building tour and explain key areas:
    • Restrooms, mail rooms, copy machine, bulletin boards, parking, printers, office supplies, water coolers, break rooms, vending machines, emergency exits, conference rooms, inform of nearby food and services
  • Provide new employee with a tour of campus (can be done virtually or by walking around).
  • Set-up:
    • Email/Outlook to include signature template (refer to Email Signature brand guidelines)
    • Shared drive access
    • MS Teams access
    • Voice mail and computer
  • Activate name.# and password at my.osu.edu (if not completed during the pre-boarding process)
  • Introduce employee to BuckeyeLearn. Confirm required training (training that has been assigned) and recommend additional learning opportunities. Demonstrate how to access BuckeyeLearn and encourage them to take the Welcome to BuckeyeLearn online course.
  • Give the new employee an overview of Gateway to Learning website.

NOTE:  You can ask the onboarding partner  or someone else on the team to demonstrate these resources or other tools the team uses.  This can help them get to know others on the team.