A buddy is a seasoned Martian who partners with a new Martian to support him/her during the first months of the journey in the company. The buddy will provide the newcomer with informal knowledge related to day-to-day issues, culture, activities, etc.
Any team member with:
- +1 year experience in the company
- the willingness to help others
- the time to be involved in the partnership process
- the motivation to share the company culture, values
is welcome to volunteer as a buddy. You just need to let Leire know, and she'll include you in the buddy pool for upcoming occasions.
- Present him/herself to the newcomer, explain what the buddy system is all about, and how he/she, as the buddy, will be helping the new hire
- Get to know the newcomer, by asking him/her questions about themselves
- Share insights on the day-to-day activities, culture, technical aspects, procedures, rituals, initiatives, useful tips, etc.
- Show how we use Slack (different channels, muting channels, notifications, pinging, statuses) as well as Basecamp (weekly check-ins, things we learn, reading challenge, Martian Day presentations, etc.)
- Create an informal interaction so that the new hire feels comfortable and safe asking any questions
- Encourage knowledge sharing, asking the new employee about tools, procedures, etc. he/she used in the past and liked
- Connect him/her to other team members who might share common interests, hobbies, etc.
- Try to reach out at least once a week, it can be a short chat over Slack or a video call
- Inform the management team in case the buddy detects any issue not working as expected with the newcomer
- Supervise the work of the new hire, and be accountable for his/her job performance
- Be responsible for his/her professional development
It may last around three months. After that period, the newcomer most likely feels more comfortable in the team and the company. However, it can last longer or shorter, depending on the needs of the new hire and the availability of the buddy. It's up to them to decide. If the partnership continues, it might evolve into mentoring, but that will completely depend on the case.
As part of the onboarding process, during the first days, the newcomer gets a lot of information about the company, how we work, the specific project he/she has been assigned to, etc. In fact, many of those issues, have already been discussed during the hiring process, but it's always good to refresh them the first day.
You can check what has already happened and explained in Guided with ❤️ by Martians.
Check what's already happening to onboard a new Martian (more details on the onboarding guide) The buddy needs to know that the new employee has already heard about all the important things he/she needs to know to start doing his/her job, which takes out pressure from the buddy. The buddy is an important, but additional support, which means the transmission of no key information relies only on the buddy.
We all have experienced that the first days in a new job are overwhelming for the amount of new information transferred, and we know that very often questions arise at a later stage, once he/she has the chance to digest the information and put the theory into practice. At this point, after the first few days, the role of the buddy is especially relevant and valuable.
Tip
Tips for the buddy
- Remain patient, relationships take time to develop, and not everything depends on you
- Be available, and give the newcomer time to feel comfortable and confident
- Be progressive in providing information, don't try to cover everything right away
- Maintain a positive, teaching, and open-minded attitude
- Enjoy the experience!