Behold the power or a Buddy

EMG Buddy Program

Have you ever...

… started a new job and felt completely lost on the first day? Were you able to “hit the ground running,” or did it take a long time for you to come up to speed with your new company's work environment, workflow processes, and unspoken rules? Starting a new job can be exciting, but it can also be very stressful and overwhelming.

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Employees who are new to an organization have the essential skill sets to succeed in their new roles; but they are unfamiliar with their new coworkers and the company's’ culture and business processes. Assigning a workplace buddy who can help ease the transition into their new roles can be very beneficial for all involved, especially during the onboarding process.

The why

Providing a workplace buddy…

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• Ensures that our new employee has someone to talk to
• Can become an unstructured knowledge share
• Leads to better employee retention especially if it is part of the first few days on the job
• Will help the new employee to understand workplace systems and processes and culture better, resulting in a quicker settling-in period and ensure they are productive sooner

�If the new employee has had a positive early experience, he or she is more likely to feel comfortable in his or her new role, maintain a confident attitude, and stay with our company for a longer period of time.

Your responsibilities as a Buddy

• Teaching/or tutoring, such as explaining unfamiliar tasks�
• Socializing the new employee on company's guidelines, norms, culture, and unwritten guidelines�
• Sharing insights on how things are done in the organization�
• Involving the new employee in social or informal activities, such as lunch, coffee, Yoga, Fika Friday�
• Answering questions – often more than once. Buddies need to be patient as new starters take in a lot of information, often in a short time, and may need to re-ask questions in the future as events occur�
• Provide information, signpost information and provide informal support�
• Encourage them to ask questions if unsure about any aspects of their role

You as a Buddy

The Buddy selection is almost as seriously as the hiring decision itself. You as a buddy becomes an ambassador for EMG, communicates our company culture, and relates non-job specific —but important—information. You have well-rounded knowledge of our company and its mission and values. It is equally important that you have a positive outlook and are willing to be the face of the organization. ��Additional characteristics when becoming a buddy include:�

• Has a willingness and ability to mentor others
• Are willing to take the time to be accessible to the new employee
• Has knowledge of the new employee's job
• Is a peer of the new employee
• Has excellent communications and interpersonal skills
• Is well regarded and accepted by current employees

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Tips for you as a Buddy

If you are asked to be a buddy, here are some tips that can help you to make the most of the experience:

• You are not expected to be an expert on everything, so don't worry about living up to this ideal
• Focus attention on the new employee and what he or she needs to be comfortable in their new role
• Remain patient—relationships take time to develop
• Don't try to cover everything right away. Remember, the new employee more than likely feels overwhelmed during the first couple of weeks and will need time to digest all the information they are taking in
• Stay positive. New employees will grow into their roles in time with appropriate support
• Don't try to force a relationship. Be available, but give the new employee time to adjust to you and feel comfortable with using you as a trusted source
• Try to identify the new employee's personality and communication style and adapt accordingly
• Keep an open mind and don't be too judgmental. The new hire is relying on you to be a safe place to get answers to their many questions
• Encourage the new employee to ask questions, to be open and willing to learn, to share knowledge from previous jobs, and to give feedback on their experience with the onboarding process

How does it work?

When we have a new hire you will be connected with the new employee through HR, depending on the role, team and skills.

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1. New employee signs the contract
2. HR contact the Buddy
3. The Buddy get contact information to the new hire
4. The new hire will receive the same information
5. You can start contacting each other

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We encourage that you as a Buddy are working in a different team and a different role than the one who are new. It's important we introduce different roles in the organization.

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Want to become a Buddy?

If you think there is a Buddy inside of you. Then you are more than welcome to sign up for our Buddy Program by adding your name, department and location in the form below.

Sign up here!

Thank you for being a HERO in Buddying an new employee and a true EMG ambassador!

If you have any questions regarding our Buddy program, please contact Frida Björkman at HR.