src=”https://buffer.com/resources/content/images/2022/04/liz-sanchez-vegas-NQTqZLh6CxE-unsplash.jpg” alt=”Onboarding: Is It Better To Have Teammates Start Together Or Stagger Their Onboarding? “>
Over the years, we have done a lot hiring. One of our questions was: Is it better to have Buffer colleagues who are starting at the same time as you or to stagger your start dates?
Our team is small and we have been actively recruiting for many roles for the past year and a quarter. We are now curious about what works best for our teammates and hiring managers. A new hiring manager recently asked other managers about their experiences with teammates starting on the same day as teammates who start on different days.
This article will discuss the experiences of three Buffer hiring managers. It also includes some advice and best practices that we keep in mind for remote team members.
How to stagger your teammate’s start dates
We hired 26 people in just nine months in 2021. This was quite impressive for a team of less that 90. These new hires concentrated on the Advocacy, Engineering, and Product teams. This added burden placed additional responsibility on some of the hiring managers and teammates. to complete the majority of the onboarding.
We don’t ask that new hires begin on a specific day. Instead, we encourage them to choose the best start date for themselves, their family, and their former employer. Sometimes, our teammates can start the same day or weeks apart. Remote onboarding requires a lot more planning and guidance. For all new hires, we prepare a central document that clearly outlines expectations for the first 30-60-90 day. We also assign a role buddy for job-specific support and a culture buddy to help with questions and values. Although it requires a lot from the team, three colleagues for each new hire is a proven way to support them (especially in remote or global teams).
From one experience to another
Darcy Peters was the Advocacy team leader. She added two new team members to her team at 2021. Each teammate started three weeks apart. Darcy stated that she found it extremely helpful for them to start at different times. This was mostly because they could learn what to do better in the next round.
“I learned from my first experience. Would I have asked another question to my friends at the 30 day mark? What would I do differently to organize the 60-day celebration with the team member? Darcy Peters
Weighing down the overall impact on the team
Ross Parmly, another advocacy leader, also spoke out, noting that the staggered start dates made it easier for the team to adjust and didn’t have an impact on the area goals.
It is useful to have the time spread out. “The Advocate’s Role Buddy tends to get pulled away from the inbox for a few weeks, so it is a good idea to do this in a staggered manner.” Although this may not be applicable to all teams, it is worth considering the role buddy component of team onboarding. It could also help to determine if spacing things out will make for a smoother experience.
When should you align your coworkers’ start dates
Hailley, who you often see here as she manages our content communications, had two new hires in the same week.
Training and milestones for groups
It was quite easy to have two new colleagues start in the same week. “I had their onboarding ready at a similar time to staggered. They were also joining the same role so they were able support each other as well as learn tools and processes.” – Hailley Griffis
We also want to share feedback and celebrate milestones of 30, 60 and 90 days. Multiple teammates can start at the same moment, which can lead to extra work for hiring managers. However, larger groups may celebrate when new teammates reach 90-days.
” Using the same time to start could help you sync milestones, and you could batch them together rather than needing to revisit them individually.” – Ross Parmly
Schedule time for new hires
“Having two new people at the same time meant I had to set aside a lot of my schedule for the first two weeks to ensure I was available for support. But overall, this was the best way I could have done, especially because these two colleagues are in the same position. ” – Hailley Griffis
In remote environments, creating bonds with new colleagues
No matter the start date, it is important to create a community for new hires and bond them. Our 2021 new hires were invited to join a Slack channel so they could chat and support one another as Bufferoos.
This could have been true even if my new teammates started together, but I found they were great support for each other. Fern felt empowered instantly, because he had some experience at Buffer, and was able support Lexi in a small manner. They discovered that each of them were strong in their respective areas of support, likely due to the expertise of their friends. This enabled them to learn from one another. They were also able to have some calls together, even though they were separated by two weeks. Joel had one call and several mini-training calls were held with Advocates. Darcy Peters
Your efforts in onboarding new colleagues pay off throughout their tenure. Clear lines of support are essential and teammates should know who they can turn to for help. The majority of new hires form strong bonds with their culture buddies, role buddies, and even start date buddies. This is a wonderful opportunity for new hires, no matter how far apart they live.
More to you
How did you feel about joining a new company? Are you able to relate to new hires? What do you want as a hiring manager to do? We’d love to hear from you via Twitter!
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