Buddy systems improve hire experience 

McLean & Company, a globally trusted partner of HR and business leaders, has released its newest research-driven resource, titled  Implement a Buddy System at Work. This data-backed guide is intended to support HR leaders in building a more consistent and effective way to help onboard new employees. With HR facing ongoing challenges like significant turnover and competition in the talent marketplace, a ‘buddy system’ is an easy-to-implement solution that is effective at helping new employees acclimate to a new organisation and role – as indicated by McLean & Company’s research. 

Onboarding is often exciting and stressful for both the new employee and the manager, and new hires often need extra support to settle into a new role. McLean & Company’s New Hire Survey Database shows employees are 1.8 times more likely to be engaged when their acclimatisation experience is positive compared to those who rate their experience lower. 

A buddy is different from a mentor or coach. The term ‘buddy’ refers to the internal tenured employee who assists a new employee in settling in with an organisation. The buddy acts as a friendly point of contact to help new employees adjust to their roles during the first few months by providing advice, answering questions and making introductions. 

The research indicates that a buddy system provides ongoing support to new hires after their initial orientation without a significant investment in time or resourcing and can alleviate some of HR’s pain points with similar programmes. 

Buddy system programmes offer the following merits: 

• Easy to implement with minimal coordination 
• Senior-level members freed up for more formal interactions 
• No specialised training required to be a buddy 

• Flexibility in meeting frequency, duration and location 

For employees, buddy systems are valuable and offer such benefits as: 

• An enhanced and more personalised onboarding experience 
• Prevention of potential isolation when hired ad hoc rather than in large groups 

• Help with the adjustment period as new employees become familiar with team processes and organisational culture 
• Networking opportunities and identification of key contacts within the organisation 
• Improved distribution of the time managers traditionally spends on onboarding 

McLean & Company explains that although the implementation of the buddy system and the buddy selection process fall under a manager’s list of responsibilities, HR can impact uptake and effectiveness by designing the framework and guiding managers on how to integrate it into their onboarding processes. This framework will ensure that a consistent approach is being applied throughout the organisation and that all new employees have access to an additional layer of onboarding support.