Grow | New Staff Buddy Scheme

To support you through the early weeks in your new position in DCU, your line manager will provide you with a ‘buddy’ who will act as a single point of contact for operational questions and assistance during this time.

While your Head of School/Manager will play a critical role in shaping your first few weeks, we hope that having access to a colleague/’buddy’ to give advice and answer day-to-day queries will enhance your settling-in phase.

As a Manager / Head of School, it is recommended that you appoint a buddy for each new member of staff. Starting a new role can be daunting, particularly in an organisation as complex as DCU. It's recommended that you identify a buddy either before, or as soon as possible after, the new staff member commences employment. 

A buddy is not a substitute for a line manager or a mentor. Buddies are expected only to answer relatively straightforward questions about operational matters. They do not play any role in setting workload, managing performance or discussing professional development plans. The primary responsibility for the induction experience of the new staff member remains with you as line manager.

The following best practices in selecting a buddy may help to enhance the success of the buddying relationship:

• Consider Workload – when matching a new staff member with a buddy, consider the buddy’s current workload. It may be necessary to deprioritise some work in the short-term so that the buddy is available to provide appropriate support to the new staff member.
• Communicate Timing – let both the new staff member and the buddy know that this is a timebound partnership. Buddies may embrace the role more enthusiastically if the duration of the engagement is established up front.
• Reporting Structures Matter – research has shown that partnerships between buddy and new staff member are more effective if both report to the same manager. While the buddy is not responsible for any aspect of the new staff members work, having an understanding of their role and responsibilities in context can make for a more successful buddying relationship.
   

• You are not expected to be an expert in everything so don’t worry if you don’t have all the information that the new staff member is looking for.
• You will play an important role in answering questions in relation to local day-to-day procedures and activities, providing information in relation to the various support departments that will help them to navigate a complex university (e.g. ISS, HR, Payroll, SS&D etc.). You will act as a first port of call for any ad-hoc queries that the new staff member may encounter, given their remote location.
• Don’t try to tell them everything immediately. The new staff member is likely to feel overwhelmed during the first couple of days and will need time to digest all of the information they are being given.
• It is up to you and the new staff member to agree a communication plan. You may wish to set up a call a couple of times a week with adhoc queries in between or you may prefer a less formal arrangement. It takes time to build a relationship. Give the new staff member time to get to know you and to feel comfortable coming to you for information. Try to identify the new staff member’s communication style and adjust accordingly.