Introduction
How2 be a buddy to a new employee
Main
Ideally, a buddy should be someone whom the new employee will:
- Like.
- Trust.
- Share interests with, at least those which are job-related.
- Be able to effectively communicate with, and with whom they can be frank and open with.
- Find they are definitely interested in assisting them in learning how to effectively and efficiently carry out new tasks and assignments.
- See them as objective, analytic, and not impulsive.
- Find them to be reliable.
- See them as a good problem-solver.
- Learn they are not reluctant to provide praise for proper output.
- Find that they have their finger on the pulse of the organization.
- See them as an effective observer of human behavior and interaction.
- Find them enjoyable to work with collaboratively.
- See they have the skills and knowledge involved in their job.
- Find they are proud of the organization.
- See they have a lot of patience.
- Find that they want to be a "buddy".
- See they are well regarded and respected by current employees.
- Find they have been trained in advance in "buddy" responsibilities.
Overall, the primary responsibilities of a Buddy are:
- To serve as an informational resource for the new employee in regard to such things as policies and procedures.
- To help socialize the new employee.
- To assist the new employee in providing training to them.
- To identify resources for the employee.
- To introduce the new employee to key workers as well as others.
Here are some suggestions for buddies to pursue when they work with a new employee:
- Be patient and positive. Allow enough time for them to grow.
- Don't try to turn your trainee into the same person that you are. Let them develop naturally along their own lines.
- Put considerable effort into listening to them.
- Don't be judgemental.
- Try not to be too hurt or discouraged when a trainee makes a mistake, even if it is a big one. Rather, focus on assisting them to avoid repeating the same mistake.
- Remember, you are a teacher. Stay with that attitude and spirit as much as is necessary.
Simply put, a buddy is a person who shares some and, possibly, a significant amount of their knowledge and skills with someone who is new to the job.
There are a variety of negative characteristics, which can be possessed by a person who is being considered to function as a buddy. If the prospective individual has several or more of these features, then they should not be asked to participate as a buddy. The following are some examples:
- Negative about things in general.
- Not goal-oriented, not sufficiently interested in working toward solutions, overcoming major obstacles, or achieving key objectives.
- Not a capable communicator.
- Unwilling or unable to sufficiently share important information with the new employee, or is not comfortable when the latter attempts to share with them.
Conclusion
A Buddy System will be most effective if the two partners share as many positive and as few negative characteristics as possible. A properly functioning system should prove beneficial to both parties. It may even provide a springboard for additional collaborative efforts.
The amount of time a buddy needs to spend with a trainee will of course vary considerably depending upon a variety of factors. These include the nature of the trainee's job, the personal characteristics of the trainee (e.g., the speed that they are able to master things), and how well the buddy and trainee get along. If feasible, the buddy should plan to devote numerous hours every week to the trainee. The time commitment will of course lessen as the trainee learns the job details. Obviously the buddy needs to also pay serious attention to any other responsibilities they currently have, aside from helping shape the trainee.
The buddy will know that his/her task has been completed when they are able to observe the trainee performing all significant activities with sufficient skill and speed, and other knowledgeable employees also determine that the trainee is operating effectively on a regular basis.