Leading Your New Staff's First Year

This page is designed for supervisors or new staff members. Follow the resources below to onboard your new team member and support them in their success. From before the first day to the end of the first year, we have outlined:

  • Administrative responsibilities
  • Information being provided by Human Resources
  • Recommended one-on-one topics
  • Resources available to new team members

For Managers of Student Employees

Guidance by Timeframe

Before First Day

First Day

First Month

Second Month

Third Month

Sixth Month

Ninth Month

One Year

Before first day
  • An Introduction to GVSU module
    • GVSU Mission, Vision, and Employee Core Competencies
    • Intro to Workday & HR Business Partners
    • Virtual Campus Tour
    • Basic First Day Information (Parking, Faculty/Staff ID, Employee Accessibility Resources)
    • Overview of Work-Life Balance Resources at GVSU
    • Inclusion & Equity Resources
    • Students Resources
    • Talent Management & New Hire Resources Page
    • New Staff Orientation Sign-Up
  • Work Orders
    • Office space set-up
    • Lightbulb outages
    • Picture/decoration hanging

Parking Permit

Ensure your new team member has a parking permit before their first day. To obtain a parking permit, direct them to the online Parking Services portal. If they are unable to login to Citizen Connect to register for a parking permit, Parking Services should be their first stop (or call) of the day. They will need their GNumber and license plate number to register.

First Day
  • Send department-wide welcome/introduction email
  • Add employee to relevant email distribution lists
  • Sign any formal documents (example: non-disclosure agreement)
  • Confirm they have Network Drive access
  • Schedule a meeting with each team member (Brief 1:1 meeting to get to know colleagues and their work)
  • Onboarding Tasks in Workday
    • Complete your Form I-9, tax forms, and payment elections (direct deposit)
    • Review important policies
    • Benefit elections/options (staff should be encouraged to wait to fill this out until after their benefits orientation)
  • Workday Journey (applicable to staff hired after July 1, 2024)
    • Getting started with Workday: Setting up notifications, Workday inbox, time entry, personal information changes
    • Pay calendars
    • GVSU Employee Core Competencies
    • Benefits overview if applicable
    • HR Business Partners
    • If supervisors want access to the Workday Journey, please contact Kaitlyn Boyko ([email protected]).
  • Sign up for New Staff Connections: Building Your Network
  • University Provided Training (applicable to staff hired after July 1, 2024)
    • In Workday, designed to provide important training materials for incoming staff
      • Department of Public Safety Module
      • Suicide Prevention Training
      • Inclusion and Equity Module
      • Core Competency Module
  • Provide a tour of their workspace and your unit's office space
    • Introduce to team members
    • Show where office supplies are located
    • Discuss work orders if adjustments are requested to workspace
  • Review team organizational charts
  • Schedule a tour of campus (if applicable)
    • Recommended stops: dining options, recreation facilities, Registrar Office to get their faculty/staff ID
  • Discuss L Drive or document storage processes
  • Discuss internal team communications channels
  • Discuss emergency plans
  • Direct to the Welcome at GVSU module to learn more about the university
  • Review of expectations based on job description, work schedule/flexible work arrangements, vacation and sick time, and necessary policies and procedures
  • Establish a cadence for regular one-on-one meetings
First Month
  • Introduce them at a team meeting
  • Benefits orientation conducted; a member from the benefits team will reach out to your new staff member to schedule their orientation.
  • Encourage participation in the CliftonStrengths® Assessment; discuss what this means at GVSU
  • Discuss performance and quarterly goal setting
  • Establish shared expectations in communication preferences between you and your new team member
  • Deep dive into the department and university goals
    • Share mission, vision, and values specific to your department/unit
    • Discuss university strategic plan
    • Overview of other departments/units your team regularly collaborates with; connect them with specific individuals as necessary
  • If you haven't done so, establish a cadence for regular 1:1 meetings (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly as needed)
  • Provide any initial feedback
  • Check-in on their sense of belonging; How are they acclimating to their work, team and the university as a whole? What can you do to support them?
Second Month
  • New Staff Connections: Building Your Network digital self-led module via WD Journeys (applicable to staff hired after July 1, 2024)
    • If the employee could not attend in-person, encourage them to take this.
    • Employees can access their journeys directly in their Workday profile.
    • If supervisors want access to the Workday Journey, please contact Kaitlyn Boyko ([email protected]).
  • New Staff Connections: Building Your Network event
    • GVSU Overview
      • Human Resources
      • Inclusion & Equity
      • HR Business Partners
      • Our Students
      • Student Affairs
      • Academic Affairs
      • GVSU Structure, Employee Classifications, Common Terminology, and Important Dates, Regional Centers
        • Active Shooter Procedure
        • Covering the 8 Employee Core Competencies
      • Scavenger Hunt
        • Acclimating to Allendale Campus
      • Connecting their role to GVSU's Mission and Vision
      • Resource Fair
        • Meet with a variety of departments on campus to learn about resources available to the GVSU community
  • "How do you see your role contributing to GVSU's mission and vision? What excites you most about how your work impacts students and the university community?"
    • Discuss how their specific role aligns with GVSU’s mission, vision, and strategic goals. Encourage them to take ownership of their impact.
  • "The University Provided Training covered some important safety procedures. How confident are you in knowing what to do in an emergency situation? Do you feel like you need more information on safety protocols?"
    • Offer an opportunity to review any key safety procedures, and discuss the importance of staying informed about campus safety measures.
  • "After learning about the 8 employee core competencies, are there any that you're interested in focusing on for the upcoming year? Any competencies that you'd like to develop or are looking for support with?"
    • Discuss how the core competencies apply to their specific role and/or team.
  • "How are you feeling about navigating our campuses and areas within? Are there any resources or areas where you need more support?"
    • Offer tips for acclimating to campus, including how to connect with colleagues, locate important facilities, and access resources.
  • "As a new member of the GVSU community, who do you think would be helpful for you to connect with in your department or across campus? Let's discuss ways to build those connections."
    • Encourage networking and identify specific individuals or departments the employee can engage with to foster relationships.
  • "Now that you've settled in a bit, let's talk about your short-term and long-term goals at GVSU. What do you hope to achieve in the next 3 months, and where would you like to be in a year?"
    • Work with them to establish concrete, measurable goals and discuss how they can align these with GVSU’s broader objectives.
Third Month
  • Workday Journey (applicable to staff hired after July 1, 2024)
    • Reviews the 8 Dimensions of Wellness and provides resources to support faculty, staff and students.
    • Employees can access their journeys directly in their Workday profile.
    • If supervisors want access to the Workday Journey, please contact Kaitlyn Boyko ([email protected]).
Sixth Month
  • Workday Journey (applicable to staff hired after July 1, 2024)
  • During recurring check-ins with new staff, ask about:
    • How things are going with their role, the team, and your leadership
    • Career goals and aspirations
    • Professional development opportunities that may be of interest
    • How you as a supervisor can best support them
  • Encourage new staff to seek out and research professional development opportunities.
  • Overview of Workday Learning to find professional and personal development opportunities, and highlight the GVSU Events Calendar.
Ninth Month
  • Workday Journey (applicable to staff hired after July 1, 2024)
    • Focuses on formal and informal support at the university available to faculty and staff.
    • Employees can access their journeys directly in their Workday profile.
    • If supervisors want access to the Workday Journey, please contact Kaitlyn Boyko ([email protected]).
One Year
  • WD Journey (applicable to staff hired after July 1, 2024)
    • Video showcasing the history of GVSU
    • Employees can access their journeys directly in their Workday profile.
    • If supervisors want access to the Workday Journey, please contact Kaitlyn Boyko ([email protected]).
  • Year one reflection
  • Regular check-in questions
  • Thank you card and/or gift for their one-year of service

Printable New Hire Onboarding Checklist


Page last modified January 24, 2025
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