Practice knowledge base
Buddy System
The Buddy System assigns a new hire an informal peer for the initial period, helping resolve day-to-day questions more quickly and providing a safe channel for adaptation.
Documentation sections
What it is
The Buddy System is a support process where a new hire is paired with a buddy from their team or a neighboring function. The buddy helps them navigate unwritten rules, work habits, tools, and day-to-day questions that feel awkward to constantly direct to a manager. The practice is especially useful in the first weeks, but does not replace the onboarding plan or the manager’s responsibility.
When it helps
- New hires often ask the same practical questions in group chats or directly to their manager.
- A new employee has formally completed introductory meetings but doesn’t grasp how the team actually works in practice.
- The team is growing rapidly, and the manager can’t personally assist every new hire with minor matters.
- A new hire avoids asking questions because they fear looking incompetent during their probationary period.
- After joining, an employee keeps making mistakes for a long time due to unfamiliarity with local rules, accesses, and working arrangements.
How to start
- 1 Select a buddy who knows the team well, is willing to help, and is not the new hire’s direct manager.
- 2 Set up a short introductory meeting with the new hire, manager, and buddy to explain roles and boundaries of support.
- 3 Create a list of topics for the first weeks: accesses, work channels, meeting rules, practical questions, and unwritten agreements.
- 4 Agree on regular short calls or messages between the new hire and the buddy during the initial period.
- 5 After a few weeks, check which questions keep coming up and add standard answers to the onboarding materials.
Expected effect
New hires find answers to everyday questions faster and get stuck on minor obstacles less often. Managers receive fewer scattered clarifications, and the team sooner spots where onboarding materials don’t cover real situations.
Common pitfalls
- Assigning a buddy formally, without calendar time and clear role expectations.
- Handing over the manager’s responsibilities for goals, feedback, and probation evaluation to the buddy.
- Choosing an employee who is already overloaded or doesn’t receive new hire questions well.
- Leaving all answers in private messages and not moving recurring topics into shared onboarding materials.
- Imposing constant supervision on the new hire instead of providing a safe channel for questions.
Further reading
- Book: Michael D. Watkins, The First 90 Days
- Book: George B. Bradt, Mary Vonnegut, Onboarding
- Research: Bauer, Erdogan, Organizational Socialization: The Effective Onboarding of New Employees
- Report: SHRM Foundation, Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success
FAQ
Who should own this practice?
The owner is usually the new hire’s manager or HR if they handle onboarding. The buddy provides day-to-day help but does not replace the manager in goal-setting and feedback.
Can you start without a full onboarding program?
Yes, if you immediately define the role boundaries and give the buddy a list of topics for assistance. But recurring questions should be gradually moved into an onboarding checklist or roadmap.
What if the new employee doesn’t ask questions?
The buddy can initiate short check-ins: what’s unclear about channels, meetings, accesses, and team expectations. It’s important to ask about specific situations, not wait for a general signal.
How can you tell if the system is working?
Look for working signs: the new hire gets accesses faster, gets less lost in team rules, raises unclear questions earlier, and common gaps end up in onboarding materials.