Roles + Responsibilities

At the U of A we understand that great onboarding is the launch pad for setting new employees for success during their first 90 days and for laying the foundation for a long, productive career with the university. The U of A Onboarding Program is all about creating a great experience for both employees and setting the stage for starting strong.

Effective onboarding is a shared responsibility that requires collaboration between the employee and the organization, with specific responsibilities falling to the supervisor, department onboarding coordinator, onboarding colleague, HR Partner and employee. If you have questions about the onboarding process, reach out to your HR Partner .

Supervisor

• Ultimately accountable for onboarding staff
• Completes or delegates onboarding activities and administrative tasks
• Creates a 90-Day Plan for the employee
• Identifies training and development needs
• Meets regularly with the employee and provides feedback and guidance
• Supports employee in applying onboarding and training materials

Onboarding Coordinator

This is the list of responsibilities to be carried out by an individual identified within the unit who completes administrative duties related to onboarding.

• Completes administrative tasks associated with onboarding and coordinates activities
• Provides oversight of onboarding processes for the faculty/unit
• Prompts and supports supervisors to complete pre-boarding activities and ensure the onboarding process is followed
• Supports individuals moving through onboarding planning

Onboarding Colleague

• Acts as a cultural role model
• Provides guidance as the employee adjusts to their role and team
• Assists the employee to develop a sense of belonging on the team
• Provides hands-on support to navigate systems and processes as appropriate

Employee

• Completes required onboarding actions
• Completes mandatory training, role specific training, and the U of A Employee Orientation Course
• Meets key deliverables outlined in the 90-Day Plan
• Identifies additional developmental needs
• Meets regularly with supervisor for feedback and coaching

HR Partners

HR Partners support the onboarding process. HR Service Partners:

• Assist faculty/unit to implement the process
• Direct supervisors to training/resources 
• Coach supervisors to use the tools and lead the onboarding process 
• Support the onboarding process

For a complete description of onboarding roles and responsibilities, visit the Onboarding Toolkit.

*This is a function, NOT a role. It is recommended that the faculty/unit designate a consistent person to carry out these duties. In units without a general administrator, the DOC could be a member of the faculty/unit overseeing onboarding or be delegated to another member of the unit.