What is an onboarding buddy program and what guidelines should I document for them?

An onboarding buddy program pairs each new hire with an experienced colleague who provides informal guidance, answers questions, and helps with social integration during the first 30-90 days. The buddy is not a trainer or manager — they are a peer who makes the new hire feel comfortable asking "dumb questions" they would not ask their boss.

What should you document for onboarding buddies?

Document	Contents
Buddy role description	What a buddy is (peer support) and is not (trainer, manager)
Time commitment	Expected: 30 min/day week 1, 15 min/day weeks 2-4, weekly check-in months 2-3
Checklist of touchpoints	Day 1 lunch, daily check-in week 1, weekly coffee months 1-3
Conversation starters	"What's confusing you most right now?" "What have you not been able to find?"
Escalation guidance	When to redirect the new hire to their manager vs. answering directly
Do's and don'ts	Do: be available, share shortcuts. Don't: complain about the company, override manager instructions

What makes a buddy program succeed vs fail?

Success Factor	Implementation
Voluntary participation	Buddies should opt in, not be assigned unwillingly
Different team preferred	Cross-team buddies encourage broader network building
Not the new hire's manager	The buddy relationship requires psychological safety
Documented guidelines	Without documentation, buddies interpret the role differently
Recognition	Acknowledge buddy contributions in team meetings or reviews
Structured check-ins	Scheduled touchpoints prevent the relationship from fading

Create the buddy guidelines as an SOP with Glyde — document the exact steps a buddy should follow in their first week with a new hire, including what resources to share and what questions to ask.

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This answer is part of our guide to employee onboarding documentation.