Buddy program

Goals that are defined in terms of time and content are a basic prerequisite for a successful buddy program. Even if everything is going well, there will come a point when new employees have “settled in” to the company. At that point, they should no longer be dependent on the help of their buddy.

Please note: We do not understand knowledge transfer in the buddy program to be limited to content-related, work-relevant aspects, but explicitly more than that. This includes, for example, communicating company values, integrating new employees into social structures in the office, and taking on the role of “contact person” when needed.

A successful buddy program requires a few rules and thorough preparation. In our white paper on this topic, we have therefore defined the following five basic rules:

Goals that are defined in terms of time and content are a basic prerequisite for a successful buddy program. Even if everything is going well, there will come a point when new employees have “settled in” to the company.

A buddy supports new employees during the onboarding phase at the company and acts as a point of contact for them. Buddies are often at a similar career level to the new employees. Mentors are very experienced individuals (within the company or external) who provide long-term support to employees (“mentees”) in achieving their chosen career goals or personal development. Mentors often serve as role models.

In the buddy program, existing employees are designated as buddies—at least if they are willing to take on this responsible role and are suited to it. Being a buddy means taking on a great deal of responsibility. This role is an opportunity for personal development. Experienced employees take on the role of buddy in order to advance within the company and gain new skills such as leadership experience and an expansion of their own soft skills.

The buddy program is about providing new employees with the most important information about the company. It is about familiarizing them with the company, not about training them. In addition, newcomers should also be offered alternative ways of finding knowledge and contact persons (e.g., knowledge database, learning platform, feedback discussions with supervisors, on-site training, team meetings, etc.). In general, buddies are the contact persons for any questions that arise in the course of everyday work.

Onboarding is about enabling trained professionals to work effectively and productively in their new position. The company and supervisors create the framework for this. A buddy can pass on important knowledge directly to the new employee as part of the buddy program. For this reason, the buddy program is particularly well suited for training new employees.

Of course, the buddy program can also be used for internal training or other measures within the company. However, it is important that it should not stand alone. In addition to close cooperation with the assigned buddy, there should also be a learning platform and an induction plan, for example. This enables new employees to acquire knowledge in a proactive and structured manner.

The duration varies depending on the role and size of the company, but typically lasts around three months. Buddies spend an average of 20–30 hours over the entire period, with more frequent meetings in the first few weeks and less frequent meetings in the following months.

Through clear recognition, incentives (e.g., bonuses, certificates), and the opportunity to gain leadership experience. Employees are motivated to become buddies through recognition and incentives. These can be bonuses or title adjustments, or the opportunity for further training. In addition, clear development opportunities, time off for buddy activities, and targeted coaching encourage employees to take on this role with commitment.

Success can be measured using clearly defined KPIs, such as time to full productivity, achievement of learning or development goals, dropout rate, feedback from buddies, referral rate, number of regular check-ins, completion of program steps, and matching success between buddy and new employee.