Three Employee Connections to Start With

Start by connecting each new hire to the people who can see their journey, help them settle in, and guide their growth. In practice, that means managers and managers' managers, a buddy, and a career advisor such as an L&D partner or senior executive.

The bread-and-butter connection is managers. The next biggest connection is the buddy program.

1. Managers Get Visibility Into Every Step

Managers and managers' managers get visibility into every step of a new hire's journey. ChangeEngine can send a direct message to the Manager connection when an automated event happens for someone in the New Starters (incl. upcoming) segment.

2. Buddies Get Timed New-Hire Prompts

A buddy gives a new hire a person to go to who already knows the ropes. The buddy program is one of the first programs recommended because of its impact on onboarding and the employee lifecycle experience.

In ChangeEngine, every step in the example is triggered off start_date and the buddy connection:

• Five days before the start date: The buddy gets an introduction covering who, when, and what team.
• On day one: A coffee prompt goes to both the buddy and new hire.
• Seven days after: The buddy is asked, "Have you had lunch with them yet?"
• Twenty-one days after: A second check-in goes to the buddy.
• Thirty days after: The buddy receives a feedback survey through Surveys & Listening Intelligence.

3. Career Advisors Guide Employee Growth

Career advisor connections pair employees who want to grow with someone who can support learning and growth conversations. Employees don't want to stay stagnant, and managers want their direct reports to grow. The advisor can be an L&D partner or senior executive who supports growth check-ins, training, stretch projects, and senior-level guidance.

Set the connection up once as an HRIS field or inferred relationship, and ChangeEngine handles the check-ins. In customer exit interviews, employees often say they don't see opportunities to grow or additional learning experiences.

A career advisor gives them a different experience by connecting them to guidance and learning. This connection is recommended to improve the employee experience and eNPS.

Frequently asked questions

What three connections should a company start with?

Start with managers, buddies, and career advisors. Managers and managers' managers need visibility into the new-hire journey. Buddies give new hires someone who knows the ropes. Career advisors connect employees to growth conversations, training, and senior-level guidance from an L&D partner or senior executive.

What does an automated buddy journey include?

The example shown starts five days before the start date with an introduction for the buddy. It adds a coffee prompt on day one, a lunch check seven days later, another buddy check-in after 21 days, and a buddy feedback survey through Surveys & Listening Intelligence after 30 days.

Who can be a career advisor for a new employee?

A career advisor can be an L&D partner or a senior executive who takes the employee under their wing. The role owns growth conversations and supports check-ins, training, stretch projects, and senior-level guidance, giving the employee a visible connection to learning and development.