Set up a new employee

Supervisors and hiring managers play a big role in making employees feel welcome.

When employees feel like valued members of the team, they're more likely to be passionate about working here.

Create an outstanding welcome by drawing from your own experience starting a new role:

• What did you find helpful?
• Follow your ministry or department onboarding checklist or use these guidelines

On this page

• Before they start
• During the first week
• During the first few months

Before they start

Contact your new employee

Your new employee will receive a job offer. Along with the job offer letter, they'll also get instructions to complete security screening and provide their birth date and social insurance number.

Call or email them. This is one of the most important work relationships you'll have, so start early by reaching out to offer help and answer questions.

Discuss their first day:

• Tell them where they should arrive for work
• Tell them what to bring
• Discuss what activities are scheduled
• You could also ask for a short biography to share with the rest of the team
• Ask your employee if they have a preferred name, what their pronouns are and if they require any accommodations

Enter their personal data. Submit their social insurance number and birth date along with the requisition number or a copy of your offer letter through an AskMyHR (IDIR restricted) service request.

Submit requests for tools and equipment

Submit a facilities request for a desk, chair or any other office furniture that's needed. Check to see if your ministry has a facilities coordinator to help with this.

Arrange for appropriate technology tools (such as an IDIR, computer, software, phone, printer key fob or building pass) or systems access (such as LAN, SharePoint, etc.). Contact your ministry iStore facilities representative (if applicable) or follow instructions in the OCIO My Service Centre Rates and Lead Times (IDIR restricted).

Request the following items for the employee (if applicable):

• Financial authority
• Mastercard
• Petty cash
• Business cards or a digital signature

Follow up with the person at your ministry responsible for each item. An administrative support person may be able to help you find out who to contact.

Get the workplace ready

• Announce your new hire to employees. Try to share a short biography to help people know a bit about them. Let reception know when they'll arrive
• Assign a 'buddy' to meet the new employee when they arrive, walk them through orientation tasks and be available to answer questions
• Update communication materials (such as phone list, vacation calendar, organization charts). Also, make sure your employee updates their GAL contact information using the My Service Centre (IDIR restricted)
• Prepare orientation material specific to your workplace or ministry. Schedule a safety orientation tour with your safety or deputy warden
• Prepare a schedule for the first day and week. Set up job shadowing or on-the-job training sessions with staff
• Create a guide with details about how your team functions or key processes the new employee will be involved in
• If your employee is transferring from another ministry, make sure their supervisor completes the employee exit checklist and approves their data transfer before you complete their incoming transfer requests

During the first week

Complete data entry

View your new employee’s number in PeopleSoft:

• Go to the main menu
• Select Manager Self Service > Employee Snapshot

Set-up your employee's schedule:

• My Time and Pay (IDIR restricted) > Forms > Schedule Request
• On step 2, enter your new employee's employee number since you're requesting to set up their schedule
• This form can only be submitted on or after the employee's first day of work and will give them access to Time and Leave

Request access to your employee in Time and Leave:

• My Time and Pay (IDIR restricted) > Forms > Access Request
• On step 2, enter your employee number since you're requesting to change your access
• Choose Access Request option on the following page

During your time together:

• Provide a detailed description of their position and role
• Define and clarify work assignments, roles and expectations. For the first month, focus on the top five tasks to complete
• Discuss the Standards of Conduct, payroll and benefits, work schedules and mandatory training
• Provide them with a link to the Public Service Pension Plan Guide for Plan Members so they can learn more about their pension
• Provide them with links to the Employee and Family Assistance Services information and workplace Health, Safety and Sick Leave Resources
• Show them how to submit an AskMyHR (IDIR restricted) service request
• Give plenty of opportunities for the employee to make comments, ask questions or discuss concerns

Give them the tools they need to do their job

Make sure they have:

• A building pass and office keys
• A laptop or computer and a phone
• Access to software or systems
• A printer key fob
• Business cards
• Office supplies

Complete a building tour and safety orientation

Show them around the building so that they can find things like the bathroom, kitchen, parking or bike lockers.

Complete a mandatory health and safety orientation. Follow the steps outlined on the New Employee Health and Safety Orientation Checklist (DOC, 86KB).

Introduce the team

Make introductions to the people that the new employee will be working with most frequently.

Make workplace resources and information available:

• Share information about office culture like casual Fridays, social clubs, regular meetings or workplace etiquette (including appropriate dress, use of scented products, etc.)
• Provide key contact information like who to contact for specific support (such has who to contact with a safety concern, who can order office supplies, etc.)
• Discuss team lingo and terminology
• Send invitations to regular meetings
• Show them how to use group chat tools

Let them set up their workstation

Give your new hire time to login with their IDIR. On their second day of work in the public service, new employees need to validate their IDIR. If there are any problems getting their IDIR to work, direct them to My Service Centre (IDIR restricted) for support.

Share info about websites they should check out and how to add shared inboxes to Outlook.

Help them map network printers or drives. If necessary, provide contact information for someone in your ministry who can help with this task.

Encourage them to get comfy and check ergonomics. They should complete the Computer Ergonomics E-Tool. Please review any corrective actions with the employee. If necessary, arrange for a follow-up with a ministry trained ergonomic assessor. This is an employee who has taken Corporate Learning’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Office Ergonomics Risk Assessment course and is trained to performed ergonomic assessments.

If the employee is working remotely, they will need to complete the ergonomics e-tool as a condition of their telework agreement.

Finish essential paperwork

Provide a list of mandatory documents and tasks that need to be completed during their first week.

During the first few months

Show off our culture

Keep reinforcing BC Public Service culture and values, along with your ministry's mandate, vision, mission and corporate plan.

Within the first three months, make sure they take the oath of employment and encourage them to attend a welcome to the BC Public Service session.

You should also encourage them to:

• Sign up for optional training
• Learn about 'Using Ideas at Work'
• Explore career development opportunities
• Read the Navigator Newsletter for new employees

Manage relationships with employees

Check in with new employees regularly to see how their transition is going.

Try to identify issues or concerns as soon as possible:

• Access tools and resources to help you support a respectful workplace, even if it means having difficult conversations
• Manage relationships with employees by clearly communicating expectations and following up when they're not met. You can also issue a Letter of Expectations to provide guidance, communicate expectations and reduce future misunderstandings

Complete the first performance review. As part of the performance review, create an environment to have open dialogue and provide honest feedback. Talk about career goals and values.

Review the probation plan

The probation period is a six month period for new employees (or employees transferring to a position with different responsibilities) to adjust to their job and demonstrate their ability to perform the work.

Probation is not a training period. It cannot be extended.

The probation period is six months of full-time employment, which is equal to 913 hours paid at straight time (this includes auxiliary employees hired on 'as-and-when-needed' basis). Part-time employees that would take longer than 12 months to work 913 hours have a probation period that's 12 months from their appointment date.

The following items do not count towards the completion of a probation period:

• Time spent on short-term illness and injury plan (STIIP) or weekly indemnity
• STIIP trial return to work
• Workers Compensation Board claim or a rehabilitation trial return to work
• Annual leave or other leaves (with or without pay)
• Statutory holidays

During probation, provide regular feedback to the employee on their progress. Discuss and resolve any concerns quickly. Schedule a three month check-in meeting and a final review at the end of six months.

New employees often have questions about the probation period, so be proactive and transparent by explaining what they can and cannot do.

The new employee's supervisor or manager can submit an AskMyHR (IDIR restricted) service request for help confirming hours towards probation completion:

• Select My Team or Organization > Work Hours & Arrangements > Probation Hours Report

Submit a letter once a new employee's probation is complete through AskMyHR (IDIR restricted):

• Select My Team/Organization > Employee & Labour Relations > Employee Personnel File
• Completion of Probation Letter (DOCX, 47KB)
• Completion of Probation and Pay Increase Letter - Excluded (DOCX, 89KB)