Working at the ATSSC/Manager's corner for onboarding new employees

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  onboarding new employees

Manager's Checklist

A proper onboarding makes a difference! It is a core people management practice that, when appropriately rolled out, can drive many positive outcomes, such as providing new employees a sense of belonging and inclusion which is key to employee engagement, demonstrating to new employees that they are truly valued, fostering collaboration, helping to reduce stress and increase productivity, and strengthening alignment with the organizational mandate, culture and values.

As part of the onboarding process, the role of the manager and supervisor is to encourage and support new employees, helping them acquire the tools, skills, knowledge and experience necessary to be fully competent during their first year in the organization and beyond.

Below, you will find a checklist to support you in onboarding your new employee from the pre-arrival stage through to their one-year work anniversary.

✔Once the letter of offer has been signed

• As soon as the letter of offer is accepted, send the new employee a welcome email (see template).
• Confirm arrival details (for example, start date, work schedule including hours of work and work location), ensuring you and the new employee agree on the work arrangements.
• Ask if job accommodation is required and if so, suggest they complete the Government of Canada Accessibility Passport.

• If the employee needs job accommodation, ensure that the necessary workplace accommodation is arranged as soon as possible by sending an email to Facilities at: Facilities-Installations@tribunal.gc.ca.

• Encourage your employee to share their pronouns and ask if they would like to have them appended to their name in Outlook and MS Teams; let them know that although we encourage all staff to do so, it is not mandatory.
• Submit an Arrival Form as soon as a start date has been agreed upon.
• Share the following with the employee:

• team phone list
• organizational chart with titles
• staff lists and other contact lists
• email instructions (for example, how to create a signature block)
• job description (if applicable)

• Email all team members and key contacts announcing the employee's arrival and start date.
• Encourage a team member to be the new employee's onboarding and orientation buddy (to answer any questions and provide support and guidance).
• Five days after submitting the employee arrival form, contact IT to ensure they have:

• created the new email account
• made arrangements to give the employee a laptop and any other required IT equipment
• made other arrangements if there are any delays to ensure the employee's first week is productive

• Check your availability and make sure you set time aside for the new employee, especially during the first two weeks.
• Prepare a meaningful assignment for the employee to work on within the first week.

✔First day

• Greet your new employee warmly.
• Ensure that arrangements have been made for your employee to receive an ATSSC photo ID and building access card (send an email to Security at: AccessCard-Cartedacces@tribunal.gc.ca if you have any questions).
• Discuss the day's plan with the employee.
• Identify key people who will assist in the orientation process during the first week.
• If the employee is new to the federal public service, ensure that they:

• have signed the oath or solemn affirmation
• have received the link to the GCwiki site: Working at the ATSSC

• Tour the workplace (if applicable) and introduce the employee to team members and extended branch personnel who are on site, including your section's administrative assistant.

• Set up a Teams meeting with members of the team who are not working on site.
• If you have a large team, break it down into smaller groups so as not to overwhelm the employee.

• Introduce your new employee to their onboarding and orientation buddy.
• Set time aside to discuss:

• the ATSSC's organizational chart and the mandate of the tribunals you support or your internal services unit
• the overall priorities and objectives of your unit
• preferred working styles (for example, communication, meetings, questions, feedback) to establish a shared understanding with your new employee

• Confirm that the employee has read and understood the following:

• Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector
• ATSSC Code of Conduct

✔During the first week

• Introduce your new employee to key contacts who can help them in their daily work.
• Help the employee:

• register for myKEY.
• create online accounts as required (for example, GCxchange, GCpedia)

• Discuss the job in more detail, explain key duties and procedures, and discuss job expectations/performance objectives.
• Give the employee the terms and conditions of their employment in the relevant format (see applicable collective agreement).
• Help the employee (or ask the orientation buddy to help them) register for any mandatory training they have not already completed.

• Show them how to access the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) learning platform and create an account.
• If your employee is arriving from another department and already has a CSPS account, ensure they update the "current organization" field in their account information.
• Ask the training team at: Training-Formation@tribunal.gc.ca if your employee had previously completed any of the mandatory training.

• Ensure your employee completes a telework agreement in the TBS Applications Portal (TAP) using the myWorkArrangements application. To access this, they will need their myKEY.

• Give them the links to the ATSSC Telework Guidelines and the Hybrid work at the ATSSC intranet page for more information.

• Discuss the possibility of a variable work week (if it is operationally viable in your work unit).

1. Your employee needs to complete the Variable Work Week Agreement form.
2. If you approve, you, as the manager, need to enter your employee’s modified work schedule in MyGCHR (View, Update or Correct Work Schedule).

• Ensure the employee is added to calendar invitations for regularly-scheduled team and all-staff meetings and relevant email distribution lists.
• Tell the employee about the ATSSC Communities of Practice and other relevant committees and/or networks.

✔During the first month

• Check that your new employee has been paid.
• Support the employee by checking in with them weekly to ensure they are doing well and that they have what they need, and to address concerns or questions.
• Watch how your new employee fits in with the team.

• Make sure dynamics and behaviours are positive.
• Address any challenges that may exist.

• Create a safe space by communicating expectations (for example, to follow the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector), and make it clear that you are willing and available to discuss ethical dilemmas with your staff.
• Talk with the employee about work objectives, expected competencies and learning and development needs, and explain the Performance Management Program.

• Remember to "claim" your employee in the myEmployees application, found on the top right of the TBS Applications Portal (TAP) page.

• Check that your new employee has registered for and started mandatory training.
• Continue to introduce the employee to key colleagues that can help them with everyday tasks.
• If possible and appropriate, invite the employee to meetings as an observer to help them better understand the ATSSC's culture.

✔At 3 and 6 months

• Set regular meetings, if needed, to discuss various topics with the employee, including progress on work files, their integration and their comfort level.
• Around the three-month point, check informally on how your employee is fitting in to their new work environment by asking specific questions, such as:

• How do you feel in your position after three months?
• Do you have any questions/challenges?
• How is your workload?

• Discuss performance regularly and share your views on how your employee is fitting in with the team and how they are progressing with their new work functions.

• Note: It usually takes around six months for an employee to be fully integrated and efficient in a new job; in a remote work setting, it can take a bit longer.

• Check that your employee has registered for or completed mandatory training courses and discuss how the training applies to the workplace.
• Discuss other learning activities that may support your employee's learning needs.
• Share any concerns you may have with your employee and step in as necessary.
• (For employees new to the federal public service) If there are issues that may prevent the employee from successfully completing their probation period, ask the Labour Relations team at: LabourRelations_RelationsTravail@tribunal.gc.ca for advice and guidance as soon as possible.

✔Year one

• Provide regular, informal feedback, discuss learning and development, and continue to follow the Performance management cycle, keeping in mind that things might be out of sync for the first year. 
• Note: The employee must have worked half of the period being reviewed before you can formally assess their performance.

• Mid-year review: The employee must have worked three months between April and October.
• Year-end review: The employee must have worked six months between April and March.

• (For employees new to the federal public service) After a complete year, remember to indicate in the Performance management application that your employee has successfully completed their probationary period.
• Discuss career and talent management with your employee.
• Discuss with your employee their overall impressions of the workplace by asking questions such as:

• Is the job what you expected?
• Are you getting all the information, tools and support you need to do your job?
• Do you feel included and part of your team?
• Do you feel recognized for your contributions?
• Have you noticed anything on which we can improve?

• Congratulate your employee on their first year in the federal public service and/or at the ATSSC!