Supervisor's Toolkit
New Hire Workflow
Supervisor's Onboarding Overview
Our Supervisors at St. Cloud State University play a pivotal role in shaping the work environment for new and current employees. We want to provide the tools necessary to properly equipt them to lead effectively, support their teams, and contribute to a positive workplace culture—ultimately improving retention and engagement. That's why we introduced the Supervisor Onboarding Checklist for New Employees.
By utilizing the checklist, we are ensuring that new employees are welcomed, supported, and set up for success from their very first day. When supervisors take an active role in hiring, onboarding and training, it creates a more personalized, consistent, and effective experience.
The steps below will outline how a supervisor can help new employees through the complete hiring process, culminating in their onboarding, orientation, and post-orientation career at St. Cloud State University.
Identifying the Top Candidate
Step 1: Contact HR When You’re Ready to Make A Job Offer
When you’re ready to make a job offer, contact the HR Employment and Recruitment Specialist for approval to make an offer to your top candidate (contact OEA for approval on unclassified positions). Work with HR on the salary offer. Choose a start date that aligns with the new hire orientation dates, which are scheduled for the first Wednesday and Thursday of each pay period. Remember to check and see if any state holidays fall on these days for an upcoming pay period—check with HR for questions on orientation schedule changes if there is a state holiday coming up on the Wednesday or Thursday at the start of a pay period.
Step 2: Make the Job Offer
Contact the candidate and make the job offer. If the candidate verbally accepts, notify your Human Resources Business Partner and the Employment & Recruitment Specialist.
The Employment & Recruitment Specialist will send a formal offer letter through Workday to the new hire. If the new hire makes you aware of any scheduling issues with starting on the first day of an upcoming pay period, or if you have an urgent need for the new hire to start sooner, contact your HR Business Partner for assistance.
Pre-Orientation
Step 3: Send a Welcome Email and Template Letter
About 2 weeks prior (but no less than one week before) the new hire’s expected start date, send them a brief Welcome email letting them know that you’re looking forward to them starting soon by modifying this template letter.
Attach the letter and make reference to it in your email, advising them that it will give them additional information prior to their start date. In the letter, direct the new employee to meet with you or another team member on their first day in your department/office at 8 a.m.
Step 4: Develop a Training Plan
Develop a schedule and training plan for the new employee on the essential functions and duties of their position. Work with your team to identify who will be responsible for training the employee on each essential function, or on each element of the essential functions. Create a schedule with the dates that each training function will take place, and document the processes and procedures. Consider developing training videos to help introduce the new hire to relevant procedures. Document the training plan in writing, and review it with the new employee after they start.
The Employee's First Day
Step 5: Meet With Your New Employee On Their First Day
Have the new employee meet with you or another member of your team at 8 a.m. on their first day. Walk the new employee to orientation room to meet with HR for the group new employee orientation session, which typically begins at 8:30 a.m.
Advise the employee that they can ask HR for directions back to their office/workspace if needed. If the new employee is an adjunct, a part-time employee who will not be returning to work after orientation, or if they will not be reporting back to their office/workspace for other reasons, inform them of the next steps they should take after orientation. Give them your contact information in case they have any questions.
Step 6: Meet with the New Employee After First Day HR Orientation
Your new employee may finish orientation at noon or 12:30 p.m. on their first day, depending on whether they choose to meet with a union representative (if applicable). They will be advised to take an unpaid lunch break after orientation.
Give the employee instructions on who to meet with when they return back to the office. If possible, it may be a good idea to take your employee out to lunch on the first day. After the employee has returned from lunch, ensure that either you or another team member spend training time with them for the rest of the day. Review the training plan with the new employee and schedule times to complete the plan.
Post-Orientation
Step 7: Follow-Up Training
After your new employee has finished their second day of orientation, meet with them again to continue implementing your training plan. If you are not the one who is personally training them in on every task, make sure to meet regulary with the new employee to review progress and answer any questions they may have.
Follow the Employee's First Week section of the Supervisor Onboarding Checklist (below) to ensure their first week goes as seamless as possible.
Step 8: Performance Reviews
Classified probationary employees require performance reviews at both the mid-point and end of their probationary period. Supervisors must complete these reviews using the designated HR forms and submit them to their HR Business Partner by the respective deadlines. Regular performance check-ins with new employees should be documented to support the review process and inform any necessary actions, including decisions regarding probation certification.
For questions, please contact your HR Business Partner.
Supporting Documents
Supervisors: Complete the Supervisor Onboarding Checklist to ensure your new employee is both prepared and trained in properly for their new position at St. Cloud State University.
Supervisor Onboarding Checklist (PDF)