New Joiner Procedure
The new joiner procedure can be largely broken down into two phases:
| Phase | Notes |
|---|---|
| Onboarding | Activities that occur before employment starts. Designed to begin engaging and motivating the new employee. |
| Induction | Usually the first day and involves introducing the employee to company process/ways of working and the team. |
Onboarding
On Acceptance/Signed-contract
| Activity | Responsible |
|---|---|
| Inform HR new joiners line manager and intended project | Engineering Management |
| Send curriculum for Shed Academy (academy starters only) | Shed Academy Lead |
| Grant access to EngineeringHandbook via GitHub | Engineering Management |
| Give access to any relevant DataShed training platforms[^3] | Engineering Management |
| Organise a "Shuddy" | Engineering Management |
For anyone attending the Academy this is an opportunity for us to make clear our expectations.
Thursday Prior to Start
| Activity | Responsible |
|---|---|
| Itinerary email sent to new-joiner | HR |
| Agree potential informal chat with future line manager | HR |
Friday Prior to Start
| Activity | Responsible |
|---|---|
| Informal chat with line-manager, if agreed as per the above | Line Manager |
The informal chat needs to be nothing more than an introduction and a chance to answer any questions in regard to the itinerary.
Induction
First day
| Activity | Responsible |
|---|---|
| Structured first-chat with line-manager | Engineering Manager |
| Agree onboarding timeline with project Project Manager/Tech Lead | Engineering Manager, Project Manager, Tech Lead |
| Introduce "Shuddy" concept | Engineering Manager |
| Book meeting with "Shuddy" | Engineering Manager, Shuddy |
| Book 1-2-1 meeting to happen within first week | Engineering Manager |
| Book end of probation meeting | Engineering Manager |
| Organise shout out and inclusion in Diaspora | Engineering Manager |
Line Managers First Chat
The first chat should aim to cover the following:
- Mavenlink and its role in recording time for billing clients. Explain the categories and what they should be logging time.
- Until billable, all time should be billed to "onboarding".
- Staff², covering:
- Booking leave
- Reporting sickness (including commination with line-managers)
- How 1-2-1s are run, logged and where forms are posted afterwards
- Objectives and how they are recorded in Staff²
- Shed Values™: what these are and that they will form part of the probation period.
- Introduction to company objectives.
- Introduction to project they will be joining (if not academy)
Booking New Starter 1-2-1's
1-2-1's should be arranged weekly for a duration depending on the new-starter's level:
- Associate Data Engineer (SFIA 2): for their entire probation period;
- Data Engineer (SFIA 3): for the first 3 months;
- Senior Data Engineer (SFIA 4): for the first 6 weeks;
- Principal Data Engineer (SFIA 5): for the first 2 weeks.
Reducing to fortnightly thereafter.
Billing
The new-starter needs to be "billable" on project by:
- Associate (SFIA 2): 12 weeks;
- Data Engineer (SFIA 3): 6 weeks;
- Senior Data Engineer (SFIA 4): 2 weeks;
- Principal Data Engineer (SFIA 5): 1 week.
First 1-2-1
The initial 1-2-1 should be used as time to get to know each other better and how the manager can support the new engineer. A good method for running the first 1-2-1 is contracting.
Subsequent 1-2-1's
There are a number of important tasks to be completed over the next couple of 1-2-1's:
| Tasks | When |
|---|---|
| Set any objectives for probation period | Ideally 2nd 1-2-1 |
| Fill in the Onboarding and Induction Feedback form | Ideally 2nd 1-2-1 |
| Communicate timeline for being billable | Ideally 2nd 1-2-1 |
| Record Shed Values scores | 2nd or 3rd 1-2-1 |
| Record skills in the skills matrix | 2nd or 2rd 1-2-1 |
Any objectives set should should be the recording in Staff² as probation objectives.
End of probation
The end of probation meeting should already have be booked on the first day. It include the following people (or feedback from them):
- Engineering Manager
- New line manager (if applicable)
- Project Tech Lead (if not attending, then to gather than send feedback)
- Delivery Lead (optional)
- Any Senior/Principal engineers (optional, may offer feedback to Tech Lead)
| Activity | Responsible |
|---|---|
| Formal letter to be sent out | HR |
| Shout out in Diaspora/Teams | Engineering Manager |
| Provide Feedback on probation period | Engineering Manager |
| Book first post probation 1-2-1 meeting as a three way with future line-manager (if relevant) | Engineering Manager, New Line Manager |
Post Probation Line Management
If the joiner has been given a new line manager at the end of probation, then the Line Management Handover process should be followed.
First Post Probation 1-2-1
Whether line management is changing or not, we would expect the following tasks around career development to take place:
| Tasks |
|---|
| Objectives should be raised and discussed inline with the company objectives |
| Any professional or technical learning and development objectives raised |
Second Post Probation 1-2-1
Whether line management is changing or not, we would expect the following tasks around career development to take place:
| Tasks |
|---|
| All Objectives should be finalised and recorded in Staff² |