Onboarding Communications Guide

Hi [Educator Name], Thank you so much for accepting the offer to join us as [Role]. The whole team is really excited to have you on board. Here is what you can expect from here: - You will receive your employment contract and position description in a separate email this week. Have a read through and sign it back to us when you are ready. - We will also send across the Fair Work Information Statement, a few onboarding forms, and details on what to bring on your first day. - About a week before you start, I will give you a call just to say hi and walk you through what your first day will look like. Your first day is [Day, Date] and we have set aside time to properly welcome you, show you around the service, and introduce you to the team. You will not be on the floor unsupervised on Day 1. We will build you up over your first week. If anything comes up before you start, please do not hesitate to call me on [Phone]. Welcome again. [Your Name] [Your Role] [Service Name]

Hi [Educator Name], Here is the full paperwork pack for your start at [Service Name]. Please work through these over the next week or two before your start date. Attached: - Employment contract (please sign and return) - Position description - Fair Work Information Statement [add Casual Fair Work Information Statement or Fixed Term Contract Information Statement if relevant] - Tax File Number declaration - Superannuation choice form - Bank details form - Emergency contact form Also send back to us: - Your Working With Children Check (blue card): a clear photo of both sides - Evidence of your qualifications (Cert III, Diploma, ECT, First Aid, CPR, anaphylaxis, asthma) - Your most recent police check if you have one, or let us know and we will arrange it - A photo for your staff profile (optional) If you have any questions as you go, reply here or call me on [Phone]. If something feels unclear, it is better to ask than to guess. We would love to have everything back before your start date so Day 1 can be about meeting the team, not chasing admin. Thanks [Educator Name], [Your Name]

Hi [Educator Name], Your first day is coming up next week and we cannot wait to have you. Here is everything you need to know so you can walk in feeling ready. WHEN AND WHERE Your first day: [Day, Date] Start time: [Time] Address: [Full address] Parking: [Where to park] Who to ask for: [Name]. They will be waiting for you at the front entrance WHAT TO WEAR [Describe uniform policy, closed in shoes, etc. Reference Service policy.] WHAT TO BRING - A water bottle (we do not have single use plastic) - Your lunch or something small to eat on your first break - Any original documents we still need to sight - A notebook if you like taking notes WHAT YOUR DAY WILL LOOK LIKE [Rough shape, e.g. welcome coffee with the Service Manager, tour, meet the educators in your room, sit in on a play based learning session, first day admin, end of day check in.] A FEW THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT [SERVICE NAME] [Two or three sentences on your philosophy, your Educational Leader's approach, or something you are proud of. This is where your service personality comes through.] Your people manager for probation is [Manager Name]. You will sit down properly on Day 1 to walk through expectations, but if you have any pre-start questions you can reach them on [Phone or Email]. See you [Day]. [Your Name]

Hi team, A quick note that [Educator Name] is joining us tomorrow as our new [Role]. A bit about [Educator Name]: [Two or three sentences on prior service, qualifications, something they are excited about, something they bring. Keep it warm, keep it short.] Where they will be: [Which room or area they are working across, and who their Room Leader is.] Who they will be buddied with: [Buddy's name, so the rest of the team knows who is supporting them through Week 1.] How to welcome them: - Say hi when you see them, even if you are not in their room - Keep Day 1 gentle. They will shadow more than work. - If [Educator Name] asks you a question you are not sure about, point them to [Buddy] or me. They do not need to guess their way through Week 1. Excited to have them with us. [Your Name]

Hi [Educator Name], Welcome! Here is your onboarding pack for your first week. Over the next week you will need to read, sign, and acknowledge the following. Take your time. We would rather you read them properly than rush. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO READ AND SIGN - Code of Conduct - Child Safe Policy - Interactions With Children Policy - Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy - Medication Policy - Supervision Policy - Hygiene and Infection Control Policy - Work Health and Safety Policy - [Add any other service specific policies] WHERE YOU WILL FIND EVERYTHING - Policies: [Storypark / shared drive / HR system] - Roster: [Where you view and confirm your roster] - Daily documentation: [Storypark / your documentation platform] - Rooms and resources: [Where lesson plans, programmes and learning experiences are kept] WHAT TO FINISH THIS WEEK - Read and acknowledge all policies above - Complete all e-learning modules I have assigned in [system] - Finalise any outstanding compliance documents with [Administration] - Book in your Week 1 check in with me: [calendar link or time] WHO TO ASK - Me, for anything big picture or people related - [Buddy Name], for "how do we do this here" questions - [Educational Leader Name], for pedagogy and programme questions - [Administration contact], for payroll and compliance paperwork Glad to have you with us. Let me know if anything feels unclear. [Your Name]

Hi [Educator Name], Just a quick note to say thanks for a lovely first day. It was great having you with us and the team really enjoyed meeting you. A few things to expect tomorrow: - [One concrete thing about Day 2, e.g. time with the Room Leader, joining Circle Time, covering sign in and sign out procedures.] - [One concrete thing, e.g. going through the emergency evacuation plan properly.] If anything felt unclear today, write it down and bring it to our Week 1 check in, or message me any time. See you in the morning. [Your Name]

Hi [Educator Name], Let's catch up properly on [Day, Time] in [Location] for our Week 1 check in. This usually runs about 30 to 45 minutes. What we will cover: - How your first week has gone. What is clicking, what is still unclear - Any policies or procedures you have worked through and want to sign off - Anything you have picked up about how we work that feels different from where you have been before - Your Week 2 priorities - What expectations you want from me as your manager Before you come in, have a think about: - Anything that surprised you this week (good or not) - Anything you are unsure about. There will not be a question too small - One thing you want to get better at in Week 2 There is nothing formal to prepare. This is just a proper conversation to make sure we are supporting you well and you know what is coming. See you [Day]. [Your Name]

Hi [Buddy Name], Thanks for buddying with [Educator Name] this week. A few things that will help you both: WHAT THEY NEED FROM YOU - Someone safe to ask "how do we do this here" questions - A walk through of the basics: sign in, rosters, Storypark, room transitions, hand over - Someone to sit with at morning tea so they are not on their own WHAT I AM ASKING YOU TO DO - Aim to spend at least 15 to 30 minutes with them each day this week - Walk them through how [specific task, e.g. programme documentation, nappy changes, room hand over] actually works - If you pick up anything I should know (confusion, signs they are struggling, wins), flag it to me WHAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO - Be their trainer on everything. Point them to me or [Educational Leader] if the question is bigger than "how do we do this here" - Be available after hours Thanks for this. Buddy pairings really count in Week 1. [Your Name]

Hi [Educator Name], It has nearly been a month, which feels quick. Let's book in a proper 45 minute conversation to step back and talk through how you are settling in and how I think you are tracking. Let's meet on [Day, Time] in [Location]. What we will cover: - How you are finding the role, the team, and the children - What you think is going well - Where you are still building confidence - My honest feedback on where you are strong and where I want to see you keep developing - What you need from me in Month 2 Please come prepared with: - One or two things you are proud of from your first month - One or two things you want to keep getting better at - Anything you want more support or clarity on A note on feedback: if I am going to raise something I would like to see shift, I will always tell you what, why, and what "better" looks like. Please push back or ask questions if anything I say does not land right. The goal is for you to keep growing in the role, not to make you feel judged. See you [Day]. [Your Name]

Hi [Educator Name], Following our conversation on [Date], this is a quick formal note to confirm that your probation has been successfully completed and you are confirmed as a permanent member of the team at [Service Name]. A quick recap from our conversation: - Where you have grown: [Two or three real examples] - What you will keep focused on next: [One or two areas] - How we will keep tracking: [e.g. quarterly 1-on-1s, your first performance review in Month 9] We are really glad to have you with us and proud of how you have picked up the role. The first few months are the hardest and you have done the work. Well done [Educator Name]. [Your Name]