Onboarding buddy: what it is and what it means

An onboarding buddy is a peer-level colleague, with a few years of experience in the organization, explicitly designated as the informal point of reference for the newcomer. Their role is not technical training but being available for the questions people don't ask their boss: how the Monday meeting works, who to go to with a technical issue, how to behave in situations no rule covers. The buddy does not replace the direct manager; they work alongside the manager on a level the hierarchy cannot occupy.

Distinctive: informal point of reference for the newcomer
Essential: peer-level colleague
Essential: questions people don't ask their boss
Constant: explicitly designated

Glossary

Onboarding buddy

A peer-level colleague explicitly designated as the informal point of reference for a newcomer: they answer the questions people don't ask their boss; they don't provide technical training.