We understand that Harvard and FAS can be overwhelming for staff especially those coming from outside the University. There is a lot to learn, and numerous websites, guides, and resources that we wanted to compile in one place to make the onboarding experience easier for our new staff. Our goal is to make new hires feel included and in-the-know within their first 90 days.
The New Hire Handbook is a document created to welcome new hires in a more personal and detailed format--not just to Harvard/FAS, but to their department. This document is designed as a template, so that each department can add, edit, or remove information, to make the handbook specific to their department and division, as well as to the new hire's role. Every section in the new hire handbook is optional, as we understand that every position is different and some of the information may not be relevant for every individual. Please feel free to edit, delete and add any information you wish to include to make this document most helpful and effective for your new hire. We've also created a User Guide to help managers understand how to best use the template.
We encourage managers to share the New Hire Handbook with their new employee after they sign and accept the offer and before their start date.
The Handbook is not replacing the Onboarding checklist or any other onboarding resource. Managers and Department Administrators should still follow the onboarding toolkit and guidance referenced on the FAS HR website.