Onboarding

In Arts & Sciences, the onboarding process is a collaborative effort between the A&S Human Resources team, CUHR, an employee’s supervisor, and other university administrators where applicable. The purpose of onboarding is to orient new employees to the goals of their department, institute, or center, and help them identify and understand their roles and responsibilities in achieving those goals.

Pre-onboarding Essential: Welcome Emails

The onboarding process begins once a candidate’s post offer criminal background check has been cleared. At that time, A&S HR will send the new hire a welcome email, with the manager CC'ed, that includes: 

  • Instructions on how to activate their UNI.
  • Reminder to complete the rest of their hiring paperwork via Docusign.
  • Instructions on completion of I-9
  • Instructions on receiving their ID Badge (if applicable)
  • Information on Timesheets (if applicable)
  • Information on benefits, vacation, payroll, leave management, IT, and training tools.
  • HR contacts
  • Manager Contact

If the new hire is required to submit timesheets, A&S HR will also email their manager once the new hire is active in PAC. This email will include instructions on how to review and approve timesheets to ensure accurate and timely payroll. As a note, new hires are not active in PAC until their I-9 is complete. 

Although A&S HR will send a comprehensive welcome email to new employees, it is important that managers email their new hire before their first day, confirming the time and location as well as welcoming them to the team. 

New Hire Orientation

University New Hire Orientation (NHO) is provided by the university and new hires can learn more about Columbia as well as CUHR benefits and campus services. NHO is available in two formats, in person and virtual. Managers are encouraged to share sign up information on NHO with their new hires. 

A&S HR has developed a new hire orientation presentation that is specifically tailored to life at A&S. New hires learn more about the history, mission, and leadership of A&S as well as important information about employee resources and benefits. A&S HR will reach out to new hires prior to their first day in order to schedule their new hire orientation as well as go through the I-9 process and receive their CUID, if applicable. Total presentation time is typically 1 hour, not including the I-9 or CUID process.

A&S HR has developed a New Employee Handbook meant to introduce new hires to Columbia University, Arts & Sciences, and the A&S Human Resources team. It is intended to supplement the material new hires will receive from CUHR. The handbook accompanies the A&S New Hire Orientation but can be distributed on its own. For information on receiving a New Employee Handbook for a new hire, departments should contact A&S HR. 

Training and Development

Managers are required to provide training and development for their new employees. A training plan should include items such as systems to learn, policies and procedures to review, people to meet, and tasks to complete. A&S HR will partner with departments to include role specific training in the A&S New Hire Orientation Presentation. Online resources for training and policies by job family: 

Columbia conducts required compliance training depending on an employee’s role and department. Some trainings will be automatically assigned to a new hire but managers should also review the University’s compliance training library for additional trainings that may be relevant to their new hire. 

ELM is the University’s learning management system where employees can complete and receive credit for trainings they have been assigned. Manager’s should review this ELM Job Aid on how to assign trainings to their employees. 

Columbia ServiceNow: Managers can utilize the service now center to request access to HR, Finance, and other University systems for their new hires. Contact A&S HR for additional resources on requesting access to systems. 

Many new employees will need certain PAC access and training. Managers can consult the PAC Roles and Required Training chart to understand what required trainings their new hire will need for specific PAC access.