It Takes a Team - Welcoming Isn't Just a "Leader's" Job

Onboarding often lands solely on the shoulders of directors or instructional leaders—but building a welcoming culture is everyone’s job. In strong teams, every member sees themselves as part of the welcome.

When existing staff are involved in onboarding, it creates shared ownership, deepens relationships, and models the kind of collaboration we want to see throughout the year. Consider:

• Inviting all staff to co-create a "welcome plan"

• Assigning a mentor or buddy to each new hire

• Offering team-wide time to share values, stories, and "what I wish I knew when I started"

• Encouraging hallway greetings, small acts of kindness, and informal check-ins

What does your team believe about shared responsibility? How can everyone contribute to a culture of welcome?

Need help building shared ownership into your onboarding process? I offer team-based PD sessions to help you co-create inclusive welcoming practices with your full staff. Let’s connect: deidre.harris@teamagreements.com.