What is the New Employee Orientation (NEO)

New staff are expected to attend in-person new employee orientation within their first 30 days of employment. Staff will be auto-assigned the orientation course in Learn@Work on their start date. This full day, engaging experience will provide new staff members with tips to get started and feel welcome in their new role at WashU.

Orientation sessions run from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. A break for lunch at noon.

  • Medical School employee orientation:
    Held the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month. Located at Eric P. Newman Education Center (EPNEC), 2nd floor, Seminar Room B (320 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis MO). Parking will be validated for staff members in attendance at the Medical School session.
  • Danforth Campus employee orientation:
    Held the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month at the Link in the Loop, 3rd floor (621 N. Skinker Blvd., St. Louis, MO). Parking is free and available in a visitor parking lot.

New staff will typically choose their own sessions, but managers may choose the session on their behalf, if needed. We encourage selecting a session nearest the staff’s assigned work location (School of Medicine or Danforth Campus), but either location may be selected.

*Note: Staff will be auto enrolled into the campus associated with their work location. Staff who live more than 50 miles from the main WashU location (1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130) will have an opportunity to opt-out of the in-person session.

As a supervisor, you can see what orientation session any new hire is enrolled in through Learn@Work. We ask that you confirm with your new staff members what upcoming orientation session they are enrolled in and ensure they complete both the online compliance training in Learn@Work and attend the in-person orientation session. You can verify both mandatory trainings (the in-person orientation session and online compliance training) for your direct reports through the “My Team” navigation tool in Learn@Work. Find instructions online (PDF).

In the event an employee is unable to attend selected new employee orientation, new staff members should discuss the need to reschedule the session in Learn@Work.

Learn more on the Welcome Staff Hub

How are new hires notified of their required training(s)?

New hires receive an email on their first day with information about completing required training in Learn@Work. New hires are encouraged to complete the Learning at WashU learning program in Workday in their first two weeks for an introduction to Learn@Work and basic Workday functionality.

What is Online Compliance Training?

On your new hire’s first day, they will be assigned the New Employee Orientation for Staff Curriculum and will receive an email with the subject line HR – New Employee Orientation Curriculum for Staff (Required) Added to Learn@Work Profile. This curriculum contains an Online Compliance Training section. This can be completed before or after their in-person session, but must be completed in their first 30 days. 

Staff should also complete the Compliance Profile in Learn@Work, which will then populate required trainings. The Compliance Profile can be found on an employee’s Me page in Learn@Work. As a manager, you can also assign mandatory trainings to your team members.

Who should plan to attend the in-person session of the new employee orientation curriculum?

Any new staff, as identified by Employee Type in Workday, will be automatically assigned the curriculum on their first day and should choose an in-person session to attend within their first 30 days. The only exception for this requirement is if the new staff lives more than 50 miles away from 1 Brookings Dr. Temporary staff will not be assigned the curriculum and should not register for the in-person session. If you are unsure whether the new employee is classified as staff, please reach out to your HR Contact for confirmation.

How can I tell what new employee orientation in-person session my new hire is enrolled in?

Managers are able to see their direct reports in Learn@Work starting on the new hire’s first day. Find step-by-step instructions for managers to view NEO curriculum online (PDF).

I have an upcoming hire and can’t see them in Learn@Work. How can I make sure they register for training? 

Managers are able to see their direct reports in Learn@Work starting on the new hire’s first day. The new hire will be automatically assigned the training on their first day, will receive a notification and will be able to pick their own session. If your department coordinates the training schedule for new hires and needs to choose the session for them, you may have or want to designate someone with Learning Admin – Registrar permissions in Learn@Work who can pick the session before the new hire’s first day. Keep in mind that the session itself must take place on or after the new hire’s first day. Refer to the NEO Instructions for Learning Admins (PDF)  for more information. 

My new staff member has not received the new employee orientation curriculum in Learn@Work. How can I get the new staff member enrolled?

As a manager, you can check to see if your new staff is enrolled in the New Employee Orientation curriculum in Learn@Work. Login into Learn@Work, visit the My Team page in the left sidebar menu, search for your staff (if needed) and select the new employee orientation curriculum.

If you do not see the curriculum assigned, please submit a ServiceNow ticket to investigate and have it assigned.

I hired my staff as a remote employee. Do they need to attend the in-person session as part of the curriculum?

Local St. Louis remote staff are required to attend the in-person orientation session. Remote staff who live more than 50 miles from the main WashU location (1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130) will have an opportunity to opt-out of the in-person session.

New staff who live more than 50 miles are welcome to attend the training with manager approval.

When and how quickly should my staff member complete the compliance training?

New staff will receive a notification from Learn@Work about required training, including new employee orientation curriculum and associated compliance training. The curriculum should be completed after the employee’s start date and within two weeks of the first day of employment. This training is considered work time.

Will other new hires, such as clinical fellows or post-docs, be required to attend in-person new employee orientation?

At this time, only new staff are required to attend in-person new employee orientation. We hope to establish additional employee orientation for other employees – i.e., post-docs and clinical fellows – in the future.

We have a designated person in our department who handles training for us. Can they manage progress tracking and session selection for me?

Yes, individuals with Learning Admin and Analytics Admin permissions in Learn@Work can view status and select or change sessions for your new hire on these steps and information about requesting this access in Learn@Work. Refer to NEO Instructions for Learning Admins (PDF) for more information.

What is a peer advisor?

A Peer Advisor welcomes new employees and introduces them to WashU culture, department and University practices, and available resources. They can assist the employee in building relationships with colleagues within and beyond the team, helping them network outside of their immediate area earlier and more efficiently. 

Use the Assigning a Peer Advisor worksheet (PDF) to identify who on your team would be a comparable match.

My employee has questions about their benefits. Who should they contact?

Benefit-eligible employees may contact the Benefits Service Center weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. via telephone at 314-935-2332, option #1, or anytime via email.

What about employees working remotely?  Should they participate in the onboarding process?

Especially for employees who will not be coming regularly into the office, it’s important to help them understand the organizational culture and goals, connect with co-workers, and gain new skills.  You will want to ensure their equipment, access, and tools are ready for their start as well.  The resources we’ve provided are easily adapted for your employee, whether they will be spending some time in-person or working 100% remotely.  Creating connections is key to an increase in faster productivity and long term retention. 

Questions about onboarding?
Email HR-orientation@wustl.edu.