Onboarding Guide

Section #1 – Welcome Message

Congratulations on your appointment and welcome to the University of British Columbia (UBC)! The Department of Botany has created this onboarding guide to help you get oriented to resources and processes as you transition to your new role at UBC. 

Instructions:  

Please review the guide and customize it to your appointment as needed. The guide is organized into these sequential phases.  

  • Prior to Start Date  
  • Upon Start Date (First day and first few weeks) 
  • In your first few months  
  • Other Resources 

Complete the actions in a timely manner to build upon your learning and minimize potential problems with sequential steps.  

Section #2 – Prior to Start Date

Explore the UBC website for information on https://hr.ubc.ca/working-ubc/housing-immigration-and-relocation-services/relocating-vancouver  

The link above has information on relocation, housing, childcare and other areas of setting up a new life in Vancouver. Please get in touch with Jenifer D’souza (Faculty HR Manager) at jenifer.dsouza@botany.ubc.ca for relocation, immigration, work permit clarification and application process.  

Please also familiarize yourself with the Botany office staff. 

For Postdoctoral Research Fellows – Please check out the UBC Postdoctoral Fellows Office website https://www.postdocs.ubc.ca/  

 
For tenured faculty members’ laboratory space & set-up – Plan to ensure your research space meets safety requirements and will be ready to use. Kindly get in touch with Jenifer D’souza (Faculty HR Manager) jenifer.dsouza@botany.ubc.ca and Jessica Trat (Staff and Facilities Manager) jessica.trat@botany.ubc.ca for any material transfer agreement or space needs in the department.  

For international appointments – please send your work permit to Jenifer D’souza (Faculty HR Manager) at jenifer.dsouza@botany.ubc.ca 

Section #3 – Upon Start Date (First day)

The first part of your onboarding will be on Workday, UBC’s finance and human resource management system. To access Workday and many other UBC employee sites, you will need to create your Campus-Wide Login (CWL) account. 

Create your Campus-Wide Login (CWL) Account. 

Complete your payroll and benefits elections on Workday (paid employees). 

You will receive emails from Workday with a series of onboarding tasks to complete based on your role. It is recommended that you complete pay-related onboarding tasks before or on your first day so that the information needed to process your pay is set up correctly for your first pay. It is also recommended that you familiarize yourself with and enroll in benefits (if your role is eligible for benefits) before beginning your role as eligible employees are entitled to benefits from the first day. 

  • Complete your payroll information on Workday, including your contact information, direct deposit setup and payment elections, and federal and provincial tax elections.   
  • If eligible, enrol in Benefits on Workday. To complete this, you will need your Social Insurance Number (SIN) and the Personal Health Number (PHN) for you and your dependents. There is a helpful Benefits Enrolment Guide and a how-to video you can follow for step-by-step guidance. 
  • The Integrated Service Centre (ISC) offers support with Workday questions, issues, and requests. Here, you can submit a Workday support request, speak with a representative, or search their Workday knowledge base. Below are some knowledge base articles that may be beneficial as you navigate your onboarding: (Following links need CWL login) 

Set up your essentials for work. 

  • Apply for a UBC Card, UBC’s official identification card that functions as your Employee ID and library card. For some departments, the UBC Card will also serve as your building access card. 
  • After you have received the card, please email Isabel Ferens at isabel.ferens@botany.ubc.ca in the Botany main office to obtain access to the Biological Sciences Building. For those located in the Beaty Research Centre (BRC) building, please email Katie Beall at brcadmin@biodiversity.ubc.ca  
  • To request keys, please send an email to Isabel Ferens at isabel.ferens@botany.ubc.ca and cc your supervisor to approve this request. If you are a tenured faculty member, please copy Staff and Facilities Manager Jessica Trat at jessica.trat@botany.ubc.ca.  
  • Sign in and familiarize yourself with your UBC Faculty and Staff email (FASmail) account. If you are new to UBC, you will have received an email from UBC IT with instructions on how to set up your FASmail account.  

For a botany email address and access to printing, please send your CWL account username and your supervisor’s name to helpdesk@botany.ubc.ca (attention Sean Shang/John Ng) to request a FASmail account. (Please do not send your CWL password)  

For more information, please visit www.it.ubc.ca/projects/strategicprojects/ubc-email.html or contact: helpdesk@botany.ubc.ca 

  • If applicable, test your devices to ensure they are configured for working off-campus, including VPN access. Troubleshoot with your manager or submit a ticket to UBC IT if needed. 
  • Mail – Mailroom is located in BioSci 3158.  

Safety and Training for All UBC Workers  

  • Training for specific workplace environments – depending on the nature of the lab, you may need to take any of the following training courses: 

Introduction to Lab Safety Training  

1) Biosafety training 

2) Chemical safety training 

3) Laser safety training 

4) Radiation and x-ray safety training 

5) Transportation of dangerous goods training 

6) WHMIS training 

7) Environmental training 

  • Emergency Training  
  1. Active Shooter Preparedness Training  
  • Environmental Training 
  1. Environmental awareness training  
  1. Hazardous waste management training  
  1. Autoclave training (Please contact Joanne Denny at denny@zoology.ubc.ca to arrange safety training prior to using autoclaves) 

Consult with your PI regarding which additional courses to take: What training is required for working in a lab? 

Learn more about Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee JOHSC in the following link: (UBC Risk Management) safetycommittees.ubc.ca/johsc/  

Section #3 – Upon Start Date (First week)

Familiarize yourself with campus and Botany resources. 

  • Complete the New to UBC Orientation Course (for the Vancouver campus). This course is the one place where new hires can find and explore everything you need to know about UBC, including campus resources, services, information, and community networks. 
      
  • Tenure-track research faculty can check out Office of Research Services for grant application/set up details and Research Finance for grant management training and support including grant expense eligibility guidelines.   
  • Familiarize yourself with UBC’s health and wellbeing resources, in particular the resources available to support your mental health. Here, you will be able to learn about the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) and access many of the resources available to help you and your dependents. 
      
  • Check out UBC’s perks for faculty & staff to find information on employee discounts and other perks available at UBC’s attractions, recreation and fitness centres, and other campus services. 
      
  • Explore the UBC Today website for the latest news, updates, events, useful dates and curated resources from across UBC especially for faculty and staff. Ask your team what other university newsletters you should consider subscribing to. 
      

Section #4 – Within your first few months

Have check-in conversations with your supervisor. 

  • Have check-in conversations with your supervisor on a regular basis. Some important conversation topics may include: 
  • Onboarding needs and administrative support. 
  • Work expectations and best practices.  
  • Top priorities for your role and where you should be focusing your efforts to start. Team’s strategic priorities/goals and how you contribute to them. 
  • Your progress towards your performance goals. Seek feedback where appropriate. 
  • Social connection and networking opportunities. 

Participate in employee orientations and team meetings to get situated in your work. 

  • Participate in team meetings and introductory meetings with colleagues to learn about how you will work together and any ongoing projects you may be involved in. Also connect socially with your colleagues and team members. This can include a team lunch, coffee chats with colleagues, orientation and other campus events, and exploring the campus community. 
      
  • Register for department-wide orientation events and meetings, where applicable, to learn about the culture, priorities, and practices of the faculty/department, onboarding resources, and meet with your colleagues. In some departments, there may be a dedicated HR professional responsible for orientations who will connect with you directly. 
      

Review important UBC plans, policies and procedures. 

  • Review the collective agreement and terms of employment for your employee group and note down important contacts for your union group or labour association. If applicable, attend any member orientation sessions offered by your union group or labour association. 
      
  • Review relevant strategic initiatives 
  • Review UBC’s policies and procedures. Here are a few to get you started. 
  • Policy SC5 – Snow 

Check out learning and professional development resources and opportunities at UBC. Examples include: (Please note the examples below are not applicable to visiting appointments) 

Section #5 – Other Resources

Benefits@UBC Webinars for Faculty and Staff  
The Benefits@UBC webinar is hosted throughout the year by the UBC Vancouver Benefits team to help new faculty to better understand the wide range of benefits available to you. Join us to learn which benefits you are eligible for and how to access them including Extended Health and Dental Care, Life Insurance, Employee and Family Assistance Program, and Tuition Waivers.  

Register for a Welcome Orientation or Benefits Webinar (type benefits in the search bar) 

New Faculty Teaching Orientation 
UBC’s New Faculty Teaching Orientation is hosted annually in August by the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology to welcome and support new instructors as they navigate their roles and responsibilities at the institution. The orientation provides an opportunity for new faculty to learn about the academic culture, policies, and practices of the institution, as well as the resources available to support their teaching, research, and service. This event also presents a valuable opportunity to connect with new colleagues and foster professional networks. 

Register for the 2025 New Faculty Teaching Orientation 

New to UBC Vancouver Connections Program 
The New to UBC Vancouver Connections Program is a self-directed, cohort-based program designed to support new faculty and staff within their first year of employment with building new connections within the UBC community and creating shared experiences as they navigate their onboarding journey. Program participants are matched into small groups and determine how frequently to meet with group members and what types of activities to engage in.  

Register for the next cohort of the Connections Program 

Section #6 – Lab Personnel

Postdocs/Research Associates/Visiting Researchers 

Faculty members who are looking to hire Postdoctoral Research Fellows, Research Associates and host national/international researchers need to fill out a request for appointment form (link the form here – Sean the form is in the teams folder called ‘request for appointment’) Kindly submit the form to Jenifer D’souza at jenifer.dsouza@botany.ubc.ca. 

Staff Technicians 

Please contact Jessica Trat, Staff & Facilities Manager (jessica.trat@botany.ubc.ca) for staff hires including research technicians, lab assistants and contractors. 

Students 

Please contact: 

  • Alice Liou, Graduate Coordinator (alice.liou@botany.ubc.ca) for the Botany Graduate Program, graduate intake process and graduate awards; 
  • Gigi Lau, Biology Program Manager (gigi.lau@ubc.ca) for undergraduate hires such as work learn students and undergrad assistants.  

Section #7 – Questions?

If you have questions or need help in your first days and weeks at UBC, questions around your onboarding experience, or resources available to you, contact Jessica Trat (jessica.trat@botany.ubc.ca) or Jenifer D’souza (jenifer.dsouza@botany.ubc.ca).  You can also contact the UBC Orientations & Onboarding team at workplace.orientations@ubc.ca.  

Who to contact for specific issues: 

  • For Workday issues or questions: submit a support request through the UBC Self Service Portal or call 604-822-8200 for UBC Vancouver.