5 things to do in your first week as a new manager

Congratulations on becoming a manager. You received this message via our employee experience platform, Pyn. We are using Pyn to combat information overload by delivering helpful information at the right time in your journey as a manager. Expect more communications over the next few weeks and months with information on topics like one-on-one meetings, how to have career conversations, how to manage salary reviews, and more.

Here are 5 things to do in your first week as a manager. 

1. Set up your one-on-one and team meeting cadence

This week, make sure you: 

• Have a kick-off one-on-one with each direct report and set a time for recurring meetings (here's a handy 1-1 meeting template you can use)
• Set time for regular team meetings (here's a sample agenda and template for your first team meeting as a new manager)
• Schedule a meeting with your People Business Partner

2. Familiarize yourself with career development conversations

Once you have a clear grasp of your team and a strong relationship with your direct report(s), we expect you to have a career conversation with each of them (bring this Career Action Plan template to the meeting). In this conversation, your aim is to discover an employee’s long-term goals and how you can work together to help them on their career journey.

This conversation does not need to happen in your first week, but we want you to have it in mind. Career conversations are encouraged once an employee has been in their current role for roughly 6 months. 

3. Get to know our performance/salary review processes

We have performance/salary reviews every # months. You will be responsible for writing a review for each of your direct reports. 

⚠️ Pyn note to HR: Include links to your company’s performance/salary review process. 

4. Be prepared to navigate difficult situations

This isn’t to say that a difficult situation will arise right away, but that we want you to feel prepared if and when one does.  

⚠️ Pyn note to HR: Think about the most common difficult situation a new manager at your company may encounter. This could be grievances, misconduct, interpersonal conflict, or mental health concerns. Provide them with guidance on how to escalate if needed. 

5. Know where to get help and information

People Operations, for:

• Team/department reporting
• Healthcare and benefits questions
• Equity questions
• Global mobility
• Policy guidance
• Retirement benefits

HRBP / People Business Partner, for:

• Hiring, moving/transferring employees
• Advising and coaching
• Employee relations
• Career planning
• Workforce planning, org mapping, succession planning

IT Team, for:

• Computer support & troubleshooting
• Equipment requests
• All things Google
• Network and VPN support

Office / Workplace Team, for:

• Wifi passwords
• Travel to other offices
• Catering requests/questions 
• Information about office dog rules