Staff onboarding experiences
The University of Waterloo is a unique organization which thrives on collaboration and collegiality. It is more than a place to work, it's your new community! To strengthen your knowledge of the University, Human Resources (HR) and Organizational & Human Development (OHD) have developed experiences to help you get well-oriented to your new workplace:
- New Employee Orientation
- Staff Campus Tours
- For people leaders: HR Foundations for Managers
We welcome you to join us for a half-day orientation session designed just for you.
This half-day event aims to connect the dots between you and the history, culture, priorities, services, opportunities, and resources that make the University of Waterloo an exciting place to work.
Throughout this engaging and interactive experience, you will meet other new employees and representatives from across the university, and you will gain a helpful, foundational understanding of your new employer. We aim to share with you what it means to be an employee of one of Canada's top universities, and show you how to enrich your employee experience with all that is available to you.
A Note on Frequency and Format
This event is offered twice a term: once in-person (first month of the term) and once virtually (third month of the term), every term. Please choose the format and timing that works best for you.
Upcoming Employee Orientation Dates
The next New Employee Orientation opportunities will be held on:
- Tuesday, January 28 - in person (Human Resources, EC1)
- Thursday, March 20 - virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Registration opens on Portal at least one month before Orientation. Although anyone is welcome to join, we encourage all new staff to join an Orientation session within your first six months at the University of Waterloo.
*Please note these dates may be subject to change. If you have registered for these events, you will be contacted about any date changes.
Staff campus tours
The Waterloo Staff Orientation Team is delighted to partner with the Visitors Centre ambassador team to offer these 90-minute tours. Register on Portal to learn more and reserve your spot.
What you can expect:
- A guided tour for new UWaterloo staff, led by one of our talented student ambassadors who will share insights, stories, and wayfinding tips about the University campus
- An opportunity to learn about Waterloo's history, students, buildings, eateries, reputation, academics, campus life, and more
- One of our Staff Orientation Team members will join the tour to answer staff-related questions as well as share beneficial tips and insights from a staff perspective
- An opportunity to connect with other new Waterloo staff members
Dates Offered in 2024:
- Wednesday, May 15, 12:30-2:00 pm
- Monday, June 24, 12:30-2:00 pm
- Tuesday, July 16, 12:30-2:00 pm
- Thursday, August 15, 12:30-2:00 pm (WAITLIST)
Accessibility:
Should you have accessibility considerations you'd like us to be aware of, please contact dana.evanslaity@uwaterloo.ca at least one week before your scheduled tour.
We will do our best to accommodate or provide you with alternate tour options.
Contact us
For questions about staff orientation experiences, please contact us at: