Use induction, buddy, integrate, expectation accurately in context
Read and discuss a topic-specific article at B1 level
Practise speaking fluently on starting well
Complete written exercises with vocabulary in context
Teaching Notes
Warm-up: allow 8-10 min, let personal answers develop
Article: read together or have students read silently first
Vocabulary match: good for pair work
Speaking: encourage full sentences, not one-word answers
Exit questions: 5-min closer, no prep needed
Timing Guide
Warm-up: 8 min
Article + comprehension: 12 min
Vocabulary + match: 10 min
Exercises: 10 min
Speaking + discussion: 15 min
Exit + recap: 5 min
Teacher Question Bank
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B1 · Lesson 35 · Starting Well
Onboarding New Employees
Starting Wellinductionbuddyintegrate
Getting started
Warm-Up Questions
Click the button to get your first question
Read & Understand
Article
Onboarding New Employees
The first 90 days of a new job significantly shape an employee's long-term engagement and performance. Yet many companies treat onboarding as simply filling in paperwork and giving a brief tour. Effective onboarding has several elements: ensuring all systems access is ready on day one, assigning a buddy or mentor, clearly communicating role expectations and team norms, scheduling structured check-ins, and introducing the new hire to key stakeholders. Research consistently shows that organisations with strong onboarding processes improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. A new employee who feels supported and clear on their role becomes productive faster — and stays longer.
💡 Did you know? Microsoft found that when new employees met with their manager in the first week, they were 23% more satisfied with onboarding. One scheduled conversation in week one had a measurable impact on engagement months later.
Topic: Starting Well
Key words
Vocabulary
01
induction
the process of formally introducing a new employee to a company
02
buddy
an experienced colleague assigned to support a new employee
03
integrate
to become part of a group or system
04
expectation
a belief about what will happen or what is required
05
overwhelm
to give or encounter too much information or work at once
06
retention
keeping employees in the company over time
07
culture
the values, norms, and ways of behaving in an organisation
08
probationary
relating to a trial period at the start of employment
09
access
the ability to use systems, tools, or resources
010
clarity
the quality of being clear and easy to understand
Match the Words
Click a word on the left, then click its definition on the right.
induction
buddy
integrate
expectation
overwhelm
retention
culture
probationary
access
clarity
relating to a trial period at the start of employment
a belief about what will happen or what is required
to become part of a group or system
the ability to use systems, tools, or resources
keeping employees in the company over time
the values, norms, and ways of behaving in an organisation
the quality of being clear and easy to understand
to give or encounter too much information or work at once
the process of formally introducing a new employee to a company
an experienced colleague assigned to support a new employee
Say it right
Pronunciation
induction
IND-uct-ion
buddy
BU-ddy
integrate
INT-egr-ate
expectation
EXP-ect-ation
overwhelm
OVE-rwh-elm
retention
RET-ent-ion
Read & Discuss
Short Dialogue
A:
I've been thinking a lot about induction recently.
B:
Really? What's your take on it?
A:
I think the issue of buddy is often misunderstood.
B:
I agree. Most people don't consider the impact of integrate.
A:
Exactly. And when you add expectation into the mix, it gets complicated.
B:
So what do you think the solution is?
A:
Honestly? It requires both individual action and systemic change.
B:
That's a fair point. It's never just one or the other.
Comprehension
What topic are they discussing?
What does person B agree with?
What does person A say the solution requires?
Practice
Exercises
Gap Fill
Complete each sentence using vocabulary from today's lesson.
1. The programme lasts three days.
2. Each new hire is assigned a for their first month.
3. A good onboarding programme helps new hires quickly.
4. Setting clear s from day one prevents later confusion.
5. Don't new employees with too much information at once.
Error Correction
Find and correct the mistake in each sentence.
She is very experience in buddy.
The integrate of the project were not meet.
He gave us many advices about expectation.
Despite of the pressure, she succeeded.
Speaking practice
Speaking Prompts
Discuss with your partner
Describe your own onboarding experience at a job. What was done well? What was missing?
What would your ideal first day at a new job look like?
Design a one-week onboarding plan for a new hire in your team.
Summarise today's topic in 3 sentences using vocabulary from this lesson.
Grammar focus: Obligation and advice structures for process description: New employees should r... — can you give an example?
Open discussion
Discussion Generator
More Questions
Use with pairs or whole class · Encourage full answers
Onboarding New Employees — reading & comprehension
Practice
Gap fill, error correction, vocabulary matching
Speaking
Prompts, discussion generator
Homework
Write an onboarding checklist (8-10 points) for a new employee joining your team. Use should, must, and it is important to. Include: systems access, introductions, first tasks, and check-ins.
