Welcome Process

Welcome Process

1. Assign a welcome person at the last search process meeting (where we make a decision about who to invite to live here)

2. After the new housemate is chosen and confirms, welcome person introduces themselves, says they’ll get new housemate up to speed and offers to answer any questions or help with anything that comes up in the coming weeks/ months

3. Welcome person sends them the welcome email 

4. Welcome person adds new housemate to all shared things (if you don’t know how you can ask for help on this step):

   • Signal chat

   • Google group

   • Shared calendar

   • Google drive

5. Welcome person coordinates with new housemate to get them on OurGroceries and get them added to our shared groups/list

   • Also explain how adding items to the grocery list works

6. Welcome person coordinates with new housemate to get them keys

7. Welcome person does onboarding when they arrive

   • Tour of the house with where things are :

     • Kitchen stuff

       • where things are

       • how dishes work

       • labeling food

       • where the little spoons are

       • garbage disposal

       • refilling containers

       • Alphabetical spice rack

       • Spice backups

       • Mini fridge for personal items and dairy

       • Sponges for dishes and counters

       • Breaker may go off if microwave, dishwasher, and toaster are used in some combination

       • Dry knives and put them back instead of putting in the drying rack

       • How to care for appliances and cookware

     • trash, recycling, and compost

     • Laundry (including about agreement around moving clothes to the dryer)

     • Set up the new housemates mailbox and explain mailboxes

     • Doors: don’t have to lock the door during the day if someone is here, lock at night or if leaving and no one is home

     • Light switch for back porch

   • Ask what the new person needs on move-in day

   • Be around to answer questions as much as you can in the first week!

   • Explain about agenda on the white board for house meetings

   • Update “what I don’t eat” list and “mini gifts” list

   • Make sure they add their info to the emergency contact list

8. Go through the community agreements to get the new person up to speed and answer any questions

   • How the house budget works

     • What do we buy with house money

     • What do we not buy

     • How to get reimbursed for things

     • Letting the house know if rent is late

     • Rent shares and that they’ll be invited to join in three months

   • Travel reimbursement

     • The process to go through if someone is traveling out of town and wants to be reimbursed for food money for that time.

   • Guest agreement

     • When to notify/ check in about guests

     • How to add guests to the house calendar

     • Agreement about pets visiting

   • Drug use and smoking

9. Go over advice from outgoing housemates