Guide 1 - LM Operations

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-Boarding & Onboarding Guide

Job Family: Operations

Your Guide for Pre-Boarding through Week 1

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Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

Introduction to Pre-Boarding & Onboarding Guide

Congratulations on welcoming a new team member!

This is an exciting moment - for them as they learn about their role, and for you as you discover how they’ll contribute to your team’s success. Your motto: Start Slow to Grow Fast.

Onboarding is about building a strong foundation, not rushing through tasks. Create and protect the space your associate needs to learn, absorb, and grow - avoid overwhelming them with too much too soon. This guide will help you:

Acclimate Acclimate your new joiner and help them feel welcome on your team and at Mars.

UnderstandUnderstand their onboarding journey and what to expect in each phase so that you can offer support.

Access Access practical tasks and tips to support a smooth transition from new Associate to successful contributor.

Your role is critical. Be their guide - answer questions, provide clarity, and help them navigate their journey to becoming a valued member of Commercial.

Ready to begin? Select the arrow button to start your journey!

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

The Functional Commercial Onboarding Journey

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What this journey shows:

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• Snapshot of your new joiner's functional Commercial learning journey in MyLearning.

What's not included:

• Enterprise onboarding tasks (available in MyHub for all new Mars Associates)

In this Line Manager Guide, you’ll find:

• Clear guidance on what your new joiner will experience
• Practical tips to support learning, connection, and role clarity
• Key moments where your involvement makes the biggest impact
• Recommended actions to reinforce training and connect learning to day-to-day work
• Resources to help you set your new joiner up for success from day one

Review these resources and complete the recommended actions to ensure your new joiner feels supported from day one.

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Pre-Boarding

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Setting your new joiner up for a strong start before Day 1

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

Pre-Boarding: What to Expect

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Purpose:

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• Set the stage for success: Ensure everything is ready so your new hire feels welcomed and supported from day one.
• Reduce first-day stress: Preparation helps the joiner focus on learning rather than job logistics.
• Create a positive first impression: A smooth start builds trust and engagement.

Guidance:

• Plan ahead: Review the onboarding guide and what's already in place to support your joiner.
• Create an onboarding plan that supplements the generic Commercial onboarding.
• Create plans for handovers and network connections using the provided templates.
• Coordinate with HR and IT: Confirm access to systems, tools, and workspace setup.
• How to choose buddies: Consider different buddies for different aspects of your new joiner's onboarding:
• Someone who is located on the same site to support site navigation
• Someone who has functional depth who can share their deep expertise
• Someone who has functional breadth who can share their acumen and network
• Set expectations for yourself: Be available and approachable during the first week.

TIP: Personalize the experience - Share team updates, cultural insights, and any helpful resources.

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

Your New Joiner's Commercial Onboarding on a Page

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Day 1 - Week 1

This page gives you a Week 1 snapshot of what your new joiner will experience as part of Commercial onboarding. Use this to understand their focus, anticipate questions, and reinforce key moments during their first week.

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New Joiner Objectives

New Joiner Key Questions

• Introduction to team and role
• Essential regulatory training (Legal)
• Beginning to build relationships and networks
• Mars culture (for those new to Mars)

• How will I stay connected with my LM and Buddy?
• What's the difference between red/blue/purple training?
• Where does my role fit in the Commercial Journey?

General Admin

Key Activities & Meetings

• Mars site map
• General HR & site systems access
• Equipment (laptop, phone, etc.)
• Required access requests

• Initial connection with Line Manager and Buddy
• Discuss role expectations and clarify short-term goals
• Review the Training Policy
• Completion of week 1 mandatory training
• Introduction to the Commercial Journey

For a full view of your new joiner's journey, please review this document: Onboarding Journey on a Page

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

Pre-Boarding Tasks for Line Managers

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Prepare For Your New Associate

Inform of Expectations

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01

Learn more >

Learn more >

Build Early Connections

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Learn more >

Support Early Success

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Learn more >

Reminder You can find a downloadable copy of this task list HERE.

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

Customize Your Associate's Onboarding Experience

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Standard onboarding is just the foundation, but personalized onboarding drives success. To fully support a new Commercial Associate, three additional elements help connect the learning journey to their specific role.

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Onboarding Plan

Knowledge Transfer Plan

Next Steps for Line Managers

We have organized onboarding into four major immersion areas. These areas introduce how Mars, the Segment, and the Commercial function operate, and help Associates begin building the networks and context needed to navigate the business and contribute effectively.

• Review the standard onboarding journey.
• Use communication templates to personalize agendas, announcements, and introductions.
• Use the knowledge transfer guide to structure discussions.
• Clarify expectations and help your Associate connect the dots across teams, tools, and priorities.

This toolkit template and guide help structure the knowledge transfer conversations that are critical to a successful transition. They highlight best practices and key topics your Associate will need to understand in order to succeed in the role.

View Toolkit

View Plan

Customize Plan

View Plan

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Day 1 to Week 1

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Turning Week 1 Into a Meaningful Welcome Experience

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

Day 1 to Week 1: What to Expect

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This stage marks your Associate’s first experience inside the organization. During the first week, they will begin building an understanding of the business, their team, and their role. Your support as a Line Manager is critical in helping them feel welcomed, connected, and confident as they begin their journey.

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Purpose:

• Set the stage for success: Ensure that your new hire feels welcomed, informed, and supported.
• Set clear expectations: Provide your new hire with essential resources for a smooth start.

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

Day 1 to Week 1: Guidance

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Guidance:

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• Make introductions: Introduce your new joiner to the team and their buddy to accelerate connection and relationship-building.

• Lead with connection: Prioritize helping your new joiner feel welcomed, oriented, and supported before focusing on output or performance.

• Pace information: Share what’s most important first, and spread additional information over time to support learning and retention.

TIP: Personalize the experience - Share team updates, cultural insights, and any helpful resources.

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

Day 1 Onboarding Tasks for Line Managers

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Welcome your new Associate

Inform of Expectations

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01

Learn more >

Learn more >

Build Early Connections

03

Learn more >

Support Early Success

04

Learn more >

Reminder You can find a downloadable copy of this task list HERE.

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

Week 1 Onboarding Tasks for Line Managers

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Welcome Your New Associate

Set Goals and Expectations

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01

Learn more >

Learn more >

Introduce Their Support Network

03

Learn more >

Bring Perspective

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Learn more >

Reminder You can find a downloadable copy of this task list HERE.

Commercial: Line Manager Pre-boarding & Onboarding Guide

Application: Support the Commercial Journey

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This phase is about helping your new Associate connect the bigger Commercial picture to their day-to-day role, and ensuring they have the structure, context, and support needed to succeed from day one. As a Line Manager, you play a critical role in enabling their understanding, accelerating their integration, and setting the foundation for long-term performance and growth.

Enable understanding across Commercial

Build your Associate’s awareness of how teams, capabilities, and ways of working come together to deliver Commercial impact, helping them see how their role contributes to shared business outcomes.

Reinforce where their role fits

Support your new joiner in understanding where their role sits within the broader Commercial picture, and how they will collaborate across teams and functions.

Your support as a Line Manager is one of the most important drivers of onboarding success. By creating clarity, enabling connections, and guiding development early on, you help your Associate establish a strong foundation within Commercial. NOTE: This guide focuses on pre-boarding and the first week of the onboarding journey. A second guide will support the continued onboarding journey from Week 2 through Year 1, providing additional guidance on how to further support your Associate as they grow and develop in their role.

Welcome Your New Associate

• Share a brief overview of your Segment and Mars site: history, strategy, objectives, key internal/external customers, what's made there, safety protocols, site support.
• Share the onboarding motto: Start Slow to Grow Fast.
• Share your team's ways of working such as: team meetings, communication/collaboration tools (Teams, What's App), MAS impact plan.
• Discuss any upcoming training, meetings, townhalls, etc. they need to attend.
• Explain how they can stay up to speed on what's happening in Mars, Segment, Commercial, and Site.

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Support Early Success

• Finalise a handover plan with clear knowledge capture using provided template.
• Block time in your calendar: reserve slots for Week 1 check-in’s & set up weekly or bi-weekly 1:1's with your new hire.
• Block time and space for them to complete online training in their first week.

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Set Goals and Expectations

• Schedule routine 1:1 meetings for guidance and feedback.
• Discuss role responsibilities and clarify short-term priorities.
• Align on success metrics and performance expectations.
• Review the onboarding plan together.
• Review the handover plan together.

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Build Early Connections

• Connect personally and share your Mars story.
• Review their Contact and Knowledge Transfer Plans.
• Preview key Week 1 meetings and introductions.
• Introduce key partners and stakeholders.
• Introduce their buddy(ies) and how they’ll support.

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Inform of Expectations

• Share Mars’ mission, purpose, and values.
• Ensure IT training and device setup are completed.
• Block time for Mars culture induction.
• Explain desk, locker, and local asset setup.
• Give a brief walking tour of key areas.

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Support Early Success

• Confirm their Day 1 schedule.
• Share how and when to reach you.
• Provide key support contacts.
• Help them access online training.
• Check in during the day.
• Debrief at day’s end and review the rest of Week 1.

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Prepare For Your New Associate

• Watch the Intro to Onboarding for LM video.
• Contact your new hire prior to their first day. Share you are excited about them joining and answer any questions they have.
• Block time in your calendar: reserve slots for Day 1 welcome.

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Introduce Their Support Network

• Ensure they have quality time with their Buddy/ies.
• Facilitate introductions to key team members and stakeholders.
• Review their Knowledge Transfer & Onboarding Plans in more detail with them for the coming month and secure regular check-ins to discuss progress.
• Reinforce that asking questions is encouraged.

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Welcome Your New Associate

• Greet your new hire at the door (preferred). If impossible, delegate F2F greeting & connect virtually at the start of their day.
• Send a welcome announcement to team.
• Take them to lunch with some coworkers or arrange for lunch to be brought in. Remote? Have their favorite pizza delivered to their home.
• Show them to their desk and/or locker.

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Inform of Expectations

• Communicate start time, dress code, what to bring, office check in procedures and the agenda for their first day and week.
• Share about any upcoming travel that is needed.

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Build Early Connections

• Inform the team and other key people about your new hire starting.
• Create a tailored onboarding & contact plan using provided template.
• Schedule introduction meetings with your new hire and the key people they will be working with during the first 2 weeks.
• Assign dedicated team buddy/ies to help support them during the first few months. Choose Associates experienced and approachable.
• Add new hire to regular team meetings, collaboration sites, distribution list etc.

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Bring Perspective

• Explain the importance of mandatory training and how it supports their role.
• Connect onboarding content to real Commercial scenarios and day-to-day work.
• Help them understand where they are in the Commercial journey and what comes next.
• Get their feedback about their first week experience and address any questions or concerns.

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