English speaking lesson · Work & Career
Onboarding a new hire
It's a new colleague's first day, and you're showing them the ropes. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
A new colleague's first day · you talk to the new hire
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Welcome them, tell them about the team and tools, and say what to do first. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.
How it opens
Hi! I'm so glad to be starting — what should I know first?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the new hire.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Welcome them
Welcome them, and share one useful thing to know first.
“Welcome to the team! First, let's get you set up.”
- 02
Tell them about the team
Tell them a bit about the team.
“You'll meet everyone soon — this is your team.”
- 03
Tell them about the tools
Tell them what tools or systems they'll need.
“You'll need a few tools, and you'll use them every day.”
- 04
Check that's right
Check that's right.
“Yes, that's right.”
- 05
Say what to do first
Tell them what to do first, and welcome them again.
“I'm here to help — thanks for having me!”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the new hire.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- welcome
- a friendly greeting to someone arriving
- “Welcome to the team!”
- team
- a group working together
- “This is your team.”
- tools
- things you use to do your work
- “You'll need a few tools.”
- use
- to work with something
- “You'll use this every day.”
- meet
- to see someone for the first time
- “You'll meet everyone soon.”
- first
- before anything else
- “First, let's get you set up.”
- today
- this day
- “You'll start today.”
- help
- support with something
- “I'm here to help.”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks for having me.”
- please
- a polite word when you ask
- “Sit here, please.”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- settle
- to become comfortable in a new place
- “You'll settle in quickly.”
- colleagues
- people you work with
- “You'll meet your colleagues today.”
- structure
- how the team is organised
- “Let me explain the structure.”
- systems
- the tools and software you use
- “You'll need access to a few systems.”
- access
- permission to use something
- “You'll need access to a few systems.”
- walkthrough
- a guided explanation of something
- “I'll give you a walkthrough later.”
- correct
- right, with no mistakes
- “Yes, that's correct.”
- comfortable
- at ease, not anxious
- “I hope you feel comfortable already.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for something
- “I appreciate you asking.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers for that!”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- onboarding
- the process of joining a new organisation
- “Onboarding usually takes a week.”
- stakeholders
- people with an interest in the work
- “You'll meet the key stakeholders soon.”
- workflow
- the steps involved in doing work
- “Let me explain the workflow.”
- provisioned
- set up and given access
- “You'll be provisioned by end of day.”
- shadow
- to observe someone doing their job
- “You could shadow me this week.”
- ramp-up
- the period of getting up to speed
- “The ramp-up is fairly gentle.”
- autonomy
- freedom to decide how to do something
- “You'll have plenty of autonomy soon.”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “That's sorted, thanks.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
- confirm
- to say something is definitely settled
- “Could you confirm that's set up?”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- thrown
- put straight into a situation (informal)
- “You'll be thrown in a little, honestly.”
- ropes
- the basics of how something works (informal)
- “I'll show you the ropes.”
- gel
- to work well together (informal)
- “The team really gel together.”
- speed
- being fully informed — 'up to speed'
- “You'll be up to speed in no time.”
- tribal
- informal and unwritten, held within a team
- “There's some tribal knowledge to pick up.”
- buy-in
- agreement and support from others
- “You'll get plenty of buy-in here.”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged for the welcome.”
- sorted
- dealt with and settled
- “Great, we're sorted.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers, appreciated.”
- onboarding
- the process of joining a new organisation
- “The onboarding's been smooth.”
More Work & Career lessons
- Give a meeting update
- Networking introduction
- Work phone / video call
- Small talk with colleagues
- One-on-one with your manager
- Requesting time off
- Presenting an idea
- Giving feedback
- Delegating a task
- Negotiating a deadline
- Job interview
- Asking for a raise
- Resigning