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New Employee Onboarding – Microsoft Teams (Trainer Guide)

Train new employees on using Microsoft Teams for onboarding: accessing channels, searching, and finding resources.

For Trainers

Prerequisites

  • Accounts: Created in advance by IT before the onboarding session
  • Channel access: New employees are added to OVES 全体 (Office 365 Onboarding and OVES Training channels) after they complete onboarding — this gives them access to training files and resources

Delivery Method

This session is delivered online via Microsoft Teams live meeting. Start the meeting from your Teams calendar and share your screen when doing live demos. Ask participants to keep cameras on where possible. Use the chat for polls, reactions, and activity responses.

Before the Session

  • Confirm attendees have their work email and password
  • Ensure they can log into Teams (desktop, web, or mobile)
  • Have the OVES 全体 team visible — if someone doesn't see it, they may need to be added after onboarding
  • Share the Trainee Guide link in the meeting chat at the start so participants have it for reference during and after the session

Session Structure & Facilitator Notes

# Section Time Focus Facilitator Note
1 Welcome, Objectives & Team Introductions 5 min Set the scene; introduce who's on the call Welcome attendees, share the session objectives, and briefly introduce each team member on the call — their name and what they do. Ask new employees to introduce themselves too.
2 Accessing Teams 5 min Logging in, desktop vs web vs mobile Launch a quick poll in chat: "Which platform are you on — Desktop, Web, or Mobile?" Demo the most common option.
3 Teams & Channels Basics 5 min What Teams and channels are Share your screen and point to the left sidebar. Use the Software/Contractors examples.
4 Joining and Using Channels 10 min Posting, @mentions, reactions Live demo: Post a message, reply in thread, use @mention, react. Then have participants try it themselves.
5 Important Onboarding Channels 5 min OVES 全体 channels Key message: They'll be added after onboarding. Until then, they can still use General if they have access.
6 Searching in Teams 5 min Finding messages, files, people Live demo: Search for a file or message. Show filters. Share screen.
7 Finding Help & Resources 5 min Where to get support and key OVES links Paste the resource links into the chat. Emphasize IT Support and HR channels.
8 Q&A & Checklist 5 min Questions and hands-on practice Have them work through the checklist. Answer questions as they come up.
Total 45 min

Training Content (What to Present)

Use the sections below as your script and slides. Each section has a brief facilitator note at the top.

1. Welcome, Objectives & Team Introductions

Facilitator

Welcome everyone, read the objectives, then run the team introductions before moving into any content. Keep this section warm and brief — 5 minutes maximum.

What They'll Learn

  • Access Teams and sign in
  • Find teams and channels
  • Join channels and post messages
  • Search for messages, files, and people
  • Find onboarding and support resources

Why It Matters

Teams is the primary hub for communication and collaboration. New employees need to know where to get updates and ask questions.

Team Introductions

Facilitator

Go around the call and briefly introduce each OVES team member who is present — their name and what they do. Then ask each new employee to introduce themselves: their name, their role, and one thing they're looking forward to. This helps new employees start putting faces to names and understanding who to go to for what.

Example prompt for new employees: "Please tell us your name, your role, and one thing you're looking forward to in your new position."

2. Accessing Teams

Facilitator

Ask who uses desktop vs web vs mobile. Demo the most common option. Remind them: work email + org password, complete 2FA if prompted.

::: tabs

  • Install from Microsoft 365 portal or company app store
  • Sign in with work email and password (or SSO)
  • Install from App Store or Google Play
  • Sign in for notifications and quick replies

:::

Sign-In

Use your work email and organization password. Complete 2FA/MFA prompts when prompted.

3. Teams & Channels Basics

Facilitator

Point to the left sidebar. "Each team is a group — like Software or Contractors. Channels are topics inside a team."

What Is a Team?

A group of people working together (e.g. Software, Contractors). Each team has its own channels and files.

What Is a Channel?

A space inside a team for a topic or project — e.g. "General", "Onboarding", "Announcements".

Channel Type Visibility
Standard All team members
Private Invited members only
Shared Another team or external (if enabled)

Where to find: Left sidebar → click a team → expand "Channels". Use "Browse teams" if available.

4. Joining and Using Channels

Facilitator

Live demo: Post a message, reply in thread, use @mention, add a reaction. Then have them try.

Joining

  • Standard: Visible to all; no extra step
  • Private: Join via invite link or ask the channel owner

Posting

Action How
Post Type in the compose box at the bottom
Reply Click "Reply" under a message
@Mention Type @ + name (use @channel sparingly)
React Hover over message → emoji icon

Attachments

Use the paperclip icon to add files from OneDrive, your device, or shared libraries.

5. Important Onboarding Channels

Facilitator

Key message: New employees are added to these channels after onboarding. Once added, they can access all training files. If someone doesn't see OVES 全体 yet, they will after onboarding completes.

OVES Onboarding Channels

These are the main channels for new employees. You will be added after onboarding so you can access the files and resources.

Channel Purpose
OVES 全体 | Office 365 Onboarding Microsoft 365 setup and account setup
OVES 全体 | OVES Training Training materials and onboarding resources

Find them in the OVES 全体 team in your Teams sidebar once you've been added.

6. Searching in Teams

Facilitator

Live demo: Search for a file or message. Show how to filter by type and channel.

Quick Search

Click the magnifying glass at the top, or press Ctrl+E (Windows) / Cmd+E (Mac).

Search for Where
Messages Conversations
Files SharePoint/OneDrive files in Teams
People By name or email

Filters: Type, date, channel, sender.

Search Tips

  • "exact phrase" — quotes for exact match
  • from:name — messages from a person
  • in:channel — search in a specific channel

Finding files: Use the "Files" tab in a channel or chat, or search and filter by Files. For a detailed guide on accessing SharePoint and team files, see Accessing SharePoint.

7. Finding Help & Resources

Facilitator

Paste the resource links below directly into the Teams meeting chat so participants have them as clickable links. Emphasize: IT for tech issues, HR for policies, manager for role questions.

Need Go to
Tech issues IT Support channel
Policies, benefits HR channel
Role questions Your manager
Join a team/channel Team admin
Past training recordings OVES Past Trainings on SharePoint
Work email (browser) Outlook Web
All Microsoft 365 apps Microsoft 365 Portal
OVES documentation OVES Documentation Hub
About OVES omnivoltaic.com

Using Copilot for Quick Questions

For simple questions about Teams (e.g. how to find a channel, mute notifications, or share a file), use Copilot in the left sidebar. Ask in plain language — e.g. "How do I mute a channel?" or "Where do I find shared files?" — for quick answers without waiting for IT or a colleague.

Notifications

Right-click a channel → "Channel notifications" → Mute or Custom to reduce noise.

8. Q&A (Trainee Questions)

Facilitator

Encourage hands-on practice. Have them work through the checklist. Answer questions as they come up.

I don't see a channel I need

Ask the channel owner or your manager to add you. New employees are added to onboarding channels after they complete onboarding.

Too many notifications

Right-click the channel → "Channel notifications" → Mute or Custom.

How do I find old messages?

Use the search bar and filters (channel, date, sender).

Can I use Teams on my phone?

Yes. Install the Teams app and sign in with your work account.

Chat vs channels?

Chat = one-on-one or small group. Channels = team-wide discussions and shared files.

How do I share a file?

Use the paperclip icon or drag and drop. Files go to the channel's SharePoint.

How do I leave a team or channel?

Right-click → "Leave team" or "Leave channel." (Some teams may be required.)

How do I schedule a meeting?

Calendar icon → New meeting → Add attendees.

Can I edit or delete a message?

Yes. Hover → three dots (...) → Edit or Delete.

How do I organize my teams?

Right-click a team → Pin or Hide. Reorder by dragging.

How do I get help?

IT Support channel, IT help desk, or your organization's support portal.

9. New Employee Checklist (Trainee)

Facilitator

Have them complete this during or right after the session. Check that they can log in and find OVES 全体 (or confirm they'll be added).

New Employee Checklist

  • [ ] Log into Teams (desktop, web, or mobile)
  • [ ] Find OVES 全体 in the left sidebar (you'll be added after onboarding)
  • [ ] Open Office 365 Onboarding and OVES Training channels once added
  • [ ] Post a short introduction (name, role, one fun fact)
  • [ ] Practice @mentions
  • [ ] Use search to find a message or file
  • [ ] Pin important channels
  • [ ] Review notification settings

For Trainers: Follow-Up & Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

Issue Action
New hire doesn't see OVES 全体 They're added after onboarding. Confirm with HR/IT that onboarding is complete.
Can't log in Verify account was created. Direct to IT Support.
Can't find a channel They may need to be added. Channel owner or IT can add them.

Follow-Up Actions

Action Who When Where
Save the Teams meeting recording and share the link in the OVES Training channel Trainer Within 24 hours of the session OVES 全体 | OVES Training channel
Share the Trainee Guide link with all participants via chat or email Trainer Immediately after the session Teams chat or work email
Send a short Microsoft Forms quiz to check understanding Trainer Within 48 hours Share via Teams chat or email
Schedule a 15-minute follow-up check-in for any outstanding questions Trainer 3–5 days after the session Teams calendar invite