1.1 General guidelines for conducting Regional and Washington office orientation, Component Two of the New Employee Orientation Program, are contained in 2.6 B. The chapter prescribes that Regional and Washington Office orientations be held for all new permanent employees at least annually, be 3 full days in length, and provide new employees with an overview of Service activities from both the Washington and Regional Office perspectives.

1.2 Attendees. New permanent employees, who meet the following criteria, must attend the Regional/Washington Office orientation:

A. All employees hired from outside the Federal Government (i.e., from Office of Personnel Management certificates and direct hires).

B. All conversions to career-conditional appointments (from temporary appointments, cooperative education appointments, etc.).

C. All transfers from Federal agencies outside the Department of the Interior.

D. All reassignments from other Departmental offices and bureaus to the Service.

E. Service reassignments from one Region to another, provided that: (a) Employees have been with the Service for less than 6 months, and (b) they have not attended an orientation program in the Region from which they transferred.

1.3 Objectives. The objectives of the Regional/Washington Office orientation are to:

A. Give the new employee a sense of belonging within a well- ordered and structured organization.

B. Give the new employee a comprehensive understanding of how his or her work contributes to the mission of the Region, the Service, and the Department.

C. Impart an understanding of Regional, Washington office, and Departmental operations, organizations, programs, and current key issues.

D. Impart an understanding of the Service's corporate culture, history, work force, values, ethics, and vision for the future.

E. Communicate to the new employee, by using a panel of successful higher grade managers, what work habits and attitudes are needed to pursue a career with the Service.

F. Provide an opportunity to meet members of the Regional and Service Directorate.

G. Provide an opportunity to meet with their respective managers and their staff, and/or personnel office staff, to discuss and resolve operational or personnel questions and issues.

Regional and Washington office orientations should be designed to address these objectives and any other specific objectives identified.

1.4 Examples. To assist in developing Regional/Washington Office orientations, the following are some examples of proposed program schedules.

A. Example 1:

PLEASE NOTE: The term "administrative workshops" used in this example refers to presentations by the Director, Regional Directors, Assistant Directors, Deputy Regional Directors, Assistant Regional Directors, and staff specialists from the various divisions and programs, whereby the stated New Employee Orientation Program objectives are addressed and explained.

MONDAY:

Travel to Regional/Washington office

Evening: Registration and Social Hour

TUESDAY:
 

8:00 - 11:30 a.m.	Opening Comments, Overview of Service Programs, Administrative Workshops
11:30 - 4:30 p.m.	Lunch/Office Tours or Bus Tour to nearby Service installations

WEDNESDAY:

Same basic schedule as Tuesday. Workshops and afternoon activities will differ.

THURSDAY:
 

8:00 - 11:30 a.m.	Administrative Workshops
11:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.	Lunch/Tours/Office visits re: specific problems or questions
4:00 - 4:30 p.m.	Evaluation of Program
FRIDAY:	Return Travel
B. Example 2:
MONDAY:	Travel to Regional/Washington Office
TUESDAY:	Moderator/Name
7:00 - 7:30 a.m.	Registration
7:30 - 7:45 a.m.	Deputy Regional Director, Name
7:45 - 8:15 a.m.	Regional Director, Name
8:15 - 8:30 a.m.	BREAK
8:30 - 8:45 a.m.	Budget & Administration - Safety
8:45 - 9:00 a.m.	Budget & Administration - Aircraft Mgmt.
9:00 - 9:15 a.m.	Budget & Administration - Engineering
9:15 - 9:30 a.m.	Budget & Administration - Water Resources
9:30 - 9:45 a.m.	Budget & Administration - Contracting & General Services
9:45 - 10:15 a.m.	Budget & Administration - Information Resources Management
10:15 - 10:30 a.m.	Budget & Administration - Budget & Analysis
10:30 - 10:45 a.m.	BREAK
10:45 - 11:15 a.m.	Budget & Administration - Personnel
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.	LUNCH (on own)
12:30 2:00 p.m.	Budget & Administration - Personnel
3:00 3:30 p.m.	Regional Office Employees - NFFE/Union
3:30 4:00 p.m.	Field Employees - LE Exhibit/RO
WEDNESDAY:	Moderator/Name
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.	Refuges & Wildlife
8:00 - 8:20 a.m.	Migratory Bird Management Office
8:20 - 8:30 a.m.	BREAK
8:30 - 10:00 a.m.	Human Resources
10:00 - 10:15	BREAK
10:15 - 11:30 a.m.	Law Enforcement
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.	LUNCH (on own)
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.	Fisheries & Federal Aid
1:30 - 1:45 p.m.	BREA.K
1:45 - 3:00 p.m.	Fish & Wildlife Enhancement
3:00 - 3:30 p.m.	Public Affairs
3:30 p.m.	Optional - LE Exhibit RO

An example of how Wednesday's major timeframes can be structured (see 1:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for Fish and Wildlife Enhancement above) is as follows:
 

WEDNESDAY:
1:45 - 1:50 p.m.	Name - Assistant Regional Director - Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Introductions
1:50 - 2:00 p.m.	Name - Chief, Administration and Support Services
2:00 - 2:25 p.m.	Name - Chief, Federal Aid and Special Projects
2:25 - 2:40 p.m.	Name - Chief, Endangered Species
2:40 - 2:50 p.m.	Name - Chief, Environmental Contaminants
2:50 - 3:00 p.m.	Evaluation and Question/Answer Session

THURSDAY:

New employees will meet with their respective divisions from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to discuss specific aspects of their programs. Meeting rooms to be assigned.
 

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.	Potluck lunch sponsored by hosting Regional/Washington office staff in major conference room.
12:30 - 3:45 p.m.	New employees visit with personnel office staff to ask about personal problems, benefits, etc., or with other divisions staff members to resolve administrative/technical questions.
3:45 - 5:00 p.m.	Reconvene to complete evaluation of program and question/answer session.
FRIDAY:
Return Travel

1.5 Program Development. Some things to consider and build on when developing a New Employee Orientation Program:

A. Presentations that will teach new employees about Regional/Washington Office programs, operations, organization, and issues.

B. Introduction of new employees to Service Directorate and staff members with whom they will deal in their jobs.

C. Presentations that will teach new employees what goes on at hatcheries, refuges, law enforcement, and enhancement field stations.

(1) Structured visits to program offices

(2) Tours to nearby service installations

D. Presentations that will demonstrate what it takes to pursue a career with the Service.

E. Career talks by employees who have risen through the ranks, describing what it took to succeed.

F. Give examples of how the Service does business effectively in- house and with those individuals and organizations outside of the Service.

G. A grass roots discussion on personal and business ethics.

H. Utilize audio-visual aids to reinforce or teach any of the above subjects.

I. Discuss training and career development.