4.9. What’s my Role?

Clear communication and effective onboarding are essential to the success of any project—and as an administrative professional, you often help make both of these happen. You may be the one to send out key information, prepare welcome materials, or make sure new team members have what they need to get started. Whether you’re coordinating introductions, setting up email access, or sharing project details, your work helps everyone feel included and informed.

You might also be responsible for maintaining contact lists, managing project email accounts, or helping team members learn how to use collaboration tools. When you help create a welcoming and organized start for new participants, you support a positive team environment and reduce confusion. Good onboarding means less time wasted and fewer misunderstandings later in the project.

Having a communications plan, as well as plans for onboarding and offboarding, can be a vital part of your project toolkit. Remember – this toolkit is yours! It’s 100% customizable and should fit your needs. You can change what is in it as you gain experience in your role.

By helping the team communicate clearly from the beginning—and making sure everyone has access to the right information—you play a central role in building trust and keeping the project on track.

Practical Tips

• Create a Welcome Checklist – Prepare a simple list of what new team members need when joining the project, such as access to documents, login credentials, contact lists, or key background info. This helps ensure no steps are missed during onboarding.

• Use Templates for Consistency – Save time and maintain a professional tone by creating templates for welcome emails, onboarding guides, and meeting invitations. Reusing these tools helps keep your communication clear and consistent.

• Keep Contact Information Up to Date – Maintain an accurate, accessible list of all project team members, including roles, phone numbers, and email addresses. This ensures everyone knows who to contact for what and helps new team members feel connected.

• Be the Friendly First Point of Contact – Introduce yourself to new team members and let them know you’re available to help. A warm, helpful welcome builds trust and makes people feel comfortable asking questions as they get oriented.