Stanford
Welcome Center

Be part of our community

SESSIONS AND EVENTS

Engage in special sessions to learn more about ways to connect with our community and meet fellow new staff members.

Sessions and Events

Welcome Session

Join us to hear a welcome message from our leaders; get an overview of our culture, organization, history, and core values; learn more about our community and available services; and get some tips to help you get started. You’ll also meet other new hires in breakout rooms during this fast-paced session.

What to Expect

  • Opportunity to meet new hires
  • Become more familiar with the work we do at Stanford
  • Know what comes next in your onboarding process

Attend a session on the first day or during your first week. Sessions are held every Monday from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (PT). *Please note that if Monday is a holiday, we will hold that week's session on Tuesday instead.

Check your inbox for a welcome email with the Zoom information for this session. If you have not received this email 48 hours prior to your orientation session, please email "welcome-to-stanford@stanford.edu". 

Upcoming sessions: February 17 (Tuesday), February 23, March 2, March 9, March 16, March 23, March 30

Have a need for accommodation? If you need a disability-related accommodation (such as sign language interpretation or live captioning), please email disability.access@stanford.edu. Requests should be made one week prior to the date of the event to allow time to meet your need.

Other Sessions

Read below to learn more about your benefits and retirement plans

Benefits Session

All new hires must accept or decline benefits offerings—if you do not make any selections, you will be automatically enrolled in benefits. The default medical plan does have a cost. Find more details about benefits and rewards on Cardinal at Work.

If you have questions that are specific to your health and wellness needs, please contact the Stanford HR Service Center directly at 877-905-2985.

Enroll within 31 days of your start date. 60-minute sessions are held every Tuesday at 11 a.m. PT. *Please note that if Monday is a holiday, we will hold that week's session on Wednesday instead.

Look out for your welcome email for a Zoom link. Search for an email from "welcome-to-stanford@stanford.edu" to access the Zoom information.

Read an overview of your benefits. Learn about your health benefits in the Health & Life Benefits Summary slideshow.

Retirement Session

Whether your retirement is decades away or just around the corner, it's never too early or too late to start saving.

Stanford's Retirement Savings program ensures that you have a variety of investment strategies and resources available to you, so you can save for the retirement you want to have. Find more details about retirement savings on Cardinal at Work.

Social Events

Hear from our onboarding partners, ask questions, meet fellow new hires, and play a game of Jeopardy.

Please review details below:

  • Date: February 11th, 2026
  • Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11 a.m. (PT)
  • Location: Zoom (will be provided during sign up)
  • Please complete the registration form to receive a calendar invite

Join a group

Build your community with colleagues by sharing knowledge and supporting professional, personal, cultural, and social interests. Find a list of some employee groups to join on Cardinal at Work.

Add BeWell events to your schedule

Take advantage of Healthy Living classes and wellness events offered through BeWell. View the full events calendar, details about Healthy Living classes, and more on the BeWell website.

Join Communities of Practice

Explore Stanford's collaborative communities and communities of practice that you can utilize to expand your and Stanford's capabilities. Visit the Communities of Practice directory for a list of some of the groups you can join. 

Learn on your own time

WorkLife Office Offerings

Explore a variety of resources available to support you in integrating work and personal life, no matter what stage of life you’re in. These include parental support programs, work-life integration resources, support for adult and elder caregiving, and more. Our benefits and employee programs are designed to enhance your overall well-being, purpose, and goals as you contribute positively to our community and the world. Visit the WorkLife Office site to learn more.

Faculty Staff Help Center

The Stanford Faculty Staff Help Center offers a variety of services for the Stanford community, including confidential counseling, workshops, discussion groups, department consultations, facilitated conversations and meetings, and educational webinars. All Services are Free and Confidential.

Sustainability

The university's commitment to sustainability is broad, including both organizational programs and individual incentives that support sustainability goals. (11:38)

Retirement Savings: Overview

Get a comprehensive overview of the plans available to help you save for retirement, including options to start saving after receiving your first paycheck and how the matching program works once you are eligible. For a live overview, sign up for a Retirement Savings workshop (1 hour), presented monthly, where you'll hear about the options and be able to ask questions. The Summary Plan Description is available here.

On-site Child Care

Stanford operates one of the largest child care systems in higher education and among employers in the Bay Area. This investment reflects Stanford’s commitment to supporting working families and reinforces our values of inclusivity and a culture of care. Visit our homepage to learn more about our early childhood education program.