Onboarding checklist for new hires
Quick insights
- A structured onboarding process can help new employees feel welcomed and prepared to start their new role.
- Creating an employee onboarding checklist may help streamline tasks, improve retention and save time for human resources personnel or small business owners.
- An onboarding checklist may include tasks broken into phases such as pre-start date, day one and week one tasks.
A strong onboarding experience can make a difference when it comes to a new employee’s success and your company’s long-term growth. That’s because an onboarding checklist can help serve as a roadmap for their introduction to your organization—one that covers everything from the company’s mission to the new employee’s logins and passwords.
In this article, we’ll explore what onboarding is, why it matters and how to build a new employee onboarding checklist for your company.
What is onboarding and why does it matter?
Onboarding is the process of integrating new hires into your company, beginning as soon as an offer is accepted and continuing through the employee’s first weeks or months. A thoughtful onboarding program goes beyond just paperwork—it also equips new employees with the tools, knowledge and relationships they need to thrive in their new role.
A well-designed onboarding plan generally welcomes new hires, ensures smooth introductions, covers company policies, provides job-specific training and gives insight into workplace culture. This plan may lead to a smoother transition for both the employee and employer, helping to foster success from day one.
How to create a new-hire onboarding checklist
Whether you’re hiring your very first employee or already have an existing team, a new employee checklist can help keep your onboarding process consistent and thorough. If you’re looking to create one, you may want to think through some key aspects of your business, how it operates and the role this new employee will play in the success of your business.
Some considerations could include:
- Define key stages: Break onboarding into phases such as pre-start date, first day, first week and first month.
- List required paperwork: Identify documents for payroll, benefits, tax forms and company policies.
- Plan introductions: Schedule meetings with team members, managers and other key stakeholders.
- Outline training sessions: Include job-specific training, technology setup and compliance requirements.
- Assign responsibilities: Decide who is accountable for each step to ensure smooth follow-through.
A successful onboarding process isn't just about paperwork; it’s also about making a new hire feel confident, capable and welcomed.
What to include in a training new employee checklist
There are several elements to consider when creating an onboarding checklist. It may be helpful to think of onboarding items as pre-start date, day one and week one tasks.
Here are some considerations for each phase:
Pre-start date tasks
This is a time when your new employee has not started their role but is likely within a week of their first day. Some common items to check off during this phase include planning pre-arrival tasks to help them feel welcome. That may include a welcome email that confirms their start date, time, location and any parking, login or transportation instructions. This communication may also include a schedule for their first day or week so they have an idea of what to expect.
Internally, you may want to start the process of incorporating the new employee into the office and its systems. Some administrative items you may want to tick off include:
- Setting up their workspace and accounts for email and software
- Arranging team lunches and introductions during their first week
- Collecting materials like paperwork, forms and company guides and manuals that you’ll need to provide on their first day
- Organizing required technology, which may include issuing a computer, phone and/or security badge
Day one tasks
This is the welcome phase of your new employee's onboarding experience. The goal is usually to get them up and running by meeting with team members and learning how the company works.
If your new employee is starting their first day in an office, you may want to show them around with a tour that includes the restrooms, breakroom, emergency exits and where to find supplies. It can also be a good idea to set up introductions with coworkers and managers they will be working with. This could include a welcome lunch with the team.
You’ll also likely want to schedule some time for a mission and vision talk where you explain the company vision, team goals and the “why” of what they will do. In addition, there should be time set aside to go over systems and processes like logging hours, requesting time off and setting up an employee credit card if applicable (the process may differ depending on your small business credit card).
Having breaks scheduled throughout the day where they can absorb information or fill out paperwork can be helpful too.
Week one tasks
One goal during the first week is to help integrate your new employee into the team. Some items during week one that can foster integration include:
- Role-specific training: The first day is often dedicated to understanding the company and its systems, but the remainder of week may be used to dive into role specific training. This may include scheduling 1-on-1 sessions to walk through their primary responsibilities.
- Review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): If your company has standard operating guidelines, it may be helpful to have them read through your documented processes for their specific tasks. Or if there is training they need to complete, that could be tackled during the first week.
- Stakeholder meetings: If the new employee will work with specific clients or vendors, it can be helpful to set up introductory calls with these stakeholders. Alternatively, you can invite your new employee to standing meetings where these stakeholders will be present.
- Goal setting: You may want to clearly define what "success" looks like for their first 30 days. You can also provide markers for 60- and 90-day reviews, which are common checkpoints for a new hire.
At the end of the week, it can be helpful to set up a 30-minute check-in. This can serve as a recap of the week as well as a time to gather feedback on how onboarding has gone so far. These insights can be valuable for the next onboarding session and future new employees.
In summary
A well-structured onboarding program can set the stage for long-term employee success. By using a detailed training new employee checklist, you can help streamline the process, support new hires and strengthen your company’s culture. Adapting your approach over time could also ensure every employee feels valued and prepared from their first day.
