New Employee Onboarding Checklist

New Employee Onboarding Checklist

Good onboarding is more important than people realize - it could increase employee retention by 82% and raise productivity by 70%. Experts describe it as a critical time when new hires become engaged or disengaged at work. Despite the importance, employee onboarding remains an overlooked process by many companies, as a study found that only 12% of new hires experienced 'decent' onboarding experiences at their company. 

Below we outline important checkpoints to include in every onboarding process so that employers can win the hearts and minds of their recruits.

PHASE 1: Pre-onboarding 

Making it official

The employee's onboarding process starts when your candidate replies a "Yes" to your job offer. From there, you may outline the next steps and the documents your candidate would need to send (most preferably digitally) to legally join your company. As for HR, remember to take down the active job postings on relevant platforms. 

Keep them updated

Most companies often end their pre-onboarding process once the documents are signed and expect the candidate to show up on their first day. However, companies need to outline expectations and answer any questions the candidate would have, including - when they should arrive, what dress code, whom they should seek, and what tasks they will be doing for the first few days. This helps keep the new hires in the loop about what will happen and reduce potential stress before entering the office. 

Prepare and set up their workstation 

Ensure all relevant items, including desk and chair, are ready before the employee's first day. Everything from electronic devices to office materials should be well-connected and ready to use when the employee arrives. If your employee works remotely, consider sending the relevant items in a package to the new hire's address. 

PHASE 2: Employee's Day 1 

Host an orientation 

Formally welcome your employee's first day to the office by giving them an office tour and introducing them to relevant team members. Rather than diving into work straightaway, take the time and effort to get to know your new hire and let them experience what it's like to work for the company. This allows the individual to understand the company's culture and organizational structure and how different departments collaborate. 

Finalize paperwork 

Recruiting a new employee would call for various paperwork to be completed, such as employment contracts, tax documents, salary information, and other new hire forms.  

Then hand over a copy of your employee handbook and make a point to let the new hires know who to reach out to should they have any inquiries about their contracts, pay, or benefits. 

Set-up of emails and accounts 

Ensure your new employee has been granted access to all essential systems by liaising with your IT, HR, and accounting teams. Remember to set up their company email and provide the login details for office platforms so they can readily use the programs and tools required to perform their jobs. 

Introduce a buddy 

Assign your new employee a departmental team member, mentor, or buddy who may serve as a guide during their first few weeks in the company. This person may answer any new employee inquiries and assist them in learning some aspects of the job. Having a buddy also helps the new employee feel less alone when adjusting to a new workplace. 

PHASE 3: Workplace assimilation 

Breaking the ice 

Make work enjoyable. Simple gestures such as inviting the new employee to lunch or organizing some off-work hangouts can set the tone of how much the company values its team members. Establishing personal relationships can help the new colleague to open up and build familiarity and rapport with the company.  

Sure, work is important - but allowing opportunities to have a good time with the members they'll work with establishes trust. And the things you organize outside of work could make huge differences. 

Check-in regularly

Checking in with the new employee regularly offers the new hires an opportunity to state any complaints or feedback regarding their onboarding experience or employee training. This feedback may also help you discover areas of improvement in your onboarding checklist. 

You may also set goals or small targets for your new hire, so they know what is expected of them from the company.

Offer training and support 

As the orientation process ends, it is when the real training starts. When everyone has become well-acquainted, it is time to let the new employee understand the company's must-knows to become a valuable team player and contributor. Provide the resources your new employees need to learn the work and aim to support their professional skill development. Set up goals and strategies for the training period and communicate any areas of improvement through regular check-ins or work evaluations.

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