New Employee Onboarding Checklist

Want to make your new hires feel welcome and ready to rock? An onboarding checklist is your magic bullet. In this post, you'll find everything you need to make the onboarding process a breeze.

Quick Hits

• A good onboarding checklist reduces new hire turnover, increases organizational efficiency and employee happiness by providing clear direction and a warm welcome.
• The key components of a good checklist are preboarding tasks, first-day activities, weekly goals, legal paperwork, dedicated orientation, and assigning mentors to integrate and productively manage the new hire.
• Using onboarding software and gathering feedback is crucial to streamlining onboarding, compliance, and continuous improvement for in-office and remote employees.

Why an Onboarding Checklist is Critical

Successful onboarding can reduce new hire turnover by up to 82%, which is a big deal for businesses. This stat shows just how important a well-structured employee onboarding checklist is. A good onboarding process not only makes new hires feel welcome and valued but also has a big impact on their decision to stay long-term. In fact, 58% of new employees will stay with a company for at least 3 years if they have a good onboarding experience. So, onboarding is key to reducing churn and building loyalty.

A new hire onboarding checklist pulls together all the important info so you can be more efficient and consistent with your onboarding program. The structured approach means every step of the employee onboarding process is completed. This means you can check off all the important tasks so new hires feel seen and ready. From admin tasks to orientation activities, a checklist is a clear guide, outlining job responsibilities and expectations and helping new employees to succeed in their roles. It also helps build relationships with colleagues, which is key to a team environment.

Here are some of the benefits:

• More efficiency and consistency in onboarding
• Clear direction for new hires, job responsibilities, and expectations
• Check off all the important tasks
• New hire happiness and readiness
• Building relationships with colleagues

By using a checklist, you can make the transition for new employees smooth.

Also, a clear onboarding checklist helps new employees understand company norms and culture and get integrated faster. By providing a one-stop shop, new employees can align with their goals and know what's expected of them. Ultimately, using a new-hire checklist will improve new hire retention, productivity, and overall employee onboarding.

Elements of a Good Onboarding Checklist

Creating a checklist involves many important elements that guide new hires during their first few days, weeks, or months in the company. These are:

• Preboarding tasks
• First day activities
• First-week agenda
• Legal paperwork
• Orientation and training programs
• Assigning a mentor or buddy
• Regular check-ins and feedback
• Using onboarding software
• Gathering onboarding feedback

Each of these elements is key to making onboarding smooth and supportive so new hires can get into their role seamlessly.

Preboarding

One of the most important tasks in the preboarding phase is sending a welcome email.

This should include:

• office location
• start time and date
• who to report to
• what to bring

A good welcome email makes the new hire feel seen and valued and shows the company is organized, welcoming, and friendly.

Before the new hire's first day, it's important to discuss their reporting structure, job duties, and responsibilities with their manager.

This conversation ensures the new hire and manager are clear on roles and goals and sets the foundation for their working together. It's also an opportunity to talk about any key milestones and expectations the new hire should know.

Setting up the office space is another preboarding task.

Having the new hire's workspace ready with all the necessary tools for them to use on their first day creates a welcoming environment. This attention to detail shows the new hire that the company is thoughtful and prepared and makes their first day much easier.

First day activities

Paperwork and company values.

The first day of onboarding is full of activities to make the new hire feel welcome and part of the company. The hiring process ends with the first step of signing the offer letter, which officially starts the new hire's journey with the company. Then, it's important to introduce the company mission and values to help the new hire understand the company better.

Meeting with hiring managers and executives is part of the first day.

Whether it's an open orientation in larger companies or one-on-one sessions in smaller ones, these interactions make the new hire feel welcome and encouraged. These meetings allow new hires to introduce themselves, get words of encouragement from leadership, and feel part of the team.

Lastly, giving new employees a guided tour of the company can make them excited to come to work.

This tour introduces them to their colleagues, shows them where everything is, and minimizes awkward future encounters. It also gives an opportunity to highlight important areas in the office and make the new hire feel comfortable and included from day one.

First-week agenda

The first week is a critical period for new hires to get to know the new environment.

Talking about company culture during this period helps employees understand the company values and their role in it, as well as increases productivity, performance, and engagement. This conversation shows the value in the new hire and makes them feel invested in the company from the start.

Setting goals is another important task during the first week.

It's important to discuss career growth opportunities and set clear and achievable goals. This gives direction and motivates new hires to align their efforts with the company's goals. Clear goals help new employees know what's expected of them and how they can contribute to the company's success.

Having an onboarding buddy can make the first week much better for the new hire.

Onboarding buddies provide context about key stakeholders, company rules, and daily tasks. They help new hires settle in by giving support and answering role-specific questions that might be too intimidating to ask managers.

Legal requirements and paperwork

Addressing the legal requirements and new hire paperwork is part of the employee onboarding process. On the first day, new hires should receive HR forms for pay, benefits, and taxes. Important documents like Federal and State ID Forms, Form W-4 for tax withholding, and Form I-9 for work authorization should be completed to be compliant.

An Employment Application provides background information and should be kept on file for future reference. Where applicable, employment contracts should be signed and reviewed periodically for updates. Independent Contractor Agreements outlining the relationship should be signed and filed if new hires are classified as independent contractors.

Another important step is to provide an Employee Handbook. This document outlines company policies and procedures and informs employees of their workplace rights and expectations. Non-disclosure agreements are also important to protect private client information or business practices.

All paperwork should be completed on the first day to set the tone for a compliant and structured onboarding process.

Orientation and Training Programs

Orientation and training programs are critical in helping new hires feel confident, skilled, and part of the company culture. Employee orientation is usually a general introduction to the workplace and the organization and is done in less than a day. Onboarding is a more comprehensive process that can take up to 12 months to help new employees get into their roles.

A good onboarding experience allows employees to:

• Feel confident in their new role
• Get into the company culture
• Develop new skills
• Have autonomy
• Be more satisfied in their job

Effective onboarding not only shows new hires that the organization is supportive of their professional development but also shows existing employees that the company is serious about employee retention.

Successful onboarding programs may include:

• One-on-one meetings
• Independent learning modules
• Team-building exercises
• Task-specific guides

These activities are designed to ensure new hires are ready to do their job and feel part of the team. A good onboarding experience leads to lower turnover, higher productivity, and higher employee satisfaction.

Assigning a Mentor or Buddy

Assigning a mentor or buddy to a new employee provides a source of support and guidance to make the company integration smoother and more positive. Mentors can increase new hire satisfaction by calming nerves and giving thorough training on responsibilities. They help new hires understand and adapt to the company culture and the unwritten rules.

An onboarding buddy can benefit new hires in:

• Answering role-specific questions, making new hires feel more comfortable to ask questions they would not ask managers
• Introducing new hires to colleagues and helping them get integrated into the team socially and professionally
• Increase productivity and a sense of belonging and community in the company

Having an onboarding buddy is a best practice that can really make a big difference to the onboarding experience for a new employee.

Regular Check-ins and Feedback

Regular check-ins during the onboarding process are important to make sure new hires are settling in. These check-ins help monitor the employee experience and how they are adjusting to their new role. Daily check-ins in the first week can help reduce feelings of loneliness and increase engagement.

Check-ins by managers and team members can reduce early turnover by revealing perception gaps and engaging employees. Weekly check-ins between the onboarding buddy and new hire help to gauge acclimation and address any ongoing issues. Meetings at 30, 60, and 90 days allow new hires to give feedback on their new role and how they are adjusting.

Feedback from new hire check-ins can improve hiring process in the organization. Sharing the results of new hire feedback and the actions taken can further engage employees and show that you are listening to their concerns. Having new hire check-ins shows the organization is committed to employee success and can lead to long-term retention.

Employee Onboarding Software

Using onboarding software, like Gamfi, can make the onboarding process more efficient. Automating tasks such as sending welcome emails and scheduling training sessions can free up HR to focus on strategic activities. These platforms can also assign tasks based on the role or department of new hires so the onboarding experience is personalized.

Onboarding software features:

• Central repository for all onboarding documents, training materials, and company policies
• New employee has access to all the information they need in one place, increasing overall productivity
• Automation - one workflow can be used for many new hires
• Track onboarding tasks and training modules, and see how well the onboarding process is working

Personalized communication through automated emails and self-service portals makes the new hire experience better. Gamfi, for example, can send automated welcome messages and preboarding tasks, making the first experience more engaging and organized. This use of technology makes the onboarding process simpler and helps to maintain a positive company image.

Remote Employees

Onboarding remote employees presents unique challenges due to the lack of serendipitous team bonding and face-to-face learning. Addressing these challenges requires a tailored approach that includes clear communication of remote work policies and expectations. Setting up a welcome channel on tools like Slack can introduce new employees to the team, help them start informal communication, and help them feel connected from day one.

To make them feel part of the team and collaboration:

• Formalize informal activities like virtual coffee chats and organized games
• Create virtual spaces for training, productivity, and general support
• Include multimedia and fun activities like Spotify playlist sharing, surprise gifts, and virtual book clubs

These will make the remote onboarding experience more fun.

Condense the employee handbook into a digital-friendly format using PDFs, links, and multimedia so remote employees have access to important information. Clarify expectations around work schedules, communication, and productivity during onboarding so remote employees feel more confident and aligned with company goals.

This will make remote employees feel like part of the team and supported as in-office employees.

Onboarding Checklist Templates for Different Departments

Personalizing checklists for different departments can make the onboarding process more efficient by addressing specific needs and responsibilities. Venngage has editable onboarding checklist templates for various business departments, HR, IT, and remote employees, which can be customized without design experience. The ''My BrandKit'' feature allows companies to apply their brand colors, fonts, and logos to these templates so they look consistent and professional.

Guru also has onboarding templates for different roles:

• HR managers
• Sales reps
• IT staff
• Remote employees

For example, an IT onboarding checklist will outline steps to integrate a new employee into the company's IT systems and processes. A remote new hire onboarding checklist will outline virtual tasks to help the new employee prepare regardless of their location. These templates will make onboarding relevant and effective across all departments.

All of these templates would be a great support for creating Workflow in the Gamfi platform - the automated and personalized new hire journey template that could be used to onboard all new employees.

Collecting Onboarding Feedback

Gathering feedback from new hires is crucial to identifying areas for improvement and enriching the overall employee experience. New employees bring a fresh perspective that can help build a more comprehensive onboarding experience. Anonymous surveys will encourage more honest feedback from new hires without fear of retribution.

Feedback during onboarding will reveal the initial pain points and allow for immediate response to concerns. Regular follow-up on feedback will show that you care about employee concerns and build trust. Companies can create a more welcoming and supportive environment for long-term retention by continuously refining the onboarding process based on new hire feedback.

Conclusion

A structured onboarding process is key to new hire retention, productivity, and overall job satisfaction. By using an employee onboarding checklist, companies can ensure every step of the process is completed, from preboarding tasks to legal requirements and orientation programs. Assigning a mentor or buddy, using onboarding software, and gathering feedback are all important parts of a smooth onboarding experience.

In the end, a good onboarding program will set new hires up to succeed in their role and integrate into the company culture. By onboarding, companies will not only improve the new hire experience but also the work environment. Investing in onboarding is an investment in the future of employees and the company.

FAQs

Why do I need an employee onboarding checklist?

An onboarding checklist is needed because it will make onboarding consistent and efficient and, ultimately, increase new hire retention, productivity, and job satisfaction.

What are the parts of an employee onboarding checklist?

An onboarding checklist should include preboarding tasks, first-day activities, legal requirements and paperwork, orientation and training programs, mentorship assignments, regular check-ins, onboarding software, and feedback collection.

How can onboarding software help?

Onboarding software, like Gamfi, can help with onboarding by automating tasks, centralizing documents, and providing tracking and reporting features to make it more efficient and the new hire experience.

What about remote employees?

When onboarding remote employees, you need to address remote work challenges, build virtual team bonding, communicate policies clearly, and use digital onboarding materials. These will help integrate them into the team.

How can feedback help onboarding?

Feedback from new employees will help identify areas for improvement, reveal pain points, and enrich the onboarding experience, which will improve long-term retention.

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