9+ employee onboarding checklists for 2024

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Welcoming a new team member can be exciting but also overwhelming. Following onboarding best practices requires careful planning and organization.

HR teams can use an employee onboarding checklist to follow each stage of the onboarding process correctly. A great onboarding checklist merges HR and compliance efforts with management tasks and technology set-up to create an optimized experience for the new joiner and the organization.

What is employee onboarding?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines onboarding as, “The action or process of integrating a new employee into an organization.”

A successful onboarding process starts when the chosen candidate accepts the job offer. This marks the beginning of the employer’s and new joiner’s journey together.

While some businesses adopt a day-long onboarding schedule, others integrate their new hires into the team with preboarding and onboarding processes that extend well beyond the new hire’s first 90 days of employment.

A good employee onboarding process retains talent, increases engagement, and fosters a productive workforce.

What are employee onboarding checklists?

HR teams can use employee onboarding checklists to ensure new hires transition smoothly into their roles. These checklists outline important tasks like completing necessary paperwork, setting up workstations, introducing team members, and providing access to tools and resources.

For the business, an onboarding checklist ensures compliance with legal regulations. It also provides a system of fairness and equality so one new hire isn’t left behind if another has a more diligent, hands-on manager. This means that new hires can start being productive and contributing to the company soon after they join.

For HR professionals, an onboarding process checklist reduces the admin associated with welcoming new people to the company—a particularly significant benefit in fast-growing companies that hire new people on a weekly basis. When they know that a plan to support new hires is in place, HR professionals can focus their time and attention on other business areas.

For new hires, a checklist creates consistency and nurtures a genuine feeling of belonging from day one. With the support they need to start work and focus from the outset, new people can quickly develop a sense of commitment to their new employer and contribute to the bottom line.

HR teams can follow these onboarding checklists to make sure new people feel welcomed, informed, and ready to contribute effectively from day one.

Why streamlined onboarding is important

The saying, “you never get a second chance to make a good first impression” is as true for companies as it is for people. HR leaders who understand this—and optimize their onboarding to create a positive first impression with new hires—can reap a wealth of benefits, including improved cultural inclusion and increased engagement.

Improved retention

HR leaders who introduce structured onboarding can avoid the high costs, lost productivity, and potential damage to company culture that can result when people leave their jobs.

People who experienced a good onboarding process feel 18 times more committed to their new organization.

Increased productivity

Whether new hires are direct replacements for leavers or they’ve been hired to fill new roles, it takes time for new people to get up to speed. Proper onboarding can help with that. People with a formal onboarding process are 70 percent more productive than those who go without.

Better understanding of company culture

Each company has its unique culture. A streamlined onboarding process allows new joiners to understand the values of the company they work for and the people they work with.

Benefits of using employee onboarding checklists

A good onboarding process covers many areas, including compliance, logistics, management, training, and cultural engagement. Your organization may require additional sections that are particular to your business or industry.

<<Download these onboarding checklists and put a solid procedure in place.>>

1. Compliance

You can usually complete most legal and compliance tasks remotely before the new joiner’s first day on the job. Using a legal and HR compliance checklist can help the new joiner complete their:

Employment contract review
Health and safety training
Employee handbook review
Additional legal documents relevant to your business (e.g., non-disclosure agreements)

2. Logistics

Solid logistics ensure your new hire arrives at the right place, on time, and with the tools they need to start off on the right foot. The best onboarding workflows include:

Sharing locations and directions so new joiners know where to go
Ensuring ease of access if the person has a disability
Setting up their phone
Providing access to the employee directory
Providing a computer or helping them set up their own device for your systems
Giving them internet access
Setting them up for payroll

3. Management

Hiring managers play a critical role in supporting new joiners as they learn how to perform key tasks. They can use a detailed checklist to ensure they’re:

Providing relevant company and team information
Explaining company and team processes (e.g., booking meeting rooms or booking holidays)
Setting objectives and goals for 30, 60, and 90 days

4. Training

The majority of new hires will need some training on arrival, so it’s best to consistently provide learning opportunities that will bring them up to speed quickly:

Introducing learning processes, systems, and policies so the new person knows what to expect
Carrying out skills assessments to gauge knowledge and ability
Setting up supervision and mentoring
Beginning role-specific training

5. Cultural Engagement

HR leaders can use an employee onboarding checklist to intentionally lay the groundwork for cultural engagement. To get this right from day one, you can:

Explain company culture and values, so the new person understands your “why”
Set up meetings with their direct team and other people they’ll work closely with regularly
Facilitate meetings with key people in the company, such as department heads, members of the management team, and IT support
Help the new starter foster personal connections with the team based on work and personal interests
Organize welcome events such as new-starter meetings with the CEO, after-work drinks, and welcome lunches

<<Download these onboarding checklists to keep everything in one place.>>

What to include in your employee onboarding checklist

Hiring managers can use an onboarding checklist to guide new people through their first days and months at a company.

The goal is to inform new team members about what to expect in the early days and what the company expects in the long run.

Finalizing the recruitment process

Ensure complete clarity on all terms of employment and complete negotiations. Confirm all necessary paperwork is signed and set a start date.

Setting up accounts and devices

Begin account set-up before the new joiner’s start date to minimize unnecessary wait time and address technical issues early on. This way, you can sort out potential issues before they interfere with the rest of the onboarding process.

Preparing documentation

Compile all onboarding paperwork and documentation that the new joiner will need to complete. These can include your company’s performance management practices, an employee handbook, a staff directory, and your attendance policy.

Organizing your workspace (if applicable)

Greet your new joiner with a beautiful and organized workspace. A few minutes of thoughtful preparation goes a long way in making new joiners feel welcome.

Scheduling new hire orientation

Coordinate a time for new hire orientation, where you can review the basics of company culture and expectations, complete paperwork like tax forms and benefits enrollment, and share information about team structure.

You can also answer questions to help the new joiner begin on the right foot.

Giving an office tour

If your company has an office, show the new joiner around.

A tour might include locations of the bathrooms, cafeterias, break spaces, and outdoor areas, along with introducing key team members.

If your company works remotely, you can still support the new hire. Virtual tours can include shared drives, key communication platforms, and where to find team assets.

Informing team members and assigning a mentor

Build excitement among the team and prepare members to welcome the new joiner. If appropriate, assign a mentor to help the new person navigate the ins and outs of the team and culture.

Introducing company culture

Make time to address specific factors of your company culture. Whether you have a strict dress code, a relaxed Friday schedule, or a monthly team lunch, provide details your company handbook may not cover.

Discussing expectations

It’s easy to assume new people will understand the expectations of a workplace based on their previous experience, but every organization is different. Make expectations clear to avoid confusion.

<<Download these onboarding checklists and put a solid procedure in place.>>

New employee onboarding checklists

Use these onboarding checklists to guide your workflows as you welcome new joiners to the company.

1. Onboarding checklist for the week before

HR leaders can use this onboarding checklist the week before a new joiner’s start date to thoroughly prepare for their welcome.