Onboarding checklist for HR teams

HR professionals use an HR onboarding checklist to make sure that new employees settle into an organization properly and efficiently. An HR onboarding checklist serves as a guide to streamline onboarding, so new hires are properly adjusted to a new company culture and their new roles. 

If you’re an HR professional planning to welcome new employees, prepare in advance with an HR onboarding checklist. You make a good first impression on your new hires through a strong onboarding process – in fact, good onboarding can slash employee turnover by 82%.

Effective onboarding starts with a detailed plan. Here’s an HR onboarding checklist

Your HR onboarding checklist for hiring a new employee

Pre-onboarding

As an HR professional, make sure onboarding starts before a new hire joins your team. Pre-onboarding is taking care of your new hires before their first day on the job. It cuts paperwork, shows that you’re committed to your new hire, and gives your onboarding process a personal touch.

• Welcome email
  Send a welcome email congratulating your new hire. Include their job description and instructions like whom to report to.

• Offer letter and employment contract
  Send, receive, and file the signed offer letter and employment contract.

• Setup IT and workstations
  Arrange necessary equipment (laptop, phone, etc.) and software access.

• Documentation
  Request for personal information and employment forms like tax, direct deposit information, and emergency contact details for completion.

• Company handbook
  Provide the employee handbook for review, covering company policies, culture, and expectations.

• Schedule onboarding and onboarding buddy 

Plan the first week’s schedule, including training and introduction meetings. Assign an onboarding buddy for your new hire to adjust easily to the company.

First day

Make sure to welcome and congratulate your new hire personally. Your team member’s first day is your chance to make a good impression too.

• Personal welcome
  Greet your new hire personally (through a virtual call if you are a remote team) and introduce them to other team members.

• Workspace setup
  Ensure ‌workspace is ready and all necessary equipment is functioning. Check if your new team hire’s email and assigned software are working.

• Documentation completion
  Check if all required paperwork is completed and filed. Go through the filed documentation with your team member to make sure it's correct and current.

• Orientation
  Offer an overview of the company and team. Go through key policies that need highlighting, like role expectations and safety procedures.

First week

Start to hone in on role specific training to make your new team member comfortable. 

• Role-specific training
  Begin job-specific training, set clear role expectations, and provide reading materials that will help your new hire.

• Coffee chats with team members
  Give your new hire the time to speak with colleagues and stakeholders they’ll work with.

• Mentorship
  Assign a mentor to your new hire to help them adjust to their role.

• Feedback sessions

Offer informal check-ins to address any questions or concerns from your new employee. 

First month

This is when your new hire should gradually feel adjusted to the team and company. Push through with the onboarding program to help your new employee feel fully comfortable with their role. 

• Ongoing training and development
  Continue with role-specific training programs.

• Performance goals
  Set initial performance goals and review expectations.

• Team integration

Involve your new hire in team meetings and projects.

First review meeting
Offer a meeting to discuss your new employee’s progress and feedback. Solicit feedback on the onboarding process and make adjustments for the future. 

First 90 days and onwards

The aim is to have your new employee fully adjusted to the role around their first three months. 

• Performance review
  Celebrate the end of the onboarding program. Offer a 90-day performance review to discuss achievements, areas for improvement, and future goals.

• Offer check-ins

Continue to offer one-on-one meetings as needed. Even if your employee finishes their onboarding program, continuing to offer personal sessions shows that the organization is open to discuss anything at anytime.