What is a new hire checklist?

A new hire checklist is a set of steps that outlines the onboarding process. Depending on your business’ needs and structure, this standardized checklist covers new hire and onboarding tasks from a new hire’s first day to their 6-month review.

The onboarding process is generally divided into several phases and looks like this:

1. Welcoming and preboarding

2. Workplace and culture orientation

3. Job training

4. Facilitating engagement and expectations

5. Transitioning to integrated employee

Although a new hire checklist outlines important steps, checking off tasks doesn’t always indicate effective onboarding. The characteristics of effective new hire onboarding include:

• Welcoming: Beginning with their first day, new employees feel welcomed within their team and the organization

• Engaging: Through support and resources, employees feel connected to and engaged with their role

• Informative: Employees gain important information and details about their new role

• Standardized: Besides job-specific training, new hires follow a consistent onboarding process

• Well-paced: Onboarding is well-paced to support effective learning and engagement

Why is a new hire checklist important?

A checklist for new hires standardizes and optimizes the onboarding process, and a strong onboarding process can provide the following benefits:

• Retention and loyalty: An effective onboarding process immerses employees in company culture and can improve new hire retention by up to 50%

• Workplace culture: Effective onboarding can promote a sense of belonging and inclusion in a new workplace environment

• Productivity: Standardized and thorough onboarding prepares employees for their roles and can lead to 62% greater new hire productivity

• Ensure compliance and safety: A list of important forms and procedures ensures the new hire process satisfies government, safety and security regulations and protects your organization and new hire

• Efficient onboarding process: A checklist helps new hires integrate efficiently and consistently into your organization

Related: 13 Effective Employee Retention Strategies

New hire checklist

Here are 13 important steps to include in your new hire checklist.

1. Conduct reference and background checks

Once you’ve identified your preferred job candidate, conduct the necessary background and reference checks. This process helps you verify your new hire’s details and eligibility and ensure the safety and security of your organization and its employees.

2. Create an employment agreement

Create an offer of employment or employment agreement that includes important details such as:

• Title and job description

• Compensation and benefits agreement

• Pay structure

• Nondisclosure agreements

• Start date and working hours

3. Make it official with HR

Once new hires sign their employment agreement, you’ll enroll them with your organization’s HR department. This step closes the respective job opening and ensures that new hires can access HR support.

4. Send a welcome email

Follow up employment agreements with a welcome call and email. Express your enthusiasm to start the onboarding process and provide information about what they should expect during their first few days and weeks. This communication includes the workplace orientation plan, the name of their mentor, a training agenda and any other important details.

Read more: New Employee Welcome Email Examples

5. Send a new employee announcement

You should send a new employee announcement to your entire organization or relevant teams when you hire a new employee. It should detail who the new employee is as well as their role, responsibilities, objectives and start date to create context and foster connections between current and new employees.

6. Complete new hire forms

Every new hire must complete forms to ensure accurate tax, banking and personal information. These forms may include:

• I-9: Verify employee identity and work eligibility

• W-4: Indicates paycheck federal income tax withholding amounts

• State tax withholding: Indicates paycheck state income tax withholding amounts

• Direct deposit form: Provides banking details for payroll purposes

• Emergency contact forms: Give employee emergency contact details

• Benefit enrollment forms: Enroll employees with benefits programs

Read more: What Employers Should Know About the W-4 Form

7. Review workplace standards and policies

Give new hires an overview of your business’ culture, standards and policies and provide regular opportunities to answer any questions. Discuss your business’ attendance policies, such as time off requests, lunch breaks, absences and vacations. Provide new employees with their own copy of an employee handbook that details all your business’ core policies, guidelines and procedures, as well as organizational information and important contacts.

8. Prepare workspace and equipment

To ensure that your new hire can start training and integrating into their new role seamlessly, prepare their workspace, equipment and other resources they’ll need. Depending on the employee’s work setting or responsibilities, some common resources include:

• Office workstation supplies such as a desk, chair, computer and stationery

• Company-branded materials such as business cards and clothing

• Communications equipment, including a phone and video-conferencing equipment

• Office keys, fobs, badges and alarm codes

• Home office equipment for remote workers

• User accounts for email, network access and software licenses

Related: Hybrid Onboarding Strategies and Tips

9. Conduct a workplace orientation

Tour your new hire around the workplace and show them offices, break areas, restrooms and other relevant areas to help them get familiar and comfortable in their new work environment. Take this opportunity to make in-person introductions with your employee’s new coworkers and managers.

The first few days on the job are also a great time to schedule an orientation lunch or casual event with new hires and their coworkers. You can incorporate icebreakers or team-building activities into these events to help new hires settle into the workplace culture.

10. Organize training

A crucial part of onboarding is setting up new hires with training, tools and other resources they’ll need in their role. Training should start with a review of your new hire’s job title, description and objectives, followed by an overview of typical daily tasks and responsibilities.

Explain how their role and objectives fit within their team and organization and how they’re expected to collaborate and communicate. If they use any specialized equipment or software in their role, ensure they receive the necessary training to do so efficiently and safely.

11. Assign a mentor

Mentors or onboarding buddies can help support new hires from their first day to long after they’ve settled into their role, and they’re shown to increase new hire satisfaction by up to 36%. They can help new hires navigate all aspects of the onboarding process, facilitate introductions and workplace culture engagement and answer any questions or concerns. Ensure that mentors have enough bandwidth to manage extra responsibilities and work in roles relevant to the new hire.

12. Get feedback

Check in with your employee regularly throughout the onboarding process to monitor their progress and get feedback about how they’re adjusting to their role. These check-ins also allow you to gain insight into any successes or opportunities for improving your onboarding process.

13. Establish a review process

The last stage for new hires is transitioning to a fully trained employee. Once they have the tools and knowledge necessary for their role, assign employees with short- and long-term goals with measurable outcomes. Create a check-in plan at regular intervals, such as every 30 or 60 days, where you or a manager can provide employees with performance reviews and receive any feedback about how employees are adapting to their roles.