Onboarding Checklist for New Hires: What to Include and How to Create It

The first impression is always the best impression. To ensure new hires feel welcomed and integrated from day one, a structured onboarding process is essential. An onboarding checklist for new hires helps create a smooth integration and lays the foundation for empowered employees. This blog explores why an onboarding checklist for new hires is important, what it should include, and how to create one that works.

Onboarding is the process of welcoming and integrating a new employee into an organization and empowering them to possess the necessary knowledge and skills to become a valuable member of the organization. Onboarding to an organization begins immediately after the new joiner accepts the offer letter and continues for 30 to 90 days, or even a year, in the organization. A significant survey by Bamboo HR found that “89% of employees who had an effective onboarding experience are engaged at work.” Offering an effective onboarding process to the new hires informs them of the values, mission, and vision of the organization and ensures a smooth transition into their roles.

According to the 2023 Onboarding Survey Report by Glean, “81% of employees felt overwhelmed with information throughout the onboarding process at their present company.” This demands the need for a structured plan that delivers onboarding in a timely and manageable manner, ensuring the process is informative without causing information fatigue. In this manner, an onboarding checklist serves as a roadmap or a structured guide for HR professionals, which outlines a series of tasks to be completed before, during, and after a new employee joins the organization. It ensures every step in the integration process is clearly defined, helping new hires integrate smoothly into the organization. An onboarding checklist for new hires is essential as it:

• Ensures that all tasks are completed on time.
• Demonstrates the professionalism associated with the brand.
• Promote consistency across the hiring process.
• Saves time and resources by eliminating repetitive communication and delays.
• Supports scalability in hiring without compromising quality and experience.
• Faster onboarding timelines with fewer delays.

A well-structured onboarding checklist for new hires is crucial in establishing a smooth onboarding process and integration into the team. Composing the checklist with an understanding of its key elements ensures an effective onboarding process. The major elements of an onboarding checklist can be categorized under pre-onboarding checklist, first day, training and orientation, first week checklist, and 30-60-90 check list, and after 90 days to confirm that all the steps are being sufficiently undertaken during the onboarding.

Pre-onboarding includes the events that take place from the new hire signing the contract with the organization to the first day at the organization. The pre-onboarding checklist should incorporate:

• Welcome email to integrate the employee into the team, which includes the starting date and time, phone number or email ID for contact, documents to be shared, and schedule for the initial day.
• Welcome package with the organization’s branded items, company policies, and greeting.
• Set up accounts, email, or other necessary login details for the new employee.
• Announcements with other team members.

The first day of joining the organization is usually filled with anxiety, uncertainty, or doubts in the employee, demanding a sound onboarding process. This requires the checklist to have the elements such as:

• Welcome the new employee and offer insights about the company.
• Introduce team members and key stakeholders.
• Assign a mentor to support in onboarding.
• Offer a quick overview of the workspace and a walkthrough of tools.
• Provide first-day orientation.
• Discuss job responsibilities and initial assignments.
• Convey communication channels and workflows.
• Share necessary resources for support in the role.

A structured checklist used during the entire onboarding process to offer the necessary tools and knowledge to perform their roles effectively. The elements of the training and orientation checklist include:

• Company orientation about its policies, organizational structure, benefits offered, company culture, and norms.
• HR policies and compliance training.
• Role-specific training involving SOPs, project assignment with guidance, and shadowing.
• Overview of compulsory training to be performed in the workplace.
• Idea on development and support training to be incorporated throughout the journey.

The first week is crucial to get easily integrated into the team, with most of the employees deciding whether to stay with or leave the organization in the first week. The elements include:

• One-on-one introductions to key team members.
• Arrange team meetings or briefings and offer insights on team goals and collaboration structure.
• Ensure the setup of tools and technologies.
• Set short-term goals and plans.
• Addition to internal groups and community channels.

Breaking down the onboarding process into three phases to offer employees insights on the role and meaningful contribution.

• Complete orientation and review policies.
• Attend team meetings and introductory sessions.
• Start with hands-on training in the project.
• Initial performance review.
• One-on-one check-ins to track progress.

• Key contributions in the project,
• Provide cross-functional collaboration opportunities.
• Offer regular feedback and updates.
• Seek inputs in group discussions and meetings.

• Ensure considering small projects or initiatives.
• Check the level of performance expectation and confidence in the project and tools.
• Provide 90-day review.
• Discuss long-term goals, career development, and future roles.
• Seek feedback on the onboarding experience.

Onboarding is a continuous process that does not end in the first 90 days. Here is the elements for the checklist after 90 days.

• Conduct a detailed performance review and identify knowledge gaps or areas of development.
• Opportunities for mentorship to new hires.
• Promote ongoing learning and development initiatives.
• Seek ideas for organizational growth and overall feedback.

As an onboarding checklist is essential for ensuring that all necessary tasks are completed efficiently and accurately, here are the key steps involved in creating an effective onboarding checklist for new hires.

Establish clear onboarding goals by defining what needs to be included in the process and aligning it with the specific role and responsibilities of the new hire.

Identify the key roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders involved in the onboarding process, and ensure their participation is clearly defined and integrated at appropriate stages within the checklist. 

Determine the key components of the onboarding checklist by outlining what needs to be covered and specifying the timeframes for each activity to ensure effective execution throughout the onboarding process.

Categorize the onboarding process into distinct phases and develop individual checklists for each stage to ensure every aspect is thoroughly addressed and nothing is left behind.

In addition to general onboarding, integrate role-specific components at every phase of the onboarding checklist to ensure relevance and effectiveness.

Use a standardized template to maintain consistency across all onboarding checklists, regardless of role, department, or level within the organization.

Collect feedback from new hires and other stakeholders involved in the onboarding process and incorporate their insights into future improvements. Additionally, ensure the onboarding checklist is regularly reviewed and updated to align with organizational needs and industry trends.

In summary, an onboarding checklist is essential in the workplace to ensure that new hires are smoothly and effectively integrated into the organization.