2024

8 New Hire Checklist Templates

Are you looking for new hire checklist templates? Then you are at the right place.

What to Include in a New Hire Onboarding Checklist?

1. Submit a job requisition form to HR

Meet the hiring administrator within your Human Resources department before going any further.

2. Complete a Background Check

This is essential for all roles to ensure the security and safety of clients and colleagues.

3. Review the Schedule and Job Basics

This is an opportunity to contact the employee, clarify the first week’s schedule, provide a timesheet if needed, and supply basic information, like parking tickets and dress code.

4. Review Job Descriptions and Duties

Email the worker a copy of the job description, answer any queries, provide a summary of the usable area, and describe how the employee fits into the division. You can include this in your new employee welcome letter.

5. Complete all New Hire Forms

Sorting this before their initial day will protect both of your time and let you concentrate on more necessary matters when they enter the workplace.

6. Prepare Team Introductions

Help involve new employees in your organizational culture. For example, email their team to familiarize the new hire, set up required meetings with important staff members, set up a company tour, and organize social lunches or coffee dates.

7. Prepare their Work Environment

This includes tending to their new space, acquiring business cards, access badges, and IT tools such as computers, phones, etc.

8. Prepare for New Hire Training

Schedule any training and organize for trainers, supplies, and space as necessary.

Pre-Onboarding Checklist

This step is crucial. You do not want your new employee to feel that you don’t like them. So, follow this carefully for the employee onboarding checklist, and you will not miss anything.

  • Send a company-wide email announcing the new employee, with their name and job title.
  • Announce their starting date and which department and office they will be working from.
  • Inform their coworkers of the time and place for a meet-and-greet to introduce them to the company culture.
  • Ensure that the department head is ready for the new joining.
  • Define where the new employee’s desk and workstation will be.
  • Order all necessary equipment the new hire will need to fulfill their duties.
  • Create their accounts in the HR system.
  • Create reports, emails, and other needed statements for the recruit (prepare a complete list of all services so there is no confusion about the role and responsibilities).
  • Order another pair of security cards and keys.
  • Prepare a welcome care package and place it on the workstation if possible.
  • Prepare HR-related official documents.

First Day Onboarding Checklist

Set out everything that the business must do during the first day.

  • Be sure to welcome the new recruit at the door.
  • Introduce the new worker to their associates and unit.
  • Show the new employee their desk.
  • Arrange a work tour. Hit the necessities: entrances, restrooms, kitchen.
  • Introduce the new worker’s onboarding fellow.
  • Ensure that they can log in and out of their station and that all tools work correctly.
  • Provide entry to the learning atmosphere if you have one.
  • Provide all essential details, including guides and rules.
  • Check that all credentials and accesses work.
  • Arrange a meeting with a manager.
  • Set up an introductory lunch with the new employee and their team.
  • If feasible, have a one-to-one meeting at the end of the day.

First Week Onboarding Checklist

Because this is the introductory period of adaptation, it is essential to help the new fellow and not swamp them.

  • Organize a welcome get-together if possible.
  • Provide entry and notify them where to find company policies.
  • Check that the employee has had discussions with the department head and all significant people in their role.
  • Check that all equipment and software requirements are there.
  • Instruct the new employee about protection and fire measures.
  • Plan further training if needed.
  • Organize and request the new recruit to participate in team-building plans.
  • Set a personal meeting at the end of the week.
  • Add a new worker to the birthday list to not miss it.

First Month Onboarding Checklist

During the first month, review how the employee performs and check their feelings about their new job. Then, find problems and solve them.

  • Create and send a first-month onboarding form.
  • Set a session with the unit head about the employee’s improvement.
  • Set a personal meeting with the employee at the end of the month.
  • Check the employee’s sentiments about the workplace.
  • Invite the new employee to join in on activities for team members.
  • Plan a three and six months survey for the employee.

3 Months Onboarding Checklist

  • Schedule an informal performance review.
  • Review past and future assignments.
  • Set performance goals.
  • Give and ask for feedback.
  • Check the employee’s progress in their training.
  • Discuss the end of the probationary period.

6 Months Onboarding Checklist

  • Conduct a six months performance review.
  • Check the employee’s goals and advancement so far.
  • Set goals and objectives for the next incoming months.
  • Check that the recruit has received all the mandatory training.

1 Year Onboarding Checklist

  • Conduct a yearly performance review.
  • Recognize the employee’s first year at the organization.
  • Discuss goals and plans for the upcoming year.
  • Answer any rising questions and give and receive feedback.
  • Discuss compensation and raise policies.

Detailed New Hire Checklist Template

Basic and Background Information

Most of the information you need for a new hire will already be gathered during the shortlisting and interview process; however, including all this on your new hire checklist will ensure nothing falls through the holes. This information and the forms and policies described in the next section will form the foundation of your new employee’s personnel file.

Employee Data Information Sheet

Collect the employee’s name, number, and email address for your database to ensure your company’s payroll and benefits systems are accurate and complete. All employees must enter their information into the plans.

Pre-screening, Employment Verification, and Background Check Documentation

While not required for all types of jobs, it is a solid practice to validate the employee you are hiring has been honest during the application process. Therefore, consider conducting post-offer inquiries, pre-hire background checking, employment verifications, or drug screening (if legal in your state). Again, it is best to maintain a confidential personnel file folder to store this data..

Signed Offer Letter and Employment Agreement

Include a copy of the signed contract in your new hire’s file. Employers use offer letters to extend a job offer to a candidate and outline the terms and conditions of the request. By including critical elements in your offer letter, you can communicate your organization’s values and attractiveness as an employer.

New Employee Forms and Policies

Along with the offer letter and job agreement, there are several other new hire forms and signed policies you must have for your new hires, including tax paperwork.

Signed Federal and State W-4 Forms

Have your workers fill and sign a Federal W-4 form on or before their first day of work. The W-4 is where an employee pinpoints his tax withholding choices. You can locate the form on the IRS website. You do not have to submit a replica of it to the IRS but must keep the original on file.

States use the national W-4 form, while others have their W-4 form or don’t collect state taxes. You can see your state’s W-4 document or counterpart on the Federation of Tax Administrators’ website. Like the federal W-4, receive this on Day One (if your state requires it).

State New Hire Reporting

Businesses must report every new employee to their state’s new hire reporting program within 20 days of their start date. This registry aims to help the government enforce child support payments, track employment stats, and more. Each state has its new hire reporting program center, which you can find on the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) website.

Signed Employee Handbook

When an employee joins the company, it is a good company practice to have them sign the corporation manual. This assures they comprehend the company’s best practices, policies, and paid time off (PTO) procedures. Having employees sign the manual also confirms that they have received a copy of it and understand its policies.

Signed Policy Documents

It is not unusual for firms to require new employees to sign non-compete agreements as a prerequisite of employment. These papers can help protect a company’s trade secrets and other personal information. Have your new hires sign these records on or before the first day of employment. Then, keep the records in the employee’s personnel file.

Direct Deposit Form

When hiring a new employee, it is vital to ensure their first payroll goes without a hitch. One way for this is by gathering an immediate deposit form. This form allows the company to send the worker’s pay directly to their bank account. It will include the routing and account numbers where the new recruit wants their pay deposited. By compiling this form in advance, you can deflect any delays in the employee’s first pay.

New Employee Pre-onboarding

Most companies have a process in place for bringing new hires on board. New employee pre-onboarding can be valuable to ensure that new employees are on track with the organization’s goals, culture, and processes. It can also help reduce the learning period and make the transition smoother.

You can take specific steps to make pre-onboarding successful:

Set Up New Hire Workspace

If your new hire is working in your office, be sure they have a workspace equipped with a desk, chair, computer, printer, and other equipment necessary to complete their job. If your employee works remotely, this can include a stipend for a new computer or essential office equipment.

Timecard and/or Entry Card Preparation

Will your new employee punch a timecard? If so, ensure their timecard is ready before their first day on the job. Likewise, if your building requires an entry card or ID badge, make sure this is also ready to go.

Meet and Greets

Introducing new employees to their coworkers, manager, and supervisor is an excellent way to kickstart their first day. This lets the new employee get to know the individuals they will be working with and ask any queries they may have.

Orientation

An adequate way to accommodate the new hire to their new surroundings is to prepare an orientation at the beginning of the job. When new workers join, it is paramount for them to feel relaxed in their new work environment as soon as possible. In addition, an orientation gives the new hire a chance to learn about the company and adjust to their new surroundings.

New Hire Training

The more efficient and productive your employees, the more successful your business will be. That is why it is essential to train your new employees properly during their first week on the job. After that, you can help set them up for a long and productive career at your company by providing them with the training and tools they need to succeed.

Conclusion

A new employment onboarding checklist helps supervisors and HR ensure they are wrapping all the required steps to be ready for onboarding a new employee and directing them through to become a part of a thriving team.

The first days after a new worker starts will set the manner for their time with the organization and determine if your investment in them will pay off. 

When organizing your new hire checklist template, including all the documentation and stages required to make the first day on the job a pleasant experience for your new employee. This contains having their employment paperwork ready, setting up their computer, and providing a workplace tour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s a list of the most frequently asked questions about new hire checklists.

Information in my New Hire Checklist

  • A review of company policies.
  • An introduction to their team and essential colleagues.
  • A tour of the office.
  • A review of general workplace information.
  • Assistance in getting and setting up supplies, including computers.
  • An assessment of their upcoming schedule.
  • Filling out all the obligatory forms.
  • A reexamination of work hours.

Should a Small Business Utilize a New Employee Checklist?

Sometimes small business directors do not feel like they need a checklist because they hire sometimes and infrequently, but having a new employee checklist is vital because you will remember the process each time, have the capacity to improve on it, and be capable of delegating it to someone else as the company grows.

Is it a Good Idea to Store my New Employee Checklist Template Somewhere?

Using something like Dropbox or Google Drive to store it can help you access it anywhere, anytime, and share it with others responsible for taking care of the new hire onboarding and seeing how they are progressing.

Are there any Legal Considerations with a Checklist for Hiring Employees?

Perhaps not directly, but your employee onboarding template can help you be sure to cover all your legal bases by indicating forms that need signing, safety training that needs to happen, and other necessary processes. In general, a hiring checklist template will help you mitigate legal issues.

What Should my Employee Onboarding Process look like?

  • Submit a job requisition form.
  • Complete a background check.
  • Review the schedule and job basics.
  • Review job descriptions and duties.
  • Complete all new hire forms.
  • Prepare team introductions.
  • Prepare the work environment.
  • Prepare for further hire training.

 

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Josh Fechter
Josh Fechter is the founder of HR.University. He's a certified HR professional and has managed global teams across 5 different continents including their benefits and payroll. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.