Name of New Employee:

Role:

Department / Function:

Manager:

Planned Start Date:

Some assets you may want to create as an use info guide for your new starter:

• Tools they will use: A document with links / logins / guides
• Local area fact sheet: Coffee/cafe options, lunch tips, local gym/classes, nearest park, etc.
• Social profiles: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
• Fact sheet or glossary: Industry/company terminology
• Slack channels: Which channels to join to make them feel welcome and so they don’t miss company updates, etc.
• Company timeline and history – always makes for a nice story
• Welcome letter from CEO or another executive – a video message can be powerful
• SWAG where applicable
• Benefits: How to access, manage, etc.
• Mental health signposting sheet and supporting documents / services
• Do and don’ts: How we do things around here
• Fob and building access/security codes, etc.
• Info about Workout room/ parking / where to clock in, etc.
• Team or culture activities invites / social calendar

The post New employee checklist appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

How to onboard interns

• Contact interns prior their first day to confirm:
  • Their exact start date
  • Their time of arrival
  • Documentation they need to bring with them (like their ID)
  • Their first-day schedule (for example, trainings, product demos, meetings with managers)
• Ensure hiring managers are well-prepared for their interns. They should know their interns’:
  • Seating area
  • Project(s) they’ll participate in
  • Regular job duties
  • First tasks
• Provide interns with necessary hardware and software. If applicable, let them choose their preferred computer accessories (for example, let them select between a mouse or a trackpad.)
• Ask your IT team to set up intern email and software accounts. For as long as they’re employed with you, interns should be able to communicate with their coworkers and access tools they need for their job, including:
  • Company email
  • Group messaging app
  • Project management software
• Help interns fill out HR paperwork. This might be a recent graduate’s first professional job. They may not be familiar with employment terms and tax documents. Make sure a member of your HR team is by their side to answer any questions.
• Help interns set up their work stations. Inexperienced employees mightn’t be familiar with company equipment and software. Give them simple instructions, provide manuals and ask your IT department to check whether they’ve properly installed necessary tools, like anti-virus systems.
• Offer welcome kits and company swag. Show interns you’re excited they’re joining your company by offering personalized gifts and branded merchandise. Here are some ideas:
  • A mug or water bottle with your company logo
  • Tech accessories, like headsets
  • Gift cards to local cafes and restaurants
• Schedule role-specific trainings. To make sure that interns make real contributions to your business, train them on tasks they’ll undertake and tools they’ll use.
• Assign a work buddy or mentor. If you don’t have the time to run a full training session on company policies and work habits, assign an employee as a mentor to guide interns and answer their questions.
• Present your departments, functions and organizational chart. Interns might not have the chance to interact with everyone in the company, so give them an overview of your operations and your teams’ structure.
• Announce interns’ hiring to the company. You could send a mass email or share a message on your company’s chat tool. Prompt your employees to introduce themselves to your new intern during their first day and week at work.
• Arrange group meetings and activities. It’s important that interns become part of your company culture, like your long-term employees. So, make them feel comfortable and help them get to know their coworkers by inviting them to a group lunch or an after-work activity.

The post Onboarding interns checklist appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

• Avoid legal risks, by reminding you to submit all employment documents within deadlines.
• Focus on the most important things once your new hire arrives (e.g. New employees can meet their team instead of spending time trying to set up their corporate email.)
• Make new hires feel more comfortable, as you’ll have prepared their workspace.
• Create a friendly, collaborative environment, as current employees will know when and how to welcome their new colleague.

You can use the following new hire checklist as a guide to remind yourself of tasks to do before your new employee’s first day.

New hire paperwork to complete

• Prepare an employment contract and receive signed, if applicable. This contract is usually written as a detailed job offer that includes:
  • Job information (job title, department)
  • Work schedule
  • Length of employment
  • Compensation and benefits
  • Employee responsibilities
  • Non-disclosure agreement
  • Non-compete agreement
  • Time off policy
  • Termination conditions

• Send an offer letter. This is a document (often an email) that spells out the basics of the relationship between employer and employee. In your job offer letter or email, include:
  • Job title
  • Department
  • Name and position of direct report
  • Work schedule
  • Start date
  • Compensation
  • Benefits (brief mention)
  • Length of employment
  • Date by which candidate needs to respond to your offer

You could also attach the employment contract, where you describe terms of employment in detail.

• Complete employment forms required by your country or state law. The most common types of forms new hires fill out are:
  • W-4 form
  • I-9 form
  • State tax withholding form
  • Employee invention agreement form
  • Direct deposit form
  • Benefits forms (e.g. health insurance agreement)

Tasks to do before a new hire’s first day

• Ask new hires to send you:
  • Personal data to enter into company HRIS (e.g. ID or passport number, contact details, SSN number, tax identification number)
  • Bank account information, if you’re using direct deposit to pay employees
  • Copies of certificates and diplomas that are necessary to perform the job (e.g. for nursing or accounting positions)
  • Any food allergies or preferences they may have (e.g. vegetarian or gluten-free)
• Send new hires a welcome email that includes:
  • Arrival time on their first day
  • A copy of your office map
  • A rundown of the dress code, if you have one
  • A first day or first week agenda
• Invite new hires to join corporate accounts, including:
  • Email
  • Messaging software (e.g. Slack)
  • HRIS
  • Productivity tools (e.g. Trello, ToDoist)
  • Password security (e.g. LastPass)
• Send a new hire announcement email to all employees to make sure they give a warm welcome to their new colleague.
• Remind new hire’s manager to send a chat message announcing the new employee on their start date (e.g. on Slack, Workplace.) Make sure to mention:
  • New hire’s name and job title
  • Department/team they’ll be joining
  • A few things about their professional or academic background
  • Welcome events you may have organized (e.g. an after-work dinner)
• Send a reminder to hiring managers to make sure they prepare new employee’s first-day tasks.
• Send new hire’s data to your:
  • Accounting department, so that they add new employee to payroll
  • IT team, so that they can help them set up accounts for corporate software
  • Office Manager, so that they can set up their workstation
• Prepare your new hire’s tech, including:
  • Laptop
  • Monitor
  • Phone
  • Mouse
  • Keyboard
  • Headset
• Arrange for new hire’s ID card, building access fob and personal locker.
• Order new employee’s business cards and/or name plates.
• Ask for new hire’s T-shirt size and place an order for a work uniform and/or a company T-shirt as a welcome gift.
• Prepare and send an onboarding kit. Here’s what you could include:
  • Employee handbook
  • A welcome letter from their manager or CEO
  • Computer setup instructions
  • Stationery (e.g. notebook, pens, stickers)
  • A company t-shirt
  • A company mug
  • A copy of your organizational chart
  • A copy of a book relevant to your company or its culture
  • A guide of local points of interest (e.g. nearby cafes and restaurants)
• Prepare a tentative first day and first week agenda that covers:
  • A company overview, including mission, teams and policies
  • 1:1 meetings with manager and team members
  • Completing HR paperwork
  • Role-specific trainings
  • Product-related demos
  • Team-building activities (e.g. a group lunch)
• Assign a buddy to help new hire through first few weeks or months in the role.

Learn how Workable’s recruiting software integrates with bob, an HR, employee engagement and benefits platform. 

The post New hire checklist template: Before the first day appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Welcome on board! We’re delighted that you are joining us. We were impressed with your background and skills and we can’t wait to see you in action.

Please come in on [insert date] at our offices [insert address/floor], where Human Resources will be be there to welcome you. We have organized your first day to help you settle in properly. Here’s an outline of what to expect:

1. You will take some time at the beginning to sign the employment contract and any other necessary paperwork
2. You will familiarize yourself with your workstation and set up accounts and any other hardware
3. You’ll get time with your team leader who will brief you on the position and responsibilities
4. We’ll have induction training on the basics like policies, company products and perks
5. At lunchtime, HR will introduce you to your colleagues

To help you familiarize yourself with the company, we have arranged your access to our employee directory here: [insert link]. We want to ensure that you feel comfortable and hit the ground running.

Our dress code is [business casual]. Don’t forget to bring your ID. We have enclosed benefit forms and the employment contract so you can have time to review them before you sign.

You can find out more about the company’s culture in our Employee Handbook (enclosed). We’re confident that you’ll be a real asset for our company. Looking forward to welcoming you in person!

Yours,

[Your name]
[Your signature]

More onboarding resources:

• Formal job offer letter template when offering a full-time position
• Onboarding: the new hire checklist
• How to welcome a new hire
• Welcome new staff email

The post New employee/new hire welcome letter (HR) sample template appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Inform staff about the transfer or promotion, so that they’re all aware of the employee’s new role and responsibilities.

Keep this email brief, but make sure to add any important details. For example, if the employee is starting their new job at an office in a different location, mention when they’ll be leaving their current office.

Email subject line: Welcoming [Employee’s name] to [team / department]

Hi all,

I’m very pleased to announce that [Employee’s name] is [moving to Marketing to work as our new Social Media Analyst / being promoted to Senior Account Manager].

In the past [2 years], [Employee’s name] has achieved great things in [previous team/department] helping us [maintain a fully functional website / provide excellent customer support]. Now, [he/she/they] will bring [his/her/their] knowledge and experience to [build new mobile apps / expand our customer base through new marketing channels].

Please join me in congratulating [Employee’s name] and wishing [him/her/them] best luck in [his/her/their] new role.

Best,
[Your name]
[Your email signature]

Related resources:

• Guide: How to manage your internal hiring process
• Company policy: Internal job posting
• Email template: New employee announcement

The post Internal promotion announcement email appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Send a new employee introduction email to clients to:

• Avoid miscommunication. Clients who are not aware they have a new account manager might end up emailing back-and-forth until they find who their new contact will be.
• Share new employee’s contact details. Proactively let clients know how to reach your new employee, via email and phone, so that they don’t contact a person who’s no longer in the role (e.g. a former employee.)
• Describe your new employee’s skills. Clients might wonder why you assigned a new employee to their account. Share key skills and professional achievements of your new hire to reassure clients that their new account manager is fully prepared for their tasks.
• Help a new hire transition smoothly. Self-introduction doesn’t come naturally to everyone, so help break the ice by introducing your new team member to clients prior their first contact.

Customize this email template to your company’s culture (e.g. adopting a more casual or professional tone) and add more information about your employee’s background if relevant. Make sure you include new employee’s:

• Name
• Contact details (email and phone number)
• Duties
• Starting date

If applicable, explain why a new employee will be working with your client (e.g. their previous account manager was promoted to another position) Make sure your email strikes a positive tone.

Email Subject Line: Introducing new [Job_title] / Welcoming [Employee’s_name] as our new [Job_title]

Dear [Client’s_name],

I am pleased to announce that [Employee’s_name] is [Company_name]’s new [Job_title].

[Mention a few things about employee’s background, e.g. [Employee’s_name] has been with [Company_name] for X years and has successfully managed his/her/their tasks in our sales department, reaching out to customers and proactively addressing their queries.] We are all confident that [Employee’s_name] will take on [his/her/their] new responsibilities with the same enthusiasm and professionalism.

As of [date], [Employee’s_name] will be responsible for your account with our company. Feel free to reach out to [Employee’s_name] via email at [email address] or call [him/her/them] directly at [phone number.] [He/She/They] will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Best regards,

[Your name]
[Your signature]

The post New employee introduction email to clients appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Keep your welcome aboard email short and include the following key information about each new hire:

• Their name
• Their role and team/department
• Their starting date

You could also mention a few things about their background or personal interests/hobbies; anything that’s unique or interesting about the new hires could be an icebreaker and a good talking point as they start meeting their new colleagues.

A welcome email to new employee from manager or HR should prompt current employees to stop by new hires’ offices or desks and introduce themselves. If you’re hiring remote employees, though, make sure to share their contact details (e.g. email, phone number, Slack name) so that their new colleagues can reach out and welcome them to the team.

Sending an email and welcoming your new hires is an integral part of the hiring process. Signup for free to Workable’s all-in-one recruiting software for better candidate experience.

Here’s a sample of a welcome to the team letter that you can customize and use to introduce your new hires:

Welcome to the team email sample

Email Subject Line: Welcoming new team members at [Company_name]

Hi all,

I am very pleased to announce that our team is growing. [Start date, e.g. Next week or Next Monday], [number of new employees, e.g. three new employees] will be joining us.

• [First employee’s full name] will join the [department/ team] on [start date] as our new [Job title.] [Add information about what they’ll be doing / what they’ll be responsible for, e.g. “John Smith will help us grow our sales department”] [He/She/They] previously worked at [Add information about employment background.] [He/She/They]  recently graduated from [Add information about academic background.]
• [Second employee’s full name] [Insert information, as listed above.]
• [Third employee’s full name] [Insert information, as listed above.]

Please join me in welcoming our new team members and make sure to stop by their workspaces to introduce yourselves!

Best regards,

[Your name]
[Signature]

More onboarding resources:

• Onboarding: the new hire checklist
• How to welcome a new hire
• New employee announcement email template
• New employee welcome email
• New hire welcome letter (from HR)
• New hire welcome letter (from supervisor)

The post Welcome to the team email appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Keep this email short, providing introductory information: introduce your new employee, mention their job title, when they start, what they’ll be doing (e.g. a specific project) and what their background is. This kind of information will serve as a good icebreaker to spark conversations when your new employee arrives. If there’s a specific time when you all meet in the office (e.g. at lunchtime or a weekly happy hour), you can ask your employees to introduce themselves and welcome their new colleague.

Email Subject line: Welcoming [Employee’s name] to [Company name] / [department]

Hi all,

I am very pleased to announce that [Employee’s name] will be joining us as a [Job title] on [Start date.]

[Employee’s name] will work with [department/ team] to [Add information about what they’ll be doing / what they’ll be responsible for, e.g. ‘help us grow our sales department’.] [He/She/They] previously worked at/in [Add information about employment background.] [He/She/They] recently graduated from [Insert information about academic background.]

Please come to meet [Employee’s name] on [Start date] at [specific time] and welcome [him/her/them] to the team!

Best regards,

[Your name]
[Signature]

More onboarding resources:

• Formal job offer letter template when offering a full-time position
• Onboarding: the new hire checklist
• How to welcome a new hire
• Welcome new staff email
• New employee introduction email to clients

The post New employee announcement email appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Is your company growing? Workable is the leading ATS for ambitious companies. Sign up for our 15-day free trial and start hiring better people, faster.

Welcoming a new employee email template

Email subject line: Welcome to [Company name]

Dear [Employee’s name],

We are all really excited to welcome you to our team! As agreed, your start date is [date.] We expect you to be in our offices by [time] and our dress code is [casual/ business casual.]
[If necessary, remind your employee that they need to bring their ID/ paperwork.]

At [Company name], we care about giving our employees everything they need to perform their best. As you will soon see, we have prepared your workstation with all necessary equipment. Our team will help you setup your computer, software and online accounts on your first day. [Plus, if applicable, mention any extra things you’ve prepared for your new hire, like a parking spot, a coffee mug with their name or a company t-shirt.]

We’ve planned your first days to help you settle in properly. You can find more details in the enclosed agenda. As you will see, you’ll have plenty of time to read and complete your employment paperwork (HR will be there to help you during this process!) You will also meet with your hiring manager to discuss your first steps. For your first week, we have also planned a few training sessions to give you a better understanding of our company and operations.

Our team is excited to meet you and look forward to introducing themselves to you during [planned event/ lunchtime].

If you have any questions prior to your arrival, please feel free to email or call me and I’ll be more than happy to help you.

We are looking forward to working with you and seeing you achieve great things!

Best regards,

[Your name]
[Your signature]

More onboarding resources:

• Onboarding: the new hire checklist
• How to welcome a new hire
• Welcome new staff email
• Tips for the new employee welcome package

The post New employee welcome email appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

How to onboard remote employees

• Send new hires IT hardware and manuals. Order computers and other hardware remote workers need well ahead of their start date. Confirm they have received all necessary equipment for their work and ask your IT department to assist them with setup, if necessary. Make sure new remote workers have the following to get started:
  • Laptop
  • Mouse
  • Keyboard
• Gift new hires company swag. Help your new hires feel like a part of the team by sending them a welcome package. You can include:
  • Branded merchandise, like a coffee mug or T-shirt
  • A welcome letter or note from their team or your CEO – See our free New employee welcome email template
  • Personalized gifts they’re likely to enjoy (like headphones, a book or gift cards from local or online stores)
• Help new remote employees complete HR paperwork. Having your new hires sign employment contracts and other legal documents can be time-consuming if they need to print, scan and email all copies or send them via mail. Consider using an e-signature tool, like HelloSign or DocuSign, so that employees can add their signatures digitally and share contracts with you in a secure environment.
• Get them up to speed on your company culture. Remote employees are part of your culture, despite not being in the office. To help them understand the culture, share:
  • Your employee handbook in digital format
  • Any presentations or literature on your company values
  • Pictures and videos from all-hands meetings
• Ensure new hires understand how to use your communication tools. Describe the best ways to contact team members and how to troubleshoot communication technology. Also, if relevant, provide manuals on how to set up:
  • Company email
  • Group messaging tool
  • Video conference software
  • Webphone application
• Prompt hiring managers to set specific goals and expectations. Remote workers should not wait until their manager is online to learn what their next tasks are. Make sure hiring managers:
  • Develop and share a task calendar after new hires’ training and onboarding sessions
  • Define short-term and long-term goals
  • Schedule weekly one-on-one meetings to discuss upcoming projects, progress and resolve potential issues
• Set up meetings with their team members and other key employees. These meetings could be one-on-one and/or group calls. During their first days, remote employees should meet with:
  • Their coworkers
  • Their manager and direct reports
  • Employees from other departments they’ll work closely with
• Arrange role-specific trainings. It’s often challenging to train remote employees, as real-time communication is usually limited. To effectively train remote workers:
  • Use interactive training courses that are user-friendly and include games and quizzes to boost engagement
  • Record product demos to better explain features through video
  • Follow up after each training session to answer questions
• Arrange a training with your IT department. Remote workers should get familiar with:
  • File-sharing applications and cloud backup software (like Google Drive, Dropbox, Carbonite)
  • Computer security (for example, how to lock laptops and install anti-virus software)
  • Password management and data encryption tools to protect their devices
• Schedule calls after their first week, month and quarter to touch base. These calls will help you understand if they’re facing any difficulties and whether they’ve settled into their roles.
• Arrange an in-person meeting. If your new hire is based near your office, consider having them work from your offices during their first week. If that’s not feasible, invite them on-site as soon as possible, so that they get to know coworkers in-person. If you have distributed teams and all employees work from home, make sure to schedule quarterly or annual events or retreats, where entire teams get the chance to meet.

Related content:

• Remote Onboarding FAQs
• New employee announcement email
• Employee remote work policy template
• How to attract, hire and retain remote employees
• Remote Working FAQs
• Going Remote: Best Practices for HR & Recruitment

The post Remote employees onboarding checklist appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

A few thing to keep in mind:

• Check your local labor regulations to ensure you comply with the law at all times.
• Once you collect signed agreements from new employees, securely store these documents (in digital or physical form) as they contain confidential data.

Use this new hire paperwork checklist as a guide when you’re onboarding new employees:

• Prepare an employment contract and receive signed, if applicable. You can send this contract along with your job offer email or letter. An employment contract should include:
  • Job information (job title, department)
  • Work schedule
  • Length of employment
  • Compensation and benefits
  • Employee responsibilities
  • Termination conditions
• Make sure you and new hires complete employment forms required by law. These forms will provide you with new hire data, so that you properly classify and compensate employees. Legislation may differ based on your state or country, so make sure you complete all necessary forms within deadlines. The most common types of employment forms to complete are:
  • W-4 form (or W-9 for contractors)
  • I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form
  • State Tax Withholding form
  • Direct Deposit form
  • E-Verify system: This is not a form, but a way to verify employee eligibility in the U.S.
• Prepare and obtain signatures on internal forms. Make sure to get signatures on forms your company uses to establish its relationship with employees. These could include:
  • Non-compete agreements
  • Non-disclosure agreements
  • Employee invention forms
  • Employee handbook acknowledgement forms
  • Drug and/or alcohol test consent agreements
  • Job analysis forms (responsibilities, goals and performance evaluation criteria)
  • Employee equipment inventory lists
  • Confidentiality and security agreements
• Prepare employee benefits documents. If you offer employee benefits, you will need to give new hires paperwork that describe terms and conditions and, in some cases, receive them signed. The most common employee benefits are:
  • Life and health insurance
  • Mobile plan
  • Company car
  • Stock options
  • Retirement plan
  • Disability insurance
  • Paid time off/vacation policies (including any paid holidays)
  • Sick leave
  • Employee wellness perks (e.g. gym memberships)
  • Tuition reimbursement

Learn everything about employee benefits.

• Obtain employees’ personal data for emergencies. To reinforce health and safety in the workplace, it’s best to keep a record of employees’:
  • Emergency contacts
  • Brief medical history
  • Food allergies or preferences (e.g. vegan or gluten-free)

The post New hire paperwork checklist appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Orientation should not be confused with onboarding, however. Onboarding is continuous. It begins with the hiring process and ends when a new employee is fully settled into their role.

Orientation is part of onboarding. It refers to the actions a company takes during a new hire’s first days to help them:

• Adjust to their new work environment
• Complete tasks required by law
• Learn about key company policies
• Prepare themselves to take on their job duties

Use the following new employee orientation checklist to remind yourself of tasks to do during a new hire’s first day at work:

Administrative support

• Help new hires fill out HR paperwork, like:
  • I-9 form
  • W-4 form
  • Employee acknowledgement and consent form
  • Background check form
  • Direct deposit form
• Explain regular procedures, like:
  • How to enter and leave the building (e.g. use of a security token)
  • How to place orders (e.g. for stationery)
  • How to request time off (e.g. how to request sick leave)
• Arrange for new hires to obtain staff photos (e.g. for a badge, business card or online avatar.)
• Provide new hires with an employee uniform, if applicable.

Company policies overview

• Explain employment agreement terms and make sure new hires sign these forms. These might include:
  • Non-disclosure agreement
  • Non-compete agreement
  • Confidentiality agreement
  • Employee invention agreement
• Provide resources on perks and benefits, like:
  • Health and life insurance
  • Mobile plan reimbursement
  • Company car policy
  • Stock options guide
  • Training program guide
  • Performance bonus guide
  • Employee wellness program
• Provide new hires an overview of key company policies, like:
  • Vacation/ paid time off
  • Work from home
  • Sick leave
  • Safety guidelines
  • Absenteeism
  • Data security
• Go over what a typical day at the office looks like and mention:
  • Regular work times
  • Breaks
  • Lunch options
• Give new hires a copy of your employee handbook and answer questions they may have.

Office tours and introductions

• Lead new hires on an office tour and show them where each department is located. Also, walk through common areas, like:
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Dining area
  • Balcony
• Point out to new hires who to look for when they need assistance with specific issues. Include:
  • Their direct manager
  • Your HR team
  • Your IT team
  • Your office manager
• Introduce new hires to all teams.
• Schedule meetings for new hires with colleagues and team leaders from other departments.
• Show new hires the company’s meeting rooms and explain how they can book them.
• Indicate where the building’s emergency exits are.
• Schedule a teamwide meetup to welcome new hires in less formal setting (e.g. a group lunch or after-hours drinks.)
• Assign a work buddy or mentor to assist new hires with onboarding tasks and questions during first days or weeks.

Workstation setup

• Explain how to use office equipment, including:
  • Telephone (internal and external calls)
  • Printer
  • Fax
  • Kitchen appliances (e.g. coffee machine)
  • Video conferencing tools
• Provide an overview of the main corporate online channels, including:
  • Intranet
  • Email
  • Messaging application
  • Company website
  • Shared drives
  • Data security software
• Assign a member of the IT team to assist with computer setup. Make sure new hires understand how to use all company tools and software needed for their role.
• Schedule a detailed training on IT security guidelines.
• Schedule a product demo if relevant.
• Provide stationary and explain where to find office supplies, like:
  • Pens and pencils
  • Notebooks
  • Post-it notes

The post New employee orientation program checklist appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

A formal IT onboarding process helps new hires:

• Familiarize themselves with hardware and software they’ll be using
• Set up corporate accounts
• Learn and follow security guidelines
• Feel confident they have the tools to get their work done

Use this checklist to organize effective IT onboarding sessions for your new hires:

Before your new hire’s first day

• Coordinate with the hiring manager and the HR department to collect information that will help you prep IT setup. Make sure you have new hires’:
  • Names
  • Contact details
  • Job titles
  • Departments
  • Starting dates
  • Software they’ll need for their jobs
• Order equipment new hires will need, including:
  • Laptop or Desktop
  • Monitor
  • Mouse
  • Keyboard
  • Cables
  • USB sticks
  • Phone
• Determine which software, tools and access rights new hires need. This can include:
  • Company email
  • Internal messaging
  • Productivity tools (e.g. Trello, ToDoist, Asana)
  • Analytics (Tableau, Google Analytics)
  • Spreadsheets
• Get approval from the senior management team to set up new accounts.
• Invite new hires to join corporate accounts and send them setup guidelines.
• If applicable, contact new hires or their hiring managers to learn their preferred tech equipment.

On your new hire’s first day

• Prepare new hires’ desk with necessary hardware, like:
  • Computer
  • Phone
  • Printer
• Schedule 1:1 meetings to help new hires properly:
  • Set up company accounts, if they haven’t already:
    • Email
    • Company messaging app
    • Password security tools (e.g. LastPass, OneLogin, Okta)
• Provide digital or physical copies of manuals for hardware and software so that new employees can reference them when needed.
• Explain how to use corporate office equipment, like:
  • Projectors
  • Video conference tools
  • Printers
  • Fax machines
• Ensure all new hires understand and sign data privacy agreements.
• Describe visitors policy.
• Train new hires on how to secure their workstations. For example, make sure they know:
  • How to store physical and digital files
  • How to share sensitive data
  • How to lock their computer and desk
• Explain how new hires should reach you if they have any technical issues. Include your:
  • Location
  • Email and phone
  • Username, if you communicate via a messaging application
  • Formal procedure to request technical assistance

During new employee’s first week or month

• Check in with new hires to see if they’ve properly installed all software.
• If necessary, schedule trainings on:
  • Security policies
  • Best practices when using office equipment
  • Productivity tips for commonly used tools
• Answer specific questions new hires may have after using tools for a while.
• Sign new hires up for routine security training exercises.

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Welcome on board! I’m delighted that you are joining us as our new [insert position]. I’ll be your team leader. I’m sure that someone with your background and skills will be a great asset to our team and accomplish great things.

From [insert date] onwards, you’ll be part of a strong team where conscientiousness and commitment to our work set us apart. We give everybody space to use their initiative and take responsibility.

Goals are set on an individual and team level every quarter. They’re always aligned with company objectives set by the executive board. You’ll be able to prioritize and organize your work as you see fit to attain those goals.

On your first day, we’ll take some time to talk further about your role, our team and anything you’d like to discuss. We’ll also talk about an orientation plan for your first month. This will help you familiarize yourself with your new workplace and get you started. To help in this process, I’ve assigned the role of your mentor to [insert name]. They’re looking forward to getting to know you.

The rest of your first day will be full. We take care that every new employee feels comfortable and welcome.

I hope you’ll be happy in your role and the company. I’m looking forward to talking to you in person!

Yours,

For an HR letter to welcome employees, see our New Hire Welcome Letter HR Template.

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HR team: tasks to do on a new hire’s first day

• Prepare your new hire’s workstation before they arrive. Consider decorating their desk with:
  • Your employee handbook
  • An onboarding kit or a welcome gift
  • A welcome letter from their manager or the CEO
  • An agenda for their first day
  • A nameplate or employee ID
  • A set of business cards
  • Necessary office equipment, including a computer and a phone
• Make sure someone from your team enthusiastically greets your new hire when they arrive and walks them to their desk. This person could be:
  • A member of the HR team (e.g the recruiter that new hires already know)
  • Your office manager
  • New hire’s manager
• Give new hires a tour of your office.
• Help new hires fill out HR paperwork:
  • Provide digital or physical copies of forms
  • Explain terms of agreement (e.g. on health insurance and benefits documents)
  • Answer any questions your new hires may have
• Present your key company policies.
• At the end of the day, check back with new hires to learn how their first day went. Ask them:
  • How did your first day go?
  • What do you think of the company and your team?
  • Do you need any clarity on our policies?
  • Do you have everything you need? (e.g. hardware, stationery, etc)
  • How has the first day lined up with your expectations of the job?
  • Do you have any questions?

Hiring manager: tasks to do on a new hire’s first day

• Introduce your new hire to your team members in-person and to the company via email or company messaging software.
• Make sure your new hire’s computer station is up and running. Check whether the IT team has:
  • Set up new hire’s accounts (e.g. email)
  • Installed software and applications, including anti-virus systems
  • Shared necessary manuals
• Run a role-specific training. Train new hires on:
  • Their main responsibilities
  • The team structure (names, roles, duties and organizational chart)
  • Job-specific tools
  • The team’s objectives
• Schedule meetings for your new hire with team leaders they will collaborate with.
• Assign first tasks to your new hire. Make sure to:
  • Offer guidance, as needed
  • Provide resources that your new hire is likely to use (e.g. reports, spreadsheets and glossaries)
  • Clarify questions that may arise
• Assign your new hire a work buddy to help them adjust to their new workplace.
• Invite your new hire to a group lunch to help them get to know other employees.
• Give your new hire an overview of the first week and the first month on the job.
• Make sure to set aside time for new hires to ask any questions they might have.

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• They give new hires necessary resources for their job.
• They help set the stage for a successful first day at work.

Create packages with helpful information about your company. Also, include items that embody your company culture to help your new hire feel like a part of the team.

Here’s a new employee welcome package checklist to help you onboard new hires:

Informative paperwork and guides

Start with the basics that new hires should know about your company and your people. Provide information that will help new employees acclimate in their new workspace and save them from asking potentially uncomfortable questions (e.g. “Where is the bathroom?” or “Where I can find the HR Manager and what’s their name?”) Here’s what to include:

• A print copy of your employee handbook

• HR forms, like:
  • Employment contract
  • Benefits forms
  • Emergency contact form
  • Confidentiality agreements
  • Company policies acknowledgement
  • Agendas for new hire’s first day and first week at work
• Organizational chart
• Office map
• An employee directory, including each employee’s:
  • Phone number
  • Email
  • Username on company messaging app
• A guide with local hotspots, including nearby:
  • Cafes
  • Restaurants
  • Gyms

Useful material and tools

Give new employees practical items that they’ll use on a daily basis. Also, think proactively and gather resources that will help them complete their first tasks (e.g. a company software guide.) These items could be:

• IT hardware, including:
  • Laptop
  • Monitor
  • Mouse
  • Keyboard
  • USB stick
• Security items to allow access to the building, including:
  • Entrance token
  • Keys and locks
  • Employee ID
  • Parking card
• Stationery, including:
  • Pens
  • Pencils
  • Post-it notes
  • Notebook
  • Company stickers
• Manuals about:
  • Computer setup
  • Proper use of office equipment
  • Company software

Personalized items

Offer thoughtful, customized items to give new employees a warm welcome. These items can speak volumes of your culture and show that you are excited for your new hire’s arrival. Here’s what to offer:

• Welcome letter. For a more personal touch, consider making this a handwritten note. It could come from:
  • the hiring manager;
  • the company CEO; or,
  • new hire’s team members.
• Branded merchandise, like:
  • A coffee mug
  • A water bottle
  • A T-shirt or hoodie
• Nameplate
• Business cards
• Welcome gift. This can be relevant to the new hire’s team’s culture, or something that might be useful. Here are some ideas:
  • Books
  • Headphones
  • Gift cards

Related: New employee welcome email

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How to onboard new managers

• Highlight your company’s management culture. Do this by sharing:
  • A video that showcases your values and ways of working
  • A book that echoes your management style
  • A message from your leadership that conveys your company’s mission

• Explain what’s expected of managers at the end of each month, quarter and year. This will help new leaders understand short-term and long-term goals and focus on results. Include company-wide, department and individual goals and make sure to cover how you keep track of progress (for example, using reports or a task management tool.)

• Brief managers on individual team members. Describe the department’s structure (for example, their direct reports and who their supervisor reports to) and where their department fits within the entire organization. Also, mention any recent:
  • Promotions
  • Conflicts
  • Hires
  • Separations
  • Schedule one-on-one meetings with relevant coworkers.
• Make sure new managers meet with people they’ll work closely with, including:
  • Their direct supervisor
  • Their team members
  • Other managers
• Enroll managers in regular management trainings. Leadership abilities are difficult to cultivate, particularly for those who are new to senior positions. Schedule trainings on:
  • Motivation: Managers need to inspire team members to remain productive, despite difficulties.
  • Conflict management: Disagreements could arise within a team and a good manager should not let issues escalate.
  • Time management: Team leaders manage deadlines and delegate tasks, so they need to know how to prioritize work and complete tasks on time.
  • Team management: Managers should learn how to coach team members on-the-job, track performance and plan career paths.
• Give an overview of your employee performance review process. Describe:
  • The review process you follow (for example, 360° evaluation, 1:1 meetings)
  • The software you use
  • The frequency of performance reviews (for example, quarterly or annual)
  • The criteria you use to evaluate performances
• Describe your most important company policies and how to monitor whether team members follow them. Note that managers should have an in-depth understanding of how your company operates to set a good example for their team. Policies you should highlight are:
  • Leave policies (including paid time off and sick days)
  • Security policy
  • Remote work policy
  • Confidentiality policy
• Describe how your company recognizes and rewards employees. Cover:
  • Monetary bonuses (e.g. based on performance)
  • Non-monetary rewards (e.g. additional paid days off after a big project)
  • Ways to acknowledge success (e.g. a “thank you” on your company messaging app)
• Explain your company’s recruiting process. Mention:
  • Your hiring plan review process
  • Your internal mobility policy
  • Your recruitment policy
  • Any recruiting software you’re using
• Explain what their team budget includes. Team leaders are usually responsible for budgets that can be used on:
  • Trainings
  • Resources (e.g. books)
  • Subscriptions (e.g. online courses)
  • Software and hardware
  • Team-building activities
• Schedule periodical meetings between new managers and your HR department. Make sure they are fully settled into their new role and allow them to address any questions they may have during their first 30, 60 and 90 days.

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Why you should invest in new hire training

Training helps new hires:

• Understand how their department and your company operates
• Learn what guidelines you use and policies you enforce
• Set up workstations with necessary tools and technology
• Familiarize themselves with their position’s requirements

Some trainings are common for all employees (e.g. company overview and policies.) Others are more role-specific. For example:

• New developers are trained on product architecture, servers and coding languages.
• New salespeople are trained on product features, pricing and competition.

Here are a series of new hire training checklists to help you create a successful onboarding experience, starting from before your new hire’s first day to three months after they start.

Before your new hire’s first day

Send some useful resources in advance to save you time on training and help new hires come to their new job prepared. Here are some things to get done before your new hires start:

• Send an agenda for the first day, so they know what to expect (include any 1:1s, demos or trainings relevant to your new hire’s role.)
• Send manuals and instructions on how to set up corporate accounts (e.g. company email.)
• Send a digital or print copy of your employee handbook, so new hires can take a look and prepare any questions they may have.

On your new employee’s first day

Company overview training

Use this overview to explain how your departments are structured. You can present this overview to groups, if there are multiple new employees starting on the same day. To facilitate discussion, make sure each group is small (no more than three or four employees.)

Here’s what to include in a company overview training:

• Present your company history and mission statement.
• Display your company timeline with key achievements.
• Provide a copy of your organizational chart and indicate where the new hire sits within the chart.
• Offer detailed explanations of department structures and roles.
• Provide any product demos the new employee might need.
• Set aside time for the new hire to ask questions.

Share relevant files, either in digital or print format at the end of each presentation, so that new employees can read them later, if they want to.

Company policies training

During your company policies presentation, highlight the most important things new employees need to know and address their questions.

Here’s what to include in a training on company policies:

• Describe your workplace rules (e.g. hours, breaks, use of lockers and key fob.)
• Describe the types of leave the new hire is eligible for (sick, vacation, etc) and when the new hire can begin going on leave.
• Explain your requirements for remote work, if relevant.
• Explain your performance review process.
• Ask new hires to review and sign any non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements.
• Provide an FAQ document on the most popular company policies.

Benefits package training

Insurance and stock option plans can be difficult to understand. During this training, explain your benefits in simple terms. Clarify any actions employees need to take to use their benefits packages. Answer questions they have. If necessary, get signed copies of contracts.

Here’s how to conduct a training on employee benefits:

• Present all options for life and health insurance plans and make sure new hires acknowledge the terms.
• Explain stock options and provide documents that describe the terms in detail.
• Explain flexible hours options and requirements (e.g. how to request approval for remote work.)
• Describe how to use all available training and development benefits, like education budgets.
• Describe any mobile plan and/or company car reimbursement benefits you offer.
• Present the details of your wellness programs or health perks (e.g. discount gym membership.)

Role-specific training

In this training, hiring managers explain team structure and roles, establish expectations for success and set new hires up with useful tools and resources.

Here’s what hiring managers should include in role-specific trainings:

• Describe the new hire’s tasks (e.g. a typical day at work.)
• Present job-specific tools that the new hire will use.
• Provide a list of helpful resources to find answers to frequently asked questions.
• Display and explain reports that track the team’s KPIs.
• Present business objectives related to the new hire’s position and team.
• Explain the roles of different members on the team and how the new hire will work with them.
• Schedule regular one-on-ones with the new hire.
• Schedule introductory one-on-ones between the new hire and team members.

IT setup and training

IT staff should help new employees set up their computer stations and ensure all systems are up and running. They should also guide new hires on data privacy, system security and proper use of software and hardware.

Here’s what to include in an IT setup training:

• Make sure new hires have access to necessary tools and manuals to use hardware and software.
• Check whether new hires have set up company accounts (e.g. email) and provide assistance as needed.
• Ensure all new hires understand and sign data privacy agreements.
• Help new hires configure WLAN connection settings (computer and mobile.)
• Help employees install anti-virus software.
• Set new hires up with password security accounts (e.g. LastPass.)
• Describe visitors policy.
• Train new hires on how to secure their workstations.

A month after your new hire starts

Security training

During this training, a member of your IT or Security team should describe employees’ data privacy and system security obligations. For roles where employees handle confidential employee or customer data, prioritize security training earlier than one month. Otherwise, schedule this training to be completed during the new hire’s first month at work.

Here’s what to include in a security training for new hires:

• Present security training videos and test employees’ knowledge of security protocols (e.g quizzes, role-playing.)
• Enable features that let employees remotely access corporate software.
• Go over out-of-office best practices (e.g. how to securely connect to local networks and how to join video calls.)
• Review workstation security measures.
• Invite employees to join a security forum on your company intranet so they can ask questions (e.g. Slack #security channel, BambooHR.)

Three months after your new hire starts

Safety training

Your office manager or an HR team member should design workplace safety training sessions and ensure all employees attend within their first three months. It’s best to conduct these trainings in groups. When necessary, collaborate with professionals on relevant topics (e.g. inviting First Aid Trainers as instructors.)

Here’s how to train new hires on safety practices:

• Organize an emergency evacuation drill.
• Schedule a First Aid presentation.
• Provide guidelines on proper use of hazardous material and equipment.
• Run a fire drill and describe precautionary actions to avoid fire risks.
• Explain all measures the company enforces to protect employees’ well-being (e.g. non-smoking policies.)
• Provide office ergonomics tips, including:
  • Good desk posture
  • Proper chair height
  • Adjusting monitor brightness

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Consider giving new hires an employee handbook, either in digital or physical format, where they can find details about all policies in one place. Send this handbook to employees before they start so that they can read policies at their own pace.

To ensure new hires understand and follow all your policies, be available during their first days to answer questions they may have. It’s best if someone on your HR team schedules a policies presentation during new hires’ first day or week.

Here’s a company policies checklist to help you cover all the basics new hires should learn:

• Compensation policy.Present your company’s compensation policy. Make sure to cover:
  • Payroll schedule (e.g. at the end of each month or biweekly)
  • Ways to receive paycheck, if applicable (e.g. via direct deposit, mail or in-person)
  • Legal terms about overtime pay, if applicable
  • Job performance-related bonuses
• Employee leave policy. Mention the types and number of leaves that employees are eligible for. Also, describe how to request time off (e.g. send an email to managers or submit a form through an internal system.) Time off could refer to:
  • Paid time off (or vacation days)
  • Unpaid time off
  • Days when the company doesn’t operate (e.g. bank holidays)
  • Sick leave
  • Parental leave
  • Special occasions (e.g. jury duty)
• Performance review policy. Describe your company’s performance review process. Explain:
  • The purpose and frequency of employee performance appraisals (e.g. quarterly)
  • Your performance appraisal software (if applicable)
  • Topics you usually cover (e.g. quantitative results)
  • Your goal-setting process
  • Less formal methods to collect and share feedback (e.g. regular 1:1s)
• Workplace regulations. Provide an overview of important workplace rules. These could include:
  • Daily schedule (times of arrival and end of workday)
  • Breaks (e.g. lunch)
  • Personal workstation management (e.g. locking drawers)
  • Internet usage for personal matters
  • Parking restrictions, if relevant
• Workplace safety policy. Explain all measures you take to establish safety in the workplace. For example:
  • Show where emergency exits are located in the building
  • Go over basic guidelines for security (e.g. how to use access tokens)
  • Describe your visitors policy
• Employee confidentiality policy. Discuss confidentiality rules and data protection procedures. Particularly, if your new hire will handle sensitive data, mention:
  • What kind of information is considered classified
  • How to share and store important documents (whether physical or digital)
  • How to secure computers and the office
• Benefits overview. Describe what’s included in your perks and benefits package. Make sure to provide necessary forms hires need to complete and manuals that explain terms in detail. Employee perks and benefits could include:
  • Health and life insurance plan
  • Stock options
  • Mobile plan
  • Use of company car
  • Bonus options
  • Wellness programs
• Remote work policy. Explain your policy for remote work and flexible working hours, if you have one. Cover:
  • How to request work-from-home days (e.g. via email or internal HR software)
  • Employee obligations while working remotely (e.g. employees need a strong Internet connection)
  • Out-of-office best practices (e.g. employees should work in a private, quiet space and be available via the company’s messaging app)
  • Any limitations (e.g. employees can’t work remotely during the launch of a new product)
• Employee travel policy. Describe your travel policy, if relevant. Provide the basics and make sure to offer a refresher before a new hire’s first business trip. Cover:
  • Frequency and timing of travel (e.g. for company events or quarterly meetings with distributed team members)
  • Travel expenses you cover
  • How to reimburse expenses
  • Documents employees need for travel (e.g. passport and visa)
• Employee development and education policies. Mention training and development initiatives you offer employees. This could refer to:
  • Regular trainings your company conducts (related to the new hire’s position)
  • Conferences and workshops
  • Resources (e.g. books and subscriptions)
  • Online courses
  • Education budget

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