Essential checklists to ensure your new hire has a smooth first day
1 mins, 35 secs read time
There’s a lot of work that goes into onboarding new hires – and not just for members of the Human Resources or People Ops Team. If you have a new employee who’ll be reporting to you, you’ll want to be sure your newest team member understands their role and how best to work within your team. And all employees can get involved in onboarding – not just those in People Ops or management. Anyone can take on some of the social responsibilities to make sure new hires feel welcomed and integrated into the office culture.
Remember that prepping for a perfect first day is a team effort. The following checklists will help you coordinate with multiple people and departments to ensure nothing falls through the cracks on your new hire’s first day.
Human Resources
Arrange facility tour and building access
Set up computer, email, any work accounts they need (e.g. chat, apps)
Assist with benefits log-in
Assist with payroll log-in, set up direct deposit
Verify work eligibility
Have employee fill out W-4 tax form
Have employee sign NDA, Inventions Agreement, and any other legal documents
Give access to employee handbook
Go through company policies and procedures (everything from dog policy to dishwasher etiquette)
Direct manager
Explain why the role was created/why this hire was made
Outline company mission and values
Review job description and responsibilities
Create an employee development plan
Introduce new hire to other department leads
Go over company structure and organizational chart
Set expectations and communication preferences
Workplace buddy
Review office layout and building access
Go over how to work coffee machine, dishwasher, photocopier, and any other essential equipment
Discuss what people usually do for lunch, coffee, breaks, etc.
Go on a quick tour of the neighborhood—point out the nearest pharmacy, bank, post office, coffee shop, supermarket, park, etc.
Talk about office social activities like happy hour, trivia night, and volunteer work
Want all these checklists and more (think: first week, first few months, etc.) to help you organize and streamline new hire onboarding? Download the Essential Onboarding Checklists eBook.
Melissa Suzuno
is a freelance writer and former Content Marketing Manager at Greenhouse. Melissa previously built out the content marketing programs at Parklet (an onboarding and employee experience solution) and AfterCollege (a job search resource for recent grads), so she's made it a bit of a habit to help people get excited about and invested in their work. Find Melissa on Twitter and LinkedIn.