10 Tips for Creating an Onboarding Checklist for New Hires
What is a New Hire Onboarding Checklist?
An onboarding checklist is a valuable tool that HR teams use to manage the numerous details involved in onboarding a new employee. It helps ensure that nothing gets missed and that the process stays organized from start to finish. A well-structured checklist typically includes:
● Required documentation, such as tax forms, offer letters and benefits enrollment
● Training and orientation steps, both company-wide and department-specific
● System access and account setup, like email logins and software credentials
● First-day activities, including team introductions and workplace tours
Why Checklists Matter
● They reduce the chance of missing important steps● They help HR stay consistent across departments and roles
● They give new hires a clear understanding of what to expect
● They support a smoother and more confident start for employees
A Flexible and Evolving Resource
Onboarding checklists should be reviewed regularly. As company policies, tools or training procedures change, checklists must be updated accordingly. This keeps them:● Accurate and aligned with current requirements
● Useful for both HR teams and new employees
● Tailored for different roles, locations or business units
When done well, onboarding checklists help create a more positive and productive onboarding experience for everyone involved.
Tips for Creating an Onboarding Checklist
According to Delivery Executive Ally Goodwin, the biggest onboarding challenges often stem from logistics, organization and communication.
“When making an offer, the most common challenge is a company not being organized with its compliance and internal paperwork. It’s crucial that the employee can go over everything. Provide a step-by-step list of what needs to be completed in a timely manner to get onboarded and have a start date as soon as possible. The longer a company waits to provide compliance steps or an offer letter, the more likely it is that the candidate will accept another offer.” – Ally Goodwin.
To avoid delays and candidate drop-off:
● Send the offer letter promptly — ideally within 24 hours of the verbal offer
● Share a clear list of next steps with the new hire
● Explain the expected timeline for background checks or compliance
● Be transparent if clearance may take up to two weeks
Having a well-organized checklist can help ensure your new hire is ready to go on their first day, with minimal hiccups.
1. Send the New Hire a Detailed Welcome Email
This is not only a great, personalized touch that can warm your employees’ hearts, but also a great way to kick off the onboarding process. Send them an email (you can also CC it to the relevant managers) welcoming them and including detailed instructions about where they’ll report and what they can expect on their first day. For example: dress code, parking information and their supervisor’s name.
2. Keep All Paperwork Organized
Paperwork can be one of the most time-consuming parts of onboarding, but with the right prep, it becomes much more manageable. Here’s how to stay organized:
● Create dedicated folders (both digital and physical) for each position
● Preload each folder with all required documents, such as:
○ Job offers
○ Financial forms (e.g., W-4, direct deposit)
○ Employment agreements
● Have universal documents ready in advance, including:
○ Employee handbooks
○ Company directories
○ Welcome letters and benefits overviews
● Invest in a quality printer/scanner to easily digitize and archive forms
● Consider digital platforms like Adobe or DocuSign if you want to go paperless
● Review documents periodically to keep them current and role-specific
Staying organized saves time, reduces errors and creates a smoother experience for both HR and new employees.
3. Always Include Contact Information
Chances are, an employee may get overwhelmed or a little confused by the paperwork, or they might just have a few questions. Include the relevant information for contacts, and ideally make it front and center and easy to see. When sending an email, ensure the contact information is placed near the signature block. If you’ve printed a hard copy of the employee handbook or onboarding packet, be sure to staple a business card or clearly highlight the point of contact information.
4. Get Items In Advance
Items such as company cars, employee equipment and devices may take time to be arranged. We recommend contacting the necessary departments as early as possible to coordinate the delivery of these items. It takes time to set up vehicle registration and for IT to set up devices, so if they’re important to your incoming employees’ jobs, try to get the jump on them.
5. Set Up Emails/Logins/Accounts in Advance
This one might be incorporated into the employees’ training, but if it’s something IT can handle in advance, it’s one more thing that can smooth out the onboarding process. Once you have your new employees’ information, pass it along to IT so they can integrate them into the relevant software platforms and accounts.
6. Get Ahead on Scheduling
Once you have the details, try to set up the orientation for your employees. You may need to bring together several different departments to accomplish this, so we recommend starting as early as possible. During this time, they’ll likely meet the team, tour the building/jobsite, and begin their training and onboarding. Do everyone a favor and have this agenda scheduled in advance.
Make sure to notify the relevant personnel as well, by sending emails to welcome the new employees aboard and give ample time for their trainer, buddy or supervisor to prepare for them. If possible, reach out to the new hire to see if there’s a time that works best for them as well.
7. Have “Goody Bags” Ready
Like paperwork, you can have simple goody bags prepared well in advance of new hires. Even a simple bag can go a long way in making the employee feel welcomed. A bag, shirt or hat with company logos, some candy, a small gift card and a simple handwritten note can all make a significant difference in an employee's feeling of welcome.
8. Set Goals and a Check-In Time
Even though your employee is new, it can help them get oriented by giving them a few small goals to complete within the first 30, 60 or 90 days at the company. This could be something as simple as meeting everyone on the team, or more ambitious, such as completing all the training and onboarding. It gives the employee some time to focus on their onboarding and get into the company's flow, with a little HR oversight through a check-in later.
9. Lunch
This is a very simple thing to schedule that can also go a very long way in giving new hires a warm welcome. Providing lunch, or at least covering the cost, for the first day is a nice gesture. It’s an ideal time for new employees to eat together and get to know one another. You can also include current team members. Like with devices and other events, we recommend scheduling this as far in advance as possible to increase participation.
10. Make it Realistic
Every position has different onboarding needs. A realistic, role-specific approach helps employees feel supported from the start.
● Adapt the onboarding timeline based on the complexity of the role:
○ Technical jobs may require more time for compliance and safety training.
○ Office or administrative roles may onboard more quickly.
● Avoid rigid expectations. Consider:
○ The volume of paperwork and systems the role requires
○ The size of the department and how long integration might take
● Schedule check-ins accordingly, allowing new hires to settle in at a reasonable pace.
● Focus on what matters most first, and give flexibility for non-urgent steps.
“Remember every position is different. Some may have more technical paperwork to cover, and some may have more extensive training, while other departments may be larger and take more time to integrate into the workspace. Make sure you take this into consideration when scheduling employee onboarding and check-ins. It might not be feasible for a new engineer to complete all the safety and workspace trainings within the first two weeks, though it may not be unrealistic for a new HR employee to do so.”
When developing your onboarding strategy, make sure the paperwork they are completing is “user-friendly” and can be accessed on any phone or tablet,” says Goodwin.
When you need help finding new hires or improving your onboarding process, contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Hire Onboarding Checklists
What is a new hire onboarding checklist?
A new hire onboarding checklist is a structured list of tasks that HR teams and new employees use to guide the onboarding process. It includes steps like completing paperwork, attending orientation, setting up systems and meeting team members.
Why is an onboarding checklist important?
An onboarding checklist keeps the process organized, reduces the risk of missed steps, and helps new employees feel confident and informed from day one. It also improves compliance and consistency across departments.
Who creates the onboarding checklist?
Typically, the HR department or hiring team creates and manages the checklist. If a staffing agency or recruitment partner is involved, they may provide their version or assist with the process.
Should new employees receive a copy of the checklist?
Yes. Providing new hires with a copy of the onboarding checklist helps them track their progress and understand what is expected of them. It also encourages early engagement and ownership in the onboarding experience.
How often should onboarding checklists be updated?
Checklists should be reviewed regularly and updated any time there are changes in company policies, compliance requirements or training procedures. This keeps the process accurate and relevant for all roles.
When you need help finding new hires or improving your onboarding process, contact us.