The onboarding process is an exciting time for both you and your new employee. It's a fresh start and the beginning of a brand-new working relationship.
Before your new hire dives into their work, there are several little tasks to get behind you. How you take care of the details sets the stage moving forward. A polished and efficient onboarding process ensures that your new hire gets started on the right foot.
Here are essential items you need to check off your employee onboarding checklist.
Don't forget to close recruitment items as soon as you hire your new employee. That means removing open job listings, notifying other candidates that the role is no longer available, and ending any processes on your recruitment tools.
Onboarding automation software comes in handy here. The right HR software can take care of this process for you.
Welcome emails are always appreciated. In this short letter, you can inform your new hire of their start date, the potential plan of their first day, and any other tasks they need to prepare to complete before starting. It's an excellent way to deliver critical information while welcoming them to the team.
Depending on the nature of your company, you might have tons of documents to sign. From basic employee contracts to NDAs, make sure to do it all and store the documents securely. Your HR team will handle most of the details, but it's a good idea to use the same software to keep all pertinent records in one place.
Don't wait to set up payroll. Payroll should be one of the first things you get done after taking care of essential documentation. That way, you can ensure there are no delays in that first paycheck.
Always provide the company handbook. Give your new hire plenty of time to familiarize themselves with policies and ask questions.
Equipment and work areas should be ready for your new hire on day one. If you issue any tech, such as laptops or tablets, give your IT team plenty of notice to make sure the necessary devices are available.
Here's an often overlooked step. In modern tech-focused workplaces, people can't work without email and server access. The same goes for program login credentials. Onboarding software tools can create these essentials quickly, allowing your new employee to get into your systems as soon as they arrive.
It's a good idea to meet with your new hire personally on the first day. Use that time to introduce them to team members, stakeholders, and other important players. You can also use that time to give them a tour while going over expectations.
Use these items to make your onboarding process feel like a well-oiled machine. Scrambling to find documents and get things done doesn't do much to make new hires feel secure. Consider investing in onboarding automation tools to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch.