New Employee Onboarding Checklist

Step 4: Conduct First-Day Orientation

Greet the new hire at reception and give a tour of the office: workstations, break rooms, restrooms, emergency exits, and conference rooms. Introduce them to their team, manager, and key cross-functional contacts.

Walk through the employee handbook highlights: company mission, values, code of conduct, communication norms, time-off policy, and benefits overview. Ensure the employee signs the handbook acknowledgment form.

Step 5: Set Up IT Access and Security Training

Sit with the new hire to verify all accounts are accessible: email, VPN, internal wiki, HR portal, and role-specific tools. Reset any credentials that didn't work during pre-setup.

Conduct a 15-minute security awareness briefing: password policies, phishing recognition, data handling procedures, and who to contact for IT issues. Have the employee acknowledge the acceptable use policy.

Step 6: Review Role Expectations and Goals

The direct manager meets with the new hire to review the job description, key responsibilities, and performance metrics. Clarify reporting lines and decision-making authority.

Set 3–5 clear goals for the first 30 days. Discuss how success is measured and what support resources are available: training materials, SOPs, mentors, and escalation paths. Schedule a weekly 1:1 for the first 90 days.

Step 7: Begin Role-Specific Training

Assign the new hire to the department's training program. This may include shadowing a colleague, completing e-learning modules, or working through a hands-on skills checklist.

Provide access to all relevant SOPs, process documents, and knowledge base articles. Set daily check-ins with the trainer for the first two weeks to address questions and track progress.

Step 8: Introduce Company Tools and Workflows

Walk through the core tools the employee will use daily: project management (task boards, sprints), communication (chat channels, email etiquette), document storage (shared drives, naming conventions), and time tracking.

Have the new hire complete a small, low-stakes task using each tool to build familiarity. Provide a quick-reference guide with links and keyboard shortcuts for each platform.

Step 9: Conduct 30-Day Check-In

The manager schedules a formal 30-day review meeting. Discuss progress against the goals set in Step 6. Ask open-ended questions: What's going well? What's confusing? What do you need?

Gather feedback from the onboarding buddy and trainer. Adjust the training plan if the employee is ahead or behind schedule. Set updated goals for days 31–60.

Step 10: Complete 60-Day and 90-Day Milestones

At 60 days, the manager reviews expanding responsibilities and autonomy. The employee should be handling routine tasks independently. Identify any knowledge gaps and assign targeted training.

At 90 days, conduct a formal performance review. Confirm the employee meets role expectations. Transition from onboarding mode to regular performance management. Archive the onboarding checklist in the HR system and close out the onboarding ticket.