What is an Employee Onboarding Checklist
Employee Onboarding Checklist is a structured guide designed to help HR managers and team leaders ensure a smooth and comprehensive integration of new hires into the company. With this checklist, you’ll be able to track progress, cover all necessary steps, and provide a welcoming experience that sets up both the employee and the company for success.
Why Every Organization Needs an Onboarding Checklist
Using an employee onboarding checklist helps streamline the administrative tasks and improves the onboarding experience for new hires, helping them align with the company culture and job role.
Improve Administrative Efficiency
- Replaces manual tracking with automated task assignments and reminders.
- Centralizes document storage with version control and audit trails.
- Streamlines access permissions and equipment provisioning.
- Standardizes processes for faster ramp-up and scalable hiring.
- Reduces errors and delays, improving productivity and compliance.
- Lowers administrative burden and turnover costs, increasing ROI.
Align New Hires with Culture and Expectations
- Connects new employees with company mission, vision, and values.
- Guides team introductions and culture immersion activities.
- Clarifies role expectations, performance goals, and collaboration norms..
- Assigns mentors or culture ambassadors for real-time support.
- Builds early connection and belonging, reducing uncertainty and boosting retention.
- Reinforces how individual contributions align with broader organizational goals.
What to Include on Every Stage of a New Employee Onboarding Checklist
You can browse Creately’s template library for an onboarding checklist that works for your organization. These templates could be customized to reflect every stage of onboarding and to assign the department-specific steps involved.
Stage 1: Pre-Onboarding Process Checklist
Send a personalized welcome email: Once the offer is accepted, HR should quickly send a customized message outlining the start date, first-day agenda, and key contacts. This reinforces enthusiasm and sets expectations for the onboarding process.
Provision devices, equipment, and workspace: Coordinate with IT and facilities to order laptops, phones, and supplies. Ensure the workspace is clean, ergonomic, and ready.
Create accounts and access permissions: Set up company email, software accounts, and shared drive access. Use single sign-on and directory tools to streamline access and ensure security.
Prepare and share new hire paperwork: Complete tax forms, NDAs, and policy sign-offs. Provide digital or printed versions of the employee handbook and benefits guide. Store signed documents in a centralized, secure system.
Stage 2: Orientation Checklist
Conduct an office or virtual tour: Introduce new hires to their physical or digital workspace. Highlight key areas like workstations, meeting rooms, and collaboration tools.
Assign mentors or buddies: Pair each new hire with an experienced team member for real-time support, role-specific guidance, and social connection. Map your organizational structure using an org chart template and share this with new employees to help them understand reporting lines and department structure.
Set clear expectations and KPIs: Review role descriptions and performance metrics. Define success criteria and initial 30-60-90 day goals.
Introduce mission, values, and culture: Use Creately’s company profile template to introduce company objectives, values, and culture to new recruits. These templates are easily sharable, and you can make these interactive sessions to encourage questions and build alignment.
Facilitate team-building activities: Use an icebreaker template to plan and kickoff your workshops, group tasks, or social events in an engaging way. This helps build rapport and reduce first-week uncertainty.
Stage 3: Training Checklist
Deliver role-specific training: Schedule workshops, e-learning, or shadowing sessions based on responsibilities.
Address skill gaps: Identify key areas for development early on and tailor training content accordingly.
Share learning resources: Use this knowledge map to centralize guides, company details, documents, and other training resources in an easily accessible workspace for new employees.
Introduce growth opportunities: Reinforce a learning culture by sharing upskilling opportunities and development plans from day one.
Stage 4: Post-Onboarding Process Checklist
Schedule 30-60-90 day check-ins: Use surveys and mentor feedback to track integration and training effectiveness. Centralize insights to address issues early and make new hires feel supported.
Iterating the Onboarding Process: Use feedback and performance data to refine the HR onboarding checklist steps. Creately’s version control ensures every update to your customized templates are tracked, auditable, and easy to roll back.
Ongoing Support & Development: Use the employee journey map to plan career check-ins, and skill-building pathways, while offering self-serve training. Leverage hiring data to forecast support needs and drive long-term growth.
Use Creately’s AI Employee Onboarding Template to instantly generate a customized checklist tailored to roles, departments, and onboarding goals. This saves time and ensures nothing is missed.
Employee Onboarding Checklist Templates
Helpful Resources for Onboarding
Learn how to identify gaps in your onboarding process and strategies streamline it.
Learn how to make remote employee onboarding efficient through best practices.
Browse our collection of free and fully-customizable onboarding templates.
FAQs about Employee Onboarding Checklists
What are the 5C’s of onboarding?
The 5C’s of onboarding are a framework that helps organizations structure effective employee onboarding programs. They stand for:
- Compliance – Covers legal and policy requirements (e.g., tax forms, workplace rules).
- Clarification – Defines role expectations and performance goals.
- Culture – Introduces company values, mission, and norms.
- Connection – Builds relationships with team and organization.
- Check-Back – Provides feedback, support, and progress reviews.
What are common misconceptions about employee onboarding?
- Onboarding is just a one-day event.
- Orientation alone is sufficient for employee integration.
- The onboarding process does not impact employee retention.
Who is responsible for managing the onboarding employees checklist?
Can onboarding be automated?
How can I improve the onboarding checklist?
Resources
Anglin, Lorraine, et al. “Emerging Practices in Onboarding Programs for PAs.” Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, vol. 34, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 32–38, https://doi.org/10.1097/01.jaa.0000723932.21395.74.
Godinho, Teresa, et al. “Onboarding Handbook: An Indispensable Tool for Onboarding Processes.” Administrative Sciences, vol. 13, no. 3, 8 Mar. 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13030079.
