The Ultimate Employee Onboarding Checklist

Make your new hire feel awesome! Employee onboarding is a really important component of the hiring process. It really helps to have a checklist so we can make sure all our bases are covered and we don’t forget anything.

This list is a collaborative effort with awesome input from our friends at Swept. Feel free to use it as a guide for when you make your next hire or add to the list and make it your own. Don’t forget to send any suggestions our way!

Our checklist is included below. Or you can download the PDF version here! Employee Onboarding Checklist

Once offer is accepted, but before the first day:

• Community Manager or HR Manager sends a welcome email on behalf of team. Including the login info for their company email, to which any new emails will go.
• Email is also sent with any helpful articles/material, training content accounts (ex:Lynda.com) that can help prepare the person for the role.
• Any company tools/tech required are ordered right away so they can be there when employee starts. Computer will be set-up for first day.
• Admin tasks of additional forms, insurance, etc., are prepared to be signed on first day.
• Order business cards for the new employee to arrive in the first few weeks.
• Team meets to be briefed on new hire as they can assist in specific areas of onboarding.
• If employee is relocating, include info about Canada and/or the city including any applicable extracurricular programs/info (you can get this from tourist bureaus, local organizations, your city hall).
  • Set up their desk, include a welcome card or plant.
  • Prepare a packet of company swag to be at their desk when they arrive (ex: pens, t-shirt, etc.).
• 1-2 days before employee starts, Community Manager or HR Manager sends an email with what they can expect during their first week.
• Office address (if they haven’t been in to the office already), any specifics about getting into the building.
• Work hours, info about lunch breaks, parking.
• Schedule of first day.
• Wifi passwords, ID numbers, and other passwords or account info they will need.
• Emergency contacts info forms (one for company and one for them to fill out with their own contact info and any allergies they may have).
• Org chart with pictures and titles of team members they will meet (to familiarize themselves).
• Dress code

The first day:

• Welcome them to the office, have Community Manager, their direct Manager, or HR Manager guide them through the first day. Start off with a quick tour.
• Let them get acquainted with their desk for 15-20 minutes before starting onboarding (can set up computer, log in to their accounts, see swag, etc.).
• Meet with their team for introductions, ice breaker conversations.
• Have someone go over employee manual, what the day-to-day looks like, etc. Sign-off on having received & read the employee manual.
• New hire fills out any forms, contracts, provide time for feedback or questions.
• Add them to company calendars, in-house messaging channels, etc.
• If being transitioned into a role, have any existing materials (in-progress or completed) accessible via Dropbox, company folder access, etc.
• CEO or Co-founders either stop by to welcome employee, bring them a coffee, or sit down for a coffee together, or send a personalized welcome email (depending on their availability).
• Invite them to topic-specific meetings for their first week to discuss/give overview of their job tasks.
• Invite them to a meeting planned for the end of the week with CEO/Founders, Community Manager, or HR Manager to discuss how the week went, gather their feedback on the onboarding process.

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