New Hire Checklist Template

Ensure an informative and smooth first day for a new hire

Introduction:

Preboarding:

Send company swag in the post

Create security and expenses cards

Send IT equipment to remote new hires

Set up the new hire’s desk

Call the new hire before their first day begins

First day checklist:

Meet the new hire when they arrive

Make sure the new hire has a computer and passwords

Arrange and agree on the most important training first

Get some feedback:

Ask the new hire for feedback

Sources:

Relevant checklists:

Introduction:

Do you remember your first day in a new job? All those unfamiliar faces and no idea who the boss was? Maybe you even had a moment where you were forgotten about? There’s nothing like a little solitary confinement in a bright air-conditioned office. However, you’ve decided that your new hires won’t be going through that kind of treatment.

You’d be right to think that way. Nearly one-third of all new hires quit their jobs within the first six months.

With a high-quality process like the one in this checklist, you can avoid:

Not giving feedback
Letting new hires feel unappreciated
A poor onboarding process

With an automated Process Street workflow, you’ll be organized. That means saving time and money. With our pre-designed checklists, you can have a new hire up and running right from day one.

Preboarding:

Send company swag in the post

Start your onboarding process the best way by taking care of the small details first.

Create a great impression on the new hire by sending t-shirts, cups, or gifts before their first day. Complete the below to get their gifts sent out:

New hire’s name

Address line 1 (street address)

Address line 2 (apartment, suite, unit)

City

State

ZIP code

Country

New hire’s phone number

Send the details on to the design company in the email below:

Create security and expenses cards

Again, the more you've done before the new hire arrives the better. Think about stuff you’ve ordered online. How many times have items been delayed or lost altogether in the mail?

You don’t want a new hire being asked to travel abroad without an expenses card ready.

Use the below fields to get security and expenses cards before the new hire arrives:

New hire’s name

Address line 1 (street address)

Address line 2 (apartment, suite, unit)

City

State

ZIP code

Country

New hire’s phone number

Delivery company to be used

Date that cards will be delivered

Now send the new hire an email to tell them the date their cards will arrive:

Send IT equipment to remote new hires

With an increasing amount of remote workers, there may not be a need to set up an office desk. However, IT equipment will still be needed. Work through the following to decide if and what items need to be sent out.

Will the new hire be a remote worker?

Which software company will the equipment be from?

What equipment will the new hire need from Apple?

What equipment will the new hire need from Google?

What equipment will the new hire need from Microsoft?

Set up the new hire’s desk

Consider the new hire’s desk a great opportunity to onboard them. Make a list of anything they might need and have it ready for their first big day. If you think back to your first day, you may have had a lot of time one day when you waited for a meeting.

Don’t let the new hire’s free time go to waste.

Think of yourself as an interior designer and place the following items: employee manual, business cards, a hierarchy chart, and a list of the day’s activities on their desk. Use the below to make sure you have everything:

1

Employee handbook
2

Copy of current hierarchy
3

Welcome gift
4

Stationery required: cards, notebooks, and pens

1

Has the NDA been signed?
2

Does payroll have all the new hire's details?

Some information about the new hire: including which pronouns to use

Now that you have some interesting info about the new hire, let their line manager know.

Ask the line manager to send out an email using the above details:

Call the new hire before their first day begins

Consider contacting the new hire before their first day.

Calm their nerves and give any information that would save either of you time. Even if you have a buddy lined up for their first day, consider what the new hire might be thinking about. Make the call a personal one.

Think about other HR departments that would send an impersonal email. Keep in mind that 16.45% of new hires quit within their first week.

You want to create a better impression than other employers have.

1

Does the new hire need a specific type of chair?
2

Does the new hire know about nearby parking?
3

Is there a map of the area for the new hire?
4

Are there details for current public transportation routes?
5

Does the new hire understand the dress code?
6

Wish the new hire good luck for their first day

First day checklist:

Meet the new hire when they arrive

If a buddy has not already been nominated then select someone from HR to meet the new hire.

Don’t let the new hire announce their arrival at reception and then be left waiting for twenty minutes.

If possible have them shown around the office noting the cafeteria and bathrooms.

Also, ask the guide to give their contact information to the new hire. Just in case they get locked out of anywhere.

Name of guide for new hire

Guide’s job title

Guide’s mobile phone number

Make sure the new hire has a computer and passwords

No matter what a business does there will always be IT issues. Whether it’s a broken printer or a faulty network drive with important documents, nothing in life works perfectly. It also costs companies money every year.

If you’ve been a new hire, you may remember a day when you were asked to do computer work. It then transpired the computer didn’t work and maybe no one had given you the IT department’s phone number?

We suggest you call the IT department before the new hire arrives. Ask them if there are any problems you should be made aware of?

So, don’t just think about passwords and computers, anticipate dangers in the road ahead before you get to them.

1

No, there are no IT issues
2

Yes, there are IT issues

Details of any IT issues

Check that invites have been sent to the new hire for the following services and software:

1

Ahrefs
2

Airtable
3

Brex
4

Calendly
5

Dive
6

Gmail
7

Gong
8

Grammarly
9

Intercom
10

Loom
11

Notion
12

Slack
13

Zapier
14

Zoom

Name of person on the IT helpdesk

Phone number for the IT helpdesk

Email address for IT helpdesk

Arrange and agree on the most important training first

Make the new hire feel valued on their first day.

Explain the training they will need but also ask about training they are interested in. After their first day, they may have identified areas where they lack experience.

Allow them to discuss their needs and you’ll make them feel part of the team.

Complete list of all training

Agree on a training review meeting

Get some feedback:

Ask the new hire for feedback

By asking the new hire for feedback you will be helping yourself.

Ask them to list anything they felt was missing from their first day. Is there anything that could have been provided in the preboarding phase?

Also, identify the new hire’s priorities.

Remember that how you handle the first few days and months of a new employee’s experience is crucial.

Make the new hire’s first day the road to their long term-journey with you.

New hire’s first day insights

To go even further with the onboarding process, see the fantastic YouTube video below. It covers the secrets of onboarding with Wade Foster: The founder, and CEO, of Zapier.