New employee onboarding guide and resources

Start onboarding before your new hire’s first day.

Start your new employee’s onboarding process before their first day. Try to schedule a phone or video call at least a week before their start date to prepare them for their first week. Discuss their onboarding schedule and who their onboarding partners will be. Email digital copies of important resources to your new hire so they can review them on their own time. Your goal is to ensure your hire has everything they need to succeed on day one.

Complete administrative tasks early.

Coordinate the completion of important administrative tasks with your new hire, including:

• Obtaining a dedicated work computer and generating a company email address 

• Signing onboarding documents such as your company handbook, and filling out payroll documentation like tax and direct deposit forms
• Confirming the hire’s work location — whether in the office or at home — and whether they’re expected to be in office during the work week

You can accomplish these tasks before the new hire’s first day via email, digital documentation signing, and phone and video calls. In doing so, you can spend more in-office hours training your hire on valuable role and company information.

Offer a welcome package.

A welcome package is a great way to make your new hire feel at home at your company. It can contain anything you think your hire will need (or enjoy), including:

• Welcome letter
• Employee contract
• First-day agenda
• Employee handbook
• Office map
• Company-branded items like water bottles and backpacks
• Snacks
• Office map
• Guide to attractions near the office, like coffee shops and lunch spots

Assign a job shadow..

When your new hire can experience what a colleague in a similar role does on a daily basis, they’ll more quickly understand what’s required of them to succeed. Job shadows are also a great opportunity for new hires to ask role-specific questions that management may not have answered.

Prepare a work-relevant task.

There’s no better substitute for learning the ins and outs of a new role than by performing a task that benefits your company. Give your new hire practical experience with fulfilling their new job’s objectives so they can better understand why the role is important to your business.

Schedule regular check-ins.

Checking in with a new hire throughout their first weeks and months enables their near- and long-term success. Use this time to celebrate their accomplishments and course-correct when aspects of their approach need improvement. Field any questions that arise for your new hire during this early employment period and listen to any issues they have.

Before a new employee’s first day

The first day of a new job can be overwhelming, so 15 or more days before your new employee starts, try to:

New employee’s first official day

Your goal for your new employee’s first day is to outline the week ahead while making them feel welcome — and crucially, not overwhelmed. Here are some ways to make it happen:

New employee’s second day

Your new hire is now familiar with their new role, company processes, and the people they’ll work with. Now, help them acclimate to their new work environment:

New employee’s first week

Now that you’ve eased your new hire into your workplace and their new role:

New employee’s first month

At this point, your new hire knows what’s expected of them and has the resources they need to succeed. Put them to work on the tasks that make up their role, and be sure to:

New employee’s second month and beyond

Experts agree that it can take up to a year for new employees to acclimate to their new work environment. As you learn your new hire’s work style over time: