What should an onboarding checklist include?

Laura Parker
Mar 2024

Embarking on the journey of employee onboarding, organizations face the crucial question: what should an onboarding checklist include? This foundational step not only welcomes new hires but also bridges their transition into the company with clarity and confidence. An onboarding checklist serves as a roadmap, detailing the onboarding must haves for a seamless integration into the workplace. From the essential paperwork to the cultural immersion activities, each element plays a pivotal role in nurturing a productive and engaged employee. In this guide, we delve into the intricacies of crafting an onboarding checklist that covers all bases, ensuring no detail is overlooked. With a focus on the critical components of employee onboarding, we aim to provide insights on creating an experience that fosters both immediate contribution and long-term commitment.

Checklist concept, Check mark on wooden blocks, blue background with copy space

How do I make an onboarding checklist

Creating an effective onboarding checklist is pivotal for streamlining the integration of new employees into your organization. The process begins with identifying the employee onboarding checklist examples that resonate with your company’s culture and operational needs. Here’s a step-by-step guide to assembling a comprehensive onboarding checklist:

  • Start with the Basics: Include essential information about the company, key contacts, and an overview of the first week’s schedule. This helps new hires feel prepared and less overwhelmed on their first day.
  • Detail the Documentation: Clearly list all documents required for onboarding, such as tax forms, identification for verification, and contracts. This ensures compliance and reduces the back-and-forth often associated with paperwork.
  • Incorporate Role-Specific Training: Outline the training sessions and materials relevant to the new hire’s position. This tailored approach accelerates proficiency in their role and integrates them into their team more effectively.
  • Embed Company Culture: Introduce elements that convey your company’s values and norms. This could be through mentorship programs, team lunches, or company-wide meetings. It’s crucial for new hires to understand and feel part of the culture from day one.
  • Feedback and Flexibility: Include milestones for feedback sessions between the new employee and their manager. This open line of communication allows for adjustments to the onboarding process and ensures it meets the needs of both the employee and the organization.

By following these steps, you can create an onboarding checklist that not only covers the practicalities of starting a new job but also fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment for new team members. Utilizing onboarding checklist examples as a foundation allows you to customize an approach that aligns with your organization’s specific requirements and values.

What does onboarding typically include

A well-crafted onboarding checklist is a cornerstone for integrating new hires into their roles and the company culture effectively. At its core, onboarding encompasses several key components:

  • Administrative Essentials: This foundation layer addresses the immediate needs of new hires, such as completing necessary legal documentation, setting up payroll, and ensuring all required work tools and access are provided. It’s the practical side of onboarding that facilitates a smooth start.
  • Cultural Integration: Beyond the paperwork, a robust onboarding process introduces new employees to the company culture, values, and people. This includes team introductions, company history, and values sessions, fostering a sense of belonging and community from the outset.
  • Role-specific Training: Tailored training sessions equip new hires with the knowledge and skills needed for their specific roles. This can range from operational procedures and software tutorials to comprehensive overviews of departmental goals and expectations.

The essence of answering “What should an onboarding checklist include?” lies in balancing these elements to create an engaging, informative, and welcoming experience for new hires. It’s about more than just ticking boxes; it’s about setting the stage for long-term success and satisfaction within the company.

What is included in an onboarding checklist

An onboarding checklist serves as a navigational tool for the crucial first days of a new hire, ensuring a smooth transition into their new role and the company culture. Central to this process is the compilation of documents required for onboarding, which lays the groundwork for a successful employment relationship. Key components of the checklist include:

  • Essential Paperwork: The cornerstone of any onboarding checklist is the collection of necessary documents. This includes employment contracts, tax forms, confidentiality agreements, and any other legal paperwork needed to formalize the employment relationship.
  • Work Environment Preparation: Equipping new hires with the right tools and access is crucial. This means setting up workstations, providing necessary technology, and ensuring access to relevant software and internal systems.
  • Orientation and Culture: Comprehensive orientation sessions that introduce company policies, values, and culture help new employees understand their place within the company and how they can contribute to its mission.
  • Role-specific Training: Developing proficiency through training sessions tailored to the new hire’s role is essential. This can range from operational safety to software proficiency, depending on the job requirements.
  • Feedback Mechanisms: Integrating feedback sessions early on helps in evaluating the onboarding process and the new hire’s adaptation, allowing for necessary adjustments and continuous improvement.

Incorporating these components not only streamlines the administrative process but also lays a strong foundation for new employees’ long-term success and engagement.

How do you automate an onboarding checklist

Automating an onboarding checklist streamlines the integration of new hires, ensuring a consistent and engaging introduction to the company. By drawing inspiration from onboarding checklist examples, platforms like beSlick offer innovative solutions to automate this crucial process. Here’s how automation can transform your onboarding checklist:

  • Leverage Examples for Comprehensive Coverage: Start by examining onboarding checklist examples to ensure your automated checklist covers all necessary aspects of the onboarding process. beSlick can help tailor these examples to fit your company’s unique requirements.
  • Automate Document Management: Essential documents required for onboarding can be managed more efficiently with beSlick’s digital tools, automating submissions, and organizing paperwork seamlessly.
  • Task Scheduling and Reminders: Utilizing automation for scheduling orientations, training, and other critical onboarding activities ensures comprehensive coverage without manual oversight. beSlick’s platform facilitates these tasks, sending reminders to both HR and new employees.
  • Customized Training Modules: Automate the delivery of tailored training content, allowing new hires to engage with role-specific material at their own pace. beSlick tracks progress, ensuring essential skills are acquired efficiently.
  • Feedback Loops for Improvement: Automated feedback collection at various onboarding stages captures insights from new employees, essential for refining the process. beSlick simplifies this feedback gathering, promoting continuous improvement.
  • Integration with HR Systems: For a seamless onboarding experience, beSlick integrates with existing HR systems, ensuring smooth transitions from onboarding to other employee management processes.

By incorporating elements from onboarding checklist examples and leveraging beSlick’s automation capabilities, companies can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their onboarding process. This approach not only reduces the administrative burden but also fosters a positive start for new employees, paving the way for their success within the company.

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In the rapidly evolving workplace, the importance of a well-structured onboarding process cannot be overstated. A carefully curated onboarding checklist, inspired by diverse onboarding checklist examples and automated with the help of tools like beSlick, sets the foundation for a seamless transition of new hires into their roles and the company culture. By automating administrative tasks, scheduling essential training, and facilitating feedback, beSlick not only streamlines the onboarding process but also enhances the experience for both HR teams and new employees, leading to increased engagement and long-term success within the company.

Embrace the future of onboarding by exploring beSlick’s capabilities. Take the first step towards transforming your onboarding process by booking a 5-minute virtual demo. For those looking to immediately enhance their onboarding process, our free employee onboarding template offers a practical starting point, embodying the best practices encapsulated in the article.

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, Author of The Dirty Word and CEO at beSlick

Alister Esam is a successful entrepreneur and investor, having bootstrapped his fintech software business eShare to international status operating in over 40 countries and servicing 20,000 board directors, before successfully exiting to a multibillion-dollar organisation in 2018. He now invests in a variety of startups and on a global mission to make work, work.