Employee onboarding checklist: [name], [role]
Fill in the names and dates, delete what does not apply to your team and keep one copy per new hire. The manager owns the checklist. The buddy is an experienced colleague who works alongside the new hire in the first weeks.
The basics
| Item | Fill in |
|---|---|
| New hire | |
| Role and team | |
| Start date | |
| Manager (owner of this plan) | |
| Buddy | |
| First work location or client site | |
| Working hours and first shifts | |
| Goal for the first 30 days | Example: does the core tasks of the role on their own |
Before day one (manager)
- Send a welcome message: start time, address, parking or public transport, what to wear and who to ask for
- Arrange the contract, payroll and tax details as your local rules require
- Order the uniform, keys, badge, tools, phone or laptop
- Create accounts: email, schedule or roster, booking or till system, Helpable
- Plan the first week with the buddy on the same shifts
- Pick the five to ten work instructions the new hire needs first
- Tell the team who is starting, in which role and when
Day one
| When | What | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Welcome and a tour: entrances, break room, toilets, emergency exits, first aid kit | Manager |
| Morning | Safety basics: what to do in an emergency, protective gear, products to handle with care, how to report an incident | Manager |
| Morning | Hand over keys, uniform, tools and log-ins, and check that every log-in works | Manager |
| Midday | Lunch with the buddy and the team | Buddy |
| Afternoon | Walk along on real work: the buddy shows, the new hire watches and asks | Buddy |
| End of day | Short check-in: what went well, what is unclear, the plan for tomorrow | Manager |
Week one
- Read and confirm the must-know work instructions and house rules
- Do each core task once while the buddy watches
- Know who to call for what: schedule, sick leave, customer complaints, broken equipment
- Ten-minute check-in with the buddy at the end of each day
- End of the week: check-in with the manager and agree goals for the month
The first 30 days
- Does the core tasks alone, the buddy checks now and then
- Finishes the training for the role and passes the quiz
- Spends half a day with another team or role to see how the work connects
- 30-day conversation: what goes well, where help is needed, open questions
Days 31 to 90
- Takes on the full range of tasks for the role
- Looks up answers in the knowledge base before asking
- Gives feedback on the onboarding: what was missing or unclear?
- 90-day review: end of the probation period where it applies, goals for the next quarter
Check-in questions
- What surprised you this week?
- Which task do you feel least sure about?
- Did you have to search for information? Where did you look?
- What would help you work more on your own?
- Is there anything you would explain differently to the next new colleague?
Sign-off
| Moment | Date | Manager | New hire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week one done | |||
| 30 days done | |||
| 90 days done |
Tip: keep the plan short enough to check off. If a step keeps getting skipped, move it or delete it.
