7 Essential Onboarding Checklists 

Written by:

Paddy Morrison - Culture operations associate

Onboarding is a process we’ve iterated a lot at Charlie – and no matter how many times we do it, I find there’s always room for improvement. 

Regardless of the adjustments we make, onboarding checklists are an item I would never remove from the process, as they help me steer clear of easy mistakes such as forgetting to sign a document. 

If you don’t have time to read our guide now, simply download our onboarding checklist templates below. 

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What is an employee onboarding checklist? 

An employee onboarding checklist is a document that you can tick off as you onboard new team members. It can help you ensure you stay compliant and don’t miss any crucial aspect of onboarding, no matter how small it is. 

One thing to be said is that there’s no “right” onboarding checklist. All companies are different processes and will use a multitude of methods to onboard team members. 

However, when it comes to onboarding processes in the UK, there are a lot of similarities and that’s why we thought sharing our own checklists could be useful. 

What should you include in an onboarding checklist? 

As someone who onboards people regularly at CharlieHR, these are the seven onboarding checklists I use and share with managers and employees: 

• Pre-onboarding – preparation before the new hire’s first day
  
• First day – when the new hire starts their job
• First week – all the onboarding steps and essentials you need to share on that first onboarding week
• First three months – an important part of the employee’s journey to set them on the course to success
• End of probation – crucial to ensure each onboarding step has been successfully completed and the new hire is ready to successfully take on their role
• Documents checklists – tick all the documents you must share with your new hire so you don’t forget any

Of course, these are a lot of checklists and you don’t want to overload yourself with too many processes, but it’s important that you also don’t forget what an employee onboarding process includes. 

To save myself the time and effort, I add them directly in Charlie. That way I don’t lose track of anyone’s progress, and I can simply re-use templates for each team member I onboard.

Maybe book a demo with Charlie to find out more about this feature. 

Why should you bother with an employee onboarding checklist? 

It may look pretty simple, but having an employee onboarding checklist will be the first step to the standardisation of your processes across the business. 

By having this process in place, you can ensure everyone is able to pick up onboarding and go through the checklist. It comes in handy in a startup or small business where many people have to play the HR role at some point. 

By covering all areas on your checklist, you’ll get the guarantee that your new hire is in good hands.

Have a structured orientation process

This is the first reason why you should think about getting an onboarding checklist. It’s a great way to structure your processes and helps everyone in the company have a clear understand of what they need to do and when. 

Ensure you comply with employment law 

Wherever you’re based, it’s essential that you follow the government directives when it comes to hiring people at your company. You will need passports, and sometimes visas to ensure they can work for you and avoid any legal issues. All of this can be combined in your onboarding checklist for due diligence. 

Share information efficiently 

If you want to build up on your HR processes, onboarding checklists are probably the right place to start – by giving your new hire tasks on that checklist, you’ll also make sure they don’t overlook any aspects of the readings they have to do as well as their role and responsibilities. 

Sort out the resources and logistics 

This may seem like a trivial aspect of onboarding, but your checklist should ensure you double check what your new hire needs and already has – computer, keyword, second screen, access to software, etc. 

Give your new hire a warm welcome 

Another piece of advice? Don’t leave your new hire all by themselves and make sure they get introduced to as many people as possible in your company. Stakeholders for specific areas may be the most important if you have a lot of employees, but you and your team members should make a conscious effort to at least say hello and welcome to foster a warm environment. 

Set them up for success for productivity and performance 

Having a well-structured onboarding process - including a checklist - will be a great way to make your new hire is set for success right from the start. Following the steps outlined on your onboarding checklist, they’ll be able to be up and running in no time and have more chance to meet expectations after their first week. It will also reduce the uncertainty and lower the stress they may have at the beginning of a new job with a clear roadmap ahead of them. 

Reinforce retention and engagement 

It’s been proven many times that having a clear and efficient onboarding process will give your employee more of a reason to stay in the long run. After all, a first impression is one that lasts, so it makes sense that people will have a hard time forgetting a bad experience. When your team members feel supported, informed and welcomed, they’re more likely to stay engaged with their work. 

What is an employee onboarding process? 

To follow this up, it’s important to remember that an onboarding process is the first port of entry for your employee into the company. 

‍It will be the only way to set up your new hire to success and ensure they have all the tools and knowledge in hand to start working efficiently. 

Here are the goals an employee onboarding process should achieve: 

• Tick the HR compliance boxes 
  
• Ensure all operational tasks are completed 
• Have managers ready to provide information and train new hire 
• Give people a warm welcome 

For additional resources on employee onboarding, you can also have a look at our guides below: 

First days can be nerve-wracking – both for you and your new hire. That’s why getting that day right is important to make a good first impression.
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To ensure your new team member feels confident in their new role, you‘ll be responsible to give them an onboarding experience that’s as smooth as possible.

Get your new hire’s first day checklist

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