Having a set onboarding checklist to go through step-by-step is an incredible asset to any organization. A well-structured onboarding process not only helps new employees feel welcomed and valued but also ensures they quickly become productive members of the team.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, effective onboarding can improve employee retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.
An onboarding checklist should cover various aspects of the onboarding process, including pre-arrival preparations, first-day activities, ongoing training, and integration into the company culture.
In this post, we will not only ensure you have a complete new hire onboarding checklist but also the necessary tools to put those steps into practice.
The must-have steps in an employee onboarding checklist are as follows:
- Pre-Arrival Preparation
- Orientation & First Day
- Implementing Mentorship Program
- Setting Automated Onboarding Tasks
- Regular Check-in Meetings
- Onboarding Surveys
- 90-Day Onboarding Reviews
As we go through each element of the new hire onboarding checklist, we will also cover how each step can actually be put into action by using the right tools.
Whether your organization is remote or working in a conventional office setup, using employee onboarding software is the best possible way to implement a standardized and structured onboarding program for new hires.
While there are some great employee onboarding software out there for you to choose from, the universally accepted best practice is to find an onboarding tool that integrated into your communication and collaboration platforms.
In onboarding checklist guide, we will be showing you an onboarding solution that is fully integrated into Microsoft Teams and Outlook, Teamflect. It is the highest-rated solution in the app stores for both of those platforms for a good reason.
Table of Contents
1. Pre-Arrival Preparation
The onboarding process begins before the new hire even sets foot in the office. Pre-arrival preparation ensures that everything is in place for a smooth first day, setting a positive tone and minimizing first-day jitters.
- Complete Paperwork: Ensure all necessary forms (e.g., tax forms, NDAs) are filled out.
- Set Up Work Equipment: Prepare laptop, software access, and other tools required for the job.
- Prepare Workspace: Arrange desk, chair, and office supplies.
- Send Welcome Email: Include first-day instructions, schedule, and important contacts.
- Organize Welcome Package: Your employee welcome package can include company swag, employee handbook, and other relevant materials.
2. The First Day
There is nothing quite like the first day for a new hire. It is a critical phase in the onboarding process, setting the tone for a new employee’s experience. It involves ensuring all preparations are in place and introducing the new hire to their work environment, team, and responsibilities.
- Orientation Session: Cover company policies, culture, and job expectations. Orientation sessions provide a comprehensive overview of the organization and employee role.
- Providing a tour of the facilities: While this is a regular tour for conventional setups, remote teams can replace this with a detailed rundown of their digital infrastructure.
- Meeting with Manager: Schedule a one-on-one meeting with the new hire’s manager and establish a personal connection and clarifying immediate tasks and goals.
- Assign Mentor/Buddy: Pair the new hire with an experienced employee for guidance. A mentor or buddy provides ongoing support and helps the new hire acclimate quickly.
Implementing a Mentorship Program in Microsoft Teams
In order to implement a strong employee mentorship program to onboard new hires, you will need to integrate Teamflect into your Microsoft Teams. All you need to do is search for it in the App Store and add it to your Teams!
Teamflect will automatically have access to your organizational chart through Entra ID, without you need to add in any additional employee information.
Teamflect’s “Focus People” section allows leaders to form mentors – mentee relationships between employees.
These mentor, mentee relationships come with:
- Automated meetings at regular intervals.
- Review templates specific to the mentorship program
3. The First Week
The first week of a new employee’s onboarding process is crucial for deepening their understanding of the company, their role, and their integration into the team. This phase of the onboarding checklist involves continued orientation, training, and most importantly, automated onboarding tasks to help them feel comfortable and productive.
- Job-Specific Training: Provide comprehensive training tailored to the new hire’s specific role.
- Continued Check-ins with Mentors: Regular meetings between the new hire and their assigned mentor. These meetings, if you set your mentorship program up with Teamflect, are automated at regular intervals.
- Introduction to Tools and Systems: Train the new employees on the tools, software, and systems they will use daily. Familiarity with these tools is essential for efficiency and productivity.
Creating Automated Onboarding Tasks
Onboarding tasks for employees encompass a comprehensive set of activities designed to facilitate a smooth transition for new hires into their roles and the organization.
In order to streamline this process and have set onboarding tasks automatically assigned to new hires according to departments, we will be taking advantage of Teamflect one more time.
Teamflect allows users to create these sets of onboarding tasks for each department. Creating new onboarding tasks sets and customizing existing ones is just a matter of few clicks!
Having automated onboarding tasks for new hires as a part of your onboarding checklist helps new hires get acclimated faster by engaging them early on and not allowing them to feel lost in a new organization.
