elcoming a new hire isn’t just about a first-day handshake and a stack of forms. It’s about setting the stage for long-term success. A well-crafted onboarding checklist can make all the difference in how a new employee integrates into your team – whether they’re sitting in your office, working from home, or a bit of both.
We’re breaking down a practical employee onboarding checklist – whether your new hire is working in the office, from their couch at home, or a bit of both. We’ll also chat about why putting a little extra effort into onboarding seriously pays off (spoiler: happier hires, less turnover, and way more productivity).
Why Creating Effective Onboarding Checklist Template Matters
Employee onboarding isn’t just a formality – it’s a smart business investment. Research by Allencomm found that organizations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. On the flip side, poor onboarding can send new talent out the door quickly.
As much as 20% of staff turnover occurs within the first 45 days of employment, often due to new hires feeling unsupported or disconnected. Considering that replacing an employee can cost up to 30-50% (or more) of their salary in recruiting and training, keeping those new hires onboard is crucial.
The ROI of doing onboarding right is clear: Companies even see revenue growth benefits – one study linked structured onboarding to a 60% year-over-year improvement in revenue (thanks to more engaged, productive employees). It also hugely impacts engagement: only 12% of employees strongly agree their organization does a great job onboarding new people, yet 93% of businesses believe onboarding influences a new hire’s decision to stay or leave.
In short, most organizations know onboarding is pivotal, but few are knocking it out of the park – which means there’s a big opportunity for you to shine.
Some key business benefits of a well prepared onboarding program include:
- Higher retention. Great onboarding makes employees feel welcomed and prepared, increasing the likelihood they’ll stay long term (new hires are far more likely to stick around at least 3 years when they experience effective onboarding). This reduces turnover costs and preserves institutional knowledge.
- Faster productivity. When a new hire has the tools, training, and clarity they need from day one, they ramp up faster. They’re not lost or waiting around – they’re contributing. Effective onboarding can accelerate time-to-productivity by up to 70%.
- Greater engagement. Feeling supported and connected early on boosts new employee engagement. From having a friend at work to understanding the company’s mission, onboarding sets the tone. In fact, 72% of employees say one-on-one time with their direct manager is crucial to good onboarding – it shows the company cares.
- Consistent culture & compliance. Onboarding is your chance to immerse new hires in your culture and values, and to ensure they understand policies and compliance requirements. It creates consistency in how all employees represent the company. A checklist helps cover these bases uniformly for every hire.
- Better overall experience. Simply put, starting a new job with a structured, friendly onboarding experience makes people happier. And happy employees tend to do better work and deliver better customer service. It’s a win-win.
Now, let’s get practical about how to do it – across in-office, remote, and hybrid work settings.
In-Office Onboarding Template
Onboarding an employee who will work in the office gives you the advantage of face-to-face interaction. You can physically show them around and introduce them to coworkers in person, which helps a lot with feeling connected. Still, it’s easy to overlook details during those busy first days. Here’s an onboarding plan template for in-office hires to ensure nothing falls through the cracks:
#1. Pre-boarding welcome & paperwork
Don’t wait until day one to start onboarding. After the offer is accepted, send a warm welcome email to your new hire a few days before they start. Express excitement, confirm their start date and time, dress code (if any), where to park or how to enter the building, and an outline of their first day’s schedule.
Include required HR forms (tax forms, benefits enrollment, NDAs, etc.) via email or your onboarding portal so they can complete paperwork in advance. Early communication sets a positive tone and reduces first-day jitters.
💡Note: Attach or link your employee handbook and any key policies in this email, so they can familiarize themselves beforehand.
#2. Prepare their workspace & tools
Imagine arriving excited for your first day, only to find no desk or a missing computer. Not a good look, right? Before the new hire’s first day, set up their workspace with all necessary equipment and supplies.
This includes a clean desk or cubicle, chair, computer with all the required software installed, a phone (if needed), and access cards or keys for the office. Test that their email and logins for all work applications are working (email, project management tools, etc.).
💡Note: Little touches go a long way: consider placing some company swag or a small welcome gift on their desk – maybe a branded mug, notebook, or a welcome card signed by the team.
#3. HR orientation and office tour
On the first day, schedule a brief orientation session to cover the basics. This can be led by HR or the hiring manager. Go over the company’s mission, values, and a bit of history so they understand the big picture. Review important policies (work hours, attendance, security procedures, etc.) and have them finalize any remaining paperwork. After that, give a tour of the office.
Show them the key areas: their workspace, conference rooms, break rooms or kitchen, restrooms, emergency exits – and don’t forget the coffee machine! Introduce them to colleagues as you walk around. Meeting people face-to-face and seeing the workplace layout helps the new hire feel at home and less lost in those early days. If possible, introduce them to someone in each department they’ll interact with.
💡Note: These personal connections are gold for comfort and collaboration.
#4. Team introductions & social lunch
Arrange a dedicated time for team introductions. This could be during the tour or a more formal team meeting where everyone says hello. Many companies also organize a welcome lunch or coffee break on a new hire’s first day. This casual setting helps break the ice.
You might take the new hire out to lunch with the team or order in pizza – whatever fits your culture. The goal is to help them start building relationships.
💡Note: Early social connections boost that sense of belonging.
#5. Assign a buddy or mentor
Pair the new employee with a “go-to” person – often called a buddy – for their first few weeks. This should be a friendly, experienced colleague (not their direct manager) who can show them the ropes informally.
A buddy can take them to lunch, and be there to answer stupid questions (we all have them when we’re new!), and help the newbie understand the company culture. Having a buddy makes a huge difference; new hires with a peer mentor are significantly more satisfied with their onboarding experience than those without. Make sure the buddy checks in regularly, maybe a quick chat each day in the first week.
💡Note: In-office, this might happen organically, but it’s still good to explicitly set this up.
#6. Job training and shadowing
Begin job-specific training early. Give an overview of their role, responsibilities, and success metrics. Sit down and go through their job description together again, now that they’re in the role, to clarify expectations. Outline initial projects or tasks for the first week so they aren’t sitting idle.
One effective approach is to let the new hire shadow a colleague who performs a similar job (or their buddy) for a day or two. This on-the-job observation helps them learn workflows and pick up on unwritten best practices. Also schedule any required training sessions (e.g., on specific tools, safety procedures, or product knowledge) during those first days. Have training materials ready – whether it’s an online learning module or a binder of SOPs.
💡Note: Giving structured training shows you’re invested in their success.
#7. Introduce company culture & values
Beyond the nuts-and-bolts of the job, help your new hire connect with the company’s culture. Discuss the company’s core values and perhaps share stories of these values in action.
You might give them a “culture handbook” or simply tell them about any traditions, like Friday team huddles or volunteering events. If you have upcoming social events or team activities, invite them along. The sooner they feel part of the community, the better.
💡Note: Remember, around 88% of candidates say a healthy culture is crucial – onboarding is the time to prove your culture is more than just words on a poster.
#8. Clarify admin procedures
Take time to walk the new hire through important administrative procedures. This includes how to use the HR system to request time off, submitting expenses, clocking hours (if applicable), and signing up for benefits.
Show them how to get IT support if something breaks, and who to ask for what (e.g., which person handles supply requests, or how to reserve a meeting room). These might seem mundane, but knowing how to get things done in an organization saves a lot of frustration.
💡Note: A quick orientation to these processes on day one or two will empower the employee to navigate the basics without feeling helpless.
#9. Set 30-60-90 day goals
Once the immediate first week is underway, it’s important to give new hires a sense of direction for the longer term. Many companies use a 30-60-90 day plan: outline what the employee should aim to learn or accomplish by day 30, day 60, and day 90.
For example, “By 30 days, complete all training modules and be comfortable with product X; by 60 days, take ownership of project Y; by 90 days, be working independently on Z.”
This provides clear milestones and gives the new hire purposeful objectives beyond just “survive the first month.” It also communicates how their role contributes to bigger company goals. Managers should discuss these goals with the new hire in the first week, so they know what to focus on.
💡Note: Document this plan in your employee onboarding & development tool and share it with the employee so they can refer back to it. You can always adjust as you go.
#10. Regular check-ins
Don’t set and forget! Schedule periodic check-ins with the new hire and with their manager. A quick 1:1 at the end of the first week is a must – ask how things are going, what questions they have, and if anything is lacking. Then check in again at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days.
These meetings can be informal, but they are vital. They show the employee that you’re committed to their growth, and they provide opportunities to catch any issues early. Many successful teams also solicit feedback on the onboarding process during these check-ins – for instance, asking “Do you feel you have all the tools and knowledge you need? Is there something we could have done differently to make your first weeks easier?” Use this input to continually improve your onboarding checklist over time.
💡Note: Remember, onboarding isn’t just about the new hire learning – it’s also about the company learning how to support new hires better.
Remote Onboarding Plan Template
Onboarding a remote employee presents unique challenges and opportunities. Without the office tour and in-person meet-and-greets, you have to be extra intentional in how you welcome and integrate a new hire.
The key is to recreate the personal touch and structured guidance of in-office onboarding through virtual means. Here’s a checklist to ensure your remote newbies feel just as connected and prepared:
#1. Pre-boarding IT setup & shipment
For remote hires, the pre-boarding stage is critical. Ship any equipment they’ll need well in advance – laptop, monitor, headset, security tokens, etc. There’s nothing worse for a remote hire than sitting at home on day one with no login info or waiting for a delayed package.
Coordinate with IT to create their user accounts for email, VPN, Slack/Microsoft Teams, project tools – basically everything – ahead of time Provide clear instructions (maybe a setup checklist in the box or via email) for how to get their tech going.
💡Note: A smooth tech setup sets the foundation for all other remote onboarding activities.
#2. Welcome email with detailed info
Remote employees need even more clarity upfront since they can’t physically see what’s happening. Send a thorough welcome email a few days before their start. This email should not only express excitement, but also act as a mini “orientation packet.” Include: their start day agenda (with links to any virtual meetings on their calendar), who will call them first on Day 1, login credentials or instructions for systems, and any digital copies of paperwork to fill out.
Outline how the first day will unfold (e.g., “Join the Zoom call at 9:00 AM with the team for introductions, then at 10:00 AM you have an HR orientation meeting link…”).
💡Note: Providing this roadmap ahead of time helps the remote hire know what to expect and reduces that first-day anxiety.
#3. Virtual orientation & introductions
On their first day, start with a personal touch. Schedule a video call first thing in the morning as a welcome orientation. This could be one-on-one with their manager or a small group call with HR and team members.
The important part is they see friendly faces and get a warm “we’re so happy you’re here” greeting. Cover the same kind of content as an in-person orientation: company overview, review of role and expectations, and a tour of org charts or key documents rather than a building tour. You might share your screen to show the new hire around your company intranet, org chart, or where to find resources.
💡Note: Introduce team members virtually – perhaps during a team meeting video call or by having a few people join the welcome call to say hello.
#4. Virtual office tour & tool orientation
A remote worker won’t physically walk through your office, but they still need a “tour” of how work gets done. This means orienting them to your digital workspace. Walk them through the key communication channels – for example, give a guided tour of your Slack or Microsoft Teams: which channels to join, what each channel is for (e.g., #general for announcements, #team-chat for casual banter, etc.).
Show them your project management tools, shared file drives, and any internal wikis or knowledge bases. Essentially, help them navigate your company’s information highways. It can be helpful to create a one-page cheat sheet of important links and tools.
💡Note: Also, explain any remote etiquette norms (like “we use the Slack status to show if we’re on lunch” or “we have a rule that everyone turns video on for the daily standup meeting”).
#5. Set clear working norms
When onboarding remote employees, be very explicit about working expectations. Clarify their working hours or if you have a flexible schedule policy. Discuss how they should communicate availability (Do you expect them to be on instant messenger all day? Is it okay to just send email?).
💡Note: Make sure they know how to reach their manager and team – and that it’s okay to ask for help.
#6. Foster personal connections from afar
Remote setup requires creativity here. Some ideas: schedule a casual team video call in the first week just to chat and introduce everyone (not strictly work talk). If possible, schedule one-on-one introductions between the new hire and key colleagues across different departments they’ll work with – just 15-minute video chats to say hi and explain how they might collaborate.
These can be spread over the first week or two. Consider creating a “get to know you” thread on Slack where the new hire shares a photo of their home workspace or their pet, and others share theirs – something fun to spark conversation.
💡Note: If your company has a tradition like virtual Friday happy hours or remote game sessions, invite the newbie.
#7. Provide a structured training plan
A remote hire should receive a clear training and ramp-up schedule, just like in-office. Possibly even more structured, since you can’t just pop by their desk to check in spur of the moment. Create a week-by-week onboarding plan for their first few weeks.
For example: “Week 1: complete X online courses, meet with mentor to learn Y process, daily end-of-day check-in with manager. Week 2: gradually start handling Z tasks with supervision,” etc.
Share this plan with them so they know what to work on and what support they’ll get. Utilize digital training materials – perhaps your company has an LMS for onboarding or uses recorded webinars.
💡Note: If you have a dedicated onboarding e-learning course or a repository of how-to guides, make sure the new hire has access.
#8. Over-communicate milestones & check-ins
We can’t stress enough – schedule frequent check-ins in the beginning. For remote workers, communication gaps can arise easier, so fill those gaps proactively.
On day one, have the manager or HR do a midday check-in (“How’s it going so far? Any issues logging in to things?”) and an end-of-day wrap-up (“How was your first day? Anything you need?”).
In the first week, a daily quick sync is not overkill; it’s reassuring. As they settle in, you can taper every few days. Ensure the manager sets up formal check-in meetings at the 1-week, 2-week, and 1-month marks to discuss how they’re adapting and to gather feedback on the onboarding process.
#9. Encourage questions and provide FAQ resources
In an office, a new hire can lean over and ask, “Hey, how do I access the VPN?” Remotely, they might stew on it. Make it explicit that you welcome questions. You might even create a living FAQ document for new remote hires covering common issues (like “How do I reset my password?” or “Whom do I contact for supply orders?”).
Share this document on day one. Let them know who their points of contact are for various topics (IT support email, HR rep name, etc.). The more self-service help you provide, the more empowered they’ll feel. Still, always pair it with encouragement to reach out to their manager or buddy any time.
#10. Recreate “First Day” celebrations
Just because they’re not physically in the office doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate their arrival. Some companies will send a “welcome package” to remote hires – maybe company swag, a personal note from the CEO or team, or even a gift card for coffee/lunch on their first day. If your budget allows, this is a wonderful gesture.
Even a digital celebration works: for instance, everyone could change their virtual background on a welcome call to a “Welcome [Name]!” image, or the team all raises a coffee mug on video to toast the new person. Little fun things make a difference in breaking the virtual ice.
💡Note: Remote onboarding usually needs more touchpoints and communication than in-person. It’s better to slightly “overwhelm” a new remote hire with support and contact than to leave them feeling adrift.
Conclusion & Next Steps: Set Your New Hires Up for Success
Want to take your onboarding to the next level? EducateMe – an employee onboarding & training platform – can help you automate tasks, deliver training courses, track progress, and personalize learning paths for each new hire. You can create custom onboarding journeys that new hires can follow step-by-step, complete with checklists, videos, quizzes, and reminders – so nothing gets missed and the experience is actually fun.
Investing in a robust onboarding program is investing in the future of your company. So start ticking off those checklist items and watch your new employees flourish. Here’s to many successful new beginnings and a thriving, well-trained team!
