12 Steps to Create the Perfect Onboarding Checklist

Build an onboarding checklist that gets new hires productive faster, plus two ready-to-use templates for retail and remote teams.

A new hire shows up Monday morning, badge in hand, ready to do great work. By Wednesday? They still don’t have a laptop login, they’ve eaten lunch alone twice and nobody’s told them what a good first month even looks like.

Is this your company?

If it is, you’re in good company yourself. Only 12% of employees strongly agree their company does a great job¹ of welcoming new people. That gap between “we hired someone great” and “they’re actually contributing” is exactly what onboarding closes.

The good news? A solid checklist is one of the simplest fixes you can make.

Here’s your complete guide to building one that fits your company, plus two ready-to-use templates you can steal at the bottom.

What is an Onboarding Checklist?

Think of it as a recipe for turning a stranger into a teammate. It’s a guiding document supervisors and HR follow when hiring, training and integrating a new employee, and it gives every manager the same framework to work from. No crossed wires, no winging it.

A well-designed one quietly does two jobs at once:

1. It guides busy managers through the training process
2. It gives new employees a structure so they know what to expect

And that structure does real work. Two large meta-analyses of organizational research found that formal, structured onboarding predicts clearer roles, higher confidence and a stronger sense of belonging for new hires, which then feed better commitment, better performance and lower turnover².

In plain terms? People who know what’s expected of them stick around and do better work.

Why a Checklist Earns Its Keep

Here’s the thing about new hires: they take months to reach full speed. The most complex roles can eat up the better part of a year before someone’s truly up and running. Good training shortens that ramp. Poor preparation drags it out for everyone.

A checklist helps your whole organization by:

• Saving time: A tangible checklist speeds up onboarding so new people can get to real work sooner.
• Boosting cultural familiarity: Protecting your company culture starts with every new hire. A clear process helps people find their footing in your workplace fast.
• Building confidence: Nobody wants to be thrown into a job without knowing what’s expected. Clear, structured onboarding is one of the strongest predictors of a new hire feeling confident and self-assured in the role².
• Creating consistency: A checklist streamlines orientation so every new hire starts with the same understanding of culture, expectations, goals and their responsibilities.
• Providing structure: Give managers a clear framework for bringing people into their new positions.
• Building accountability: Make sure nothing slips through the cracks. Employees know exactly what’s coming and how to settle in.
• Improving retention: People who have a great onboarding experience are more likely to make it past their first year. That early window is when commitment is most fragile, so it’s worth getting right.
• Reducing errors: Properly trained people make fewer mistakes, and busy managers won’t have to run training from memory.

What to Include in an Onboarding Checklist

A new-hire checklist creates a warm first impression for everyone who walks through your doors, whether that door is physical or a video call.

But before you build anything, get to know who you’re onboarding so the experience actually fits them:

• How they prefer to get information: Some people want e-signature documents, others want short video tutorials. Save physical paper for the documents that truly need it.
• What devices they use: Can the training happen on a phone, or does it need a desktop or an in-person screen?
• What motivates them: Employee motivation starts on day one. Get to know new staff with personality tests or a few engagement questions.
• What’s most important to their role: Cut the unnecessary fluff so the essentials stand out.
• Their time zone and schedule: Especially important if you’re onboarding remotely.

Next, make sure your checklist covers both the logistical and the human side of orientation:

• Official documentation (HR paperwork, tax forms)
• A clear outline of the new employee’s role
• A job training plan
• Logins, software, accounts and technical access
• An introduction to your company culture
• Dates for check-ins and performance reviews
• Meetings with colleagues and managers

How to Create an Employee Onboarding Checklist in 12 Steps

Ready to build yours? Work these 12 parts into your checklist and every new hire gets the same well-structured start.

1. Make them feel welcome

First things first: make your new hire feel like part of the team before they’ve done a lick of work. You can:

• Send a welcome email
• Invite them to a new hire lunch
• Call a team meeting to introduce them
• Give them a company swag bag

Create a spot for managers to check off each welcoming step so every new employee gets the same warm start.

Here’s a deeper guide: How to Welcome a New Employee to The Team (The Awesome Way).

2. Clearly outline the role

Your new hire has a rough idea of the job from the listing. Onboarding is where you get specific. Get as granular as you can so they know exactly what to do in their first days and weeks.

Have the training manager sit down with the new employee and walk through each point:

• The overarching objective of the position
• Daily tasks
• Daily schedule
• Weekly expectations
• Key deadlines or events for the next 6 to 12 months
• Where to submit completed projects
• Who they report to
• Who to ask for specific questions
• Communication preferences

This step is doing way more work than it looks. Role clarity is one of the biggest factors that links good onboarding to people actually staying and performing². When someone knows precisely what’s expected, everything else gets easier.

3. Complete HR documents

Picture welcoming someone warmly, then realizing weeks later that nobody ever signed the NDA or set them up for payroll. Yikes. Get the official paperwork done early so all your legal bases are covered before a new hire touches any insider info.

In the United States, new hire paperwork may include:

• W-4 Tax Forms (or 1099 for independent contractors)
• I-9 Employee Eligibility Verification form
• State Tax Withholding form
• Direct Deposit form
• Non-disclosure agreements
• Employee handbook acknowledgement
• Drug/alcohol test consent agreements
• Confidentiality and security agreements
• Employee benefits documents (healthcare, stock options, etc.)

Every company has its own paperwork pile. This part of the checklist makes sure nobody starts working without the right documentation in hand.

4. Set up software and accounts

Finish the logistical side by giving your new hire access to everything they need. Be crystal clear about which devices they’ll use and what the company provides.

Don’t forget to set up their:

• Company email account
• Logins needed for daily tasks
• Access to group chats
• Software logins (and installs if they’re on a personal computer)
• HR or payroll account access
• Access code or keys to the office

Pro Tip: Get the laptop, logins and accounts ready before day one. Equipment that’s waiting and working tells a new hire you were expecting them, and it spares everyone that awkward first-morning scramble.

5. Give an office tour (or virtual tour)

Before someone can get into their assignments, they need to know their way around. Walking in on day one with no clue where the bathroom is? Rough. This part of the checklist makes sure nobody feels lost.

For in-person teams, show new hires where to find:

• Their desk or cubicle
• Restrooms
• Staff break room
• Lunchroom or cafeteria
• On-site parking
• Team meeting rooms
• Their supervisor’s office

For remote staff, run a virtual tour with screen sharing of:

• Email and scheduling software
• Where video calls and chats happen
• Online portals
• Document sharing locations

6. Explain the culture and values of the company

The research is clear here: onboarding that weaves in real socialization and human connection gets the most out of the training period³. So show off your company’s actual vibe. This might be a special document, a presentation or a short video.

Your culture checklist may include:

• Mission statement
• The company’s vision
• Core values
• Customer demographics
• A new hire packet
• An employee handbook
• Attendance expectations
• Behavioral and communication expectations
• Sexual harassment policy
• Internet and cybersecurity policy

Many companies ask for a signature here to confirm the employee understands and agrees to the policies.

Bonus Tip: While you’re talking culture, point to the road ahead. Mention opportunities for advancement and any career development the company offers. A new hire who can see a future with you commits faster.

7. Introduce them to important people

Set a specific time for the new hire to meet their supervisors, managers, clients or other key contacts, in person or by call. This is where formal introductions happen and where real relationships start to form.

The checklist may include meeting the:

• Department manager
• General manager
• Manager they directly report to
• President or top supervisor
• HR representative
• Key client or customer contacts

8. Discuss goals and expectations

Those introduction meetings are the perfect setting to lay out what you expect. Goal-setting is how a new hire starts to feel comfortable, committed and genuinely productive. List a range of goals you’d like them to work toward.

A marketing company’s new-hire goals might include:

• Generate 10 new client leads via email
• Sign on three new clients per month
• Build a content calendar for a key client
• Research and create an SEO blog strategy

A simple way to frame the first three months is the 30-60-90 structure:

• Days 1 to 30: learning and getting set up
• Days 31 to 60: contributing on real work, with support
• Days 61 to 90: taking more independent ownership

It hands a new hire a map instead of a vague “ramp up whenever.”

9. Assign training materials

Now that your new hire feels comfortable with the place and the people, it’s time for the actual work. A clear training schedule makes them feel prepared instead of overwhelmed on day one.

Training materials may include:

• A job training schedule
• A step-by-step guidebook
• An orientation video
• Hands-on activities that simulate learning by doing
• Shadowing a colleague
• An introductory project
• A task checklist

Pro Tip: Of everything on this list, structured on-the-job training has the strongest research support for getting new people confident and competent fast⁴. Sequence tasks from simple to complex, let them watch an experienced coworker first, then debrief together. Real practice beats a slide deck every single time.

10. Assign a mentor or buddy

Before you set a new hire loose, pair them with a mentor or buddy for that first week. Consider each person’s experience level, personality and work style to find a good fit.

And this one has surprisingly hard data behind it. In a Microsoft study of new hires, the more often someone met with their onboarding buddy in the first 90 days, the more productive they felt:

• 56% of those who met at least once said it helped them ramp up quickly
• That figure climbed to 97% for people who met more than eight times⁵

More contact, faster traction. A buddy is one of the cheapest upgrades you can make.

11. Set a performance review schedule

Am I actually doing okay here? When you’re learning a brand-new role, it’s so hard to tell. Give your hire some peace of mind by laying out a check-in schedule for the first six months.

For example, you might explain how you’ll:

• Give feedback daily in the first week
• Give feedback weekly through the first month
• Follow up at 30 days, 90 days and six months
• Run an annual performance review
• Deliver feedback (by chat, email or formal meeting)

The one check-in to prioritize? A manager one-on-one in week one. In a Microsoft study of more than 150,000 new hires, those who got that early meeting were 3.5 times more likely to be satisfied with their onboarding and 1.2 times more likely to feel they were contributing⁵ to the team.

Half an hour of a manager’s time. That’s it, and it goes a long way.

12. Take the new hire out to lunch

If you haven’t already, take your new hire out to lunch. It’s a great way to welcome them and celebrate crossing the onboarding finish line. Schedule it as a reward for completing training, or simply as a warm “we’re glad you’re here.”

New Hire Onboarding Checklist Template

The shape of your checklist depends on your industry and the roles you’re filling. A tech startup might lead with access to the latest tools. A nonprofit might lead with mission and values.

So before you build one from scratch, steal one of these. Customize anything to fit your company, and feel free to add your branding and colors for a little extra polish.

Retail Onboarding Checklist Template

Welcome

• Send a welcome email
• Invite them to a new hire lunch
• Call a team meeting to introduce them to team members
• Provide store uniform
• Give them a company swag bag

Employee Role

• Explain objective of the position
• Outline daily tasks
• Show the store schedule in the break room
• Explore the store calendar 6 months out
• Explain phone, text and email communication policies

HR Documents

• W-4 Tax Forms (or 1099 for independent contractors)
• I-9 Employee Eligibility Verification form
• State Tax Withholding form
• Direct Deposit form
• Non-disclosure agreements
• Employee handbook acknowledgement
• Drug/alcohol test consent agreements
• Confidentiality and security agreements
• Employee benefits documents (healthcare, stock options, etc.)

Equipment and Accounts

• Set up cashier computer access
• Set up company email
• Provide access code and keys to the store

Store Tour

• Restrooms
• Break room
• Front desk
• Their desk or cubicle
• On-site parking
• Shipping/receiving area
• Team meeting rooms
• Their supervisor’s office
• Hands-on tour of different product lines

Company Culture

• Mission statement
• Store values
• Customer demographics
• Behavioral and communication expectations
• Sexual harassment policy
• Internet and cybersecurity policy

Introductions

• Store Manager
• Assistant Manager
• Department Manager
• Shift Lead

Goals and Expectations

• Sales goal for the month
• Current promotions
• Storewide competition

Training Materials

• Orientation video
• Hands-on stocking activity
• Manager shadowing

Integration

• Assign mentor or buddy
• Take out to lunch

Performance Review

• Set 1-week check-in
• Set 1-month check-in
• Set 6-month and annual review dates

Remote Tech Onboarding Checklist Template

Welcome

• Send a welcome email
• Host welcome Zoom call
• Introduce to team chat
• Mail them a company gift

Employee Role

• Explain objective of the position
• Outline daily tasks

HR Documents

• W-4 Tax Forms (or 1099 for independent contractors)
• I-9 Employee Eligibility Verification form
• State Tax Withholding form
• Direct Deposit form
• Non-disclosure agreements
• Confidentiality and security agreements
• Employee benefits documents (healthcare, stock options, etc.)

Equipment and Accounts

• Mail company computer
• Assign company tablet
• Create company email
• Login to company portal
• Login to Google Drive
• Login to Slack chat

Virtual Office Tour

• Form submission
• Project submission
• Zoom call schedule
• Company portal
• Group chat rooms

Company Culture

• Mission statement
• Virtual Zoom icebreaker activity
• Client demographics
• Communication expectations
• Internet and cybersecurity policy

Introductions

• Direct supervisor
• Department manager
• Cross-team contacts
• Client account manager
• HR representative

Goals and Expectations

• First-month learning milestones
• First independent project
• Quarterly objectives

Training Materials

• Orientation video
• Virtual game
• Practice assignment

Integration

• Assign remote mentor or buddy
• Invite to corporate retreat
• Invite to team building night

Performance Review

• Set 1-week check-in
• Set 1-month check-in
• Set 6-month and annual review dates

Frequently Asked Questions About Onboarding Checklists

What is an onboarding checklist?

An onboarding checklist is a guiding document that supervisors and HR use to hire, train and integrate a new employee. It gives every manager the same framework to follow, so each new hire completes the right paperwork, gets the necessary training and understands the company’s goals and expectations.

What should be included in a new hire onboarding checklist?

Cover both logistics and culture: HR paperwork, software and account setup, an office or virtual tour, a clear outline of the role, introductions to key people, goals and expectations, training materials, a mentor or buddy and a performance-review schedule. Tailor the details to the role and to whether the hire is remote or in-person.

How long should employee onboarding take?

The strongest onboarding runs across three to six months rather than a single day. Set check-ins at one week, 30 days, 90 days and six months so new hires keep getting support as they ramp up to full productivity, which can take several months on its own.

Why is an onboarding checklist important?

A checklist keeps onboarding consistent so nothing slips through the cracks, and it speeds up how fast new hires become productive. Organizational research links structured onboarding to clearer roles, stronger commitment and lower turnover, yet only about 12% of employees say their company does it well, so a clear process is a real edge.

Key Takeaways: An Onboarding Checklist Boosts Engagement and Integration

Here’s the big payoff: when both managers and new hires have a framework to follow, there’s more room for actual work and a little fun. A strong onboarding process lifts engagement and retention while making sure nobody gets left in the dark.

The best onboarding experiences:

• Spread training out over three to six months
• Build in an early manager one-on-one
• Talk about career development
• Welcome newcomers warmly
• Bring people into the company culture
• Set clear expectations for the role

Onboarding is your company’s first real impression in the mind of a new hire. Get it right and you set the tone for everything that follows. You’ve got this. Learn more about How to Make a Great First Impression at Work.

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