New Employee Onboarding Process – Complete Guide [Bonus Checklist!]

Employee Onboarding is the first step in a relationship between the company and the new hire. It involves educating the employee about the company, its culture, as well as introducing them to their team and all the tools.

Onboarding can have very lasting impressions on both the company and the new hire, setting the course for the rest of their time together. As such, it’s extremely important that the new employee onboarding process goes well.

Most organizations, though, don’t put too much thought into their onboarding process. They just “go with the flow.” After all, how hard can it be to mess this up, right?

As it turns out, not that hard. How well you execute your onboarding can have a significant impact on your organizations future. Want to learn how? Read on!

New Employee Onboarding Process – A Brief Introduction

Before we get into the nits and grits of employee onboarding, let’s rewind a bit and start with the basics.

Employee onboarding is the process of getting a new employee to start work at your company. The exact steps of what the process consists of are different for every organization. More often than not, though, you’ll end up doing things like…

• Dealing with the paperwork and all the legalities of making a new hire
• Providing the employee with a workspace, access to company tools & accounts, and anything else they need to start work
• Giving the right training, mentorship sessions, and ensuring that the employee is as productive as they can be at the company

Just about any organization has some employee onboarding process. The thing is, though, that this process is, in most cases, unstructured.

Here’s how a typical employee onboarding could look like if there’s ZERO thought put into it…

Suffice to say, if this happened in your organization, the new hire probably wouldn’t be too impressed with the company (and would potentially leave soon after).

If you structure your employee onboarding process, though, you’ll see a lot of benefits for your organization…

Better Employee Retention

The first impression your company makes on the hire can have a huge impact on their long-term performance. If their first day involves just sitting around and waiting for someone to pay attention to them, they’re not going to think too highly of your organization.

Making them feel like a part of something great since day #1, however, will ensure that they stick around. In fact, according to research by the Society of Human Resources, a structured onboarding can lead to increased employee retention by up to 25%.

Considering the fact that replacing an employee can cost up to 200% of their annual salary, this can really have a major impact on your bottom line.

Increased Productivity

The faster your employees are up to speed and start work, the faster you’ll start seeing their value.

You don’t want them sitting around waiting for instructions – you want them to dig into their work and get used to their new workplace as soon as possible.

Having a structured new employee onboarding process can get them up to speed as soon as possible, leading to increased productivity company-wide.

Stronger Employer Brand

Today, hiring the very best talent is a competition. If you don’t create an engaging workplace experience for your employees, they’ll simply just leave for someone else. This holds especially true for high-skilled employees, who are bombarded with new job offers daily.

As employee onboarding is the first experience your new hire’s going to have with your company, it’s going to leave a very lasting impression. If you manage to get this right, your organization will be famous for its stellar company culture & an employee-centric view.

How to Create a Structured Onboarding Process

Now that we’ve got you thinking about creating your own onboarding program, you’re probably wondering how do you “do” employee onboarding, and most importantly, how you can get it right.

What you should do now is create the employee onboarding process. Meaning, list out the exact steps you’d want to take to successfully onboard a new employee.

Then, you need to ensure that the onboarding process is followed through for every new hire you make. To do this, you can use employee onboarding software. We’ll explain how this works more in-depth later on.

For now, let’s talk onboarding steps. To save you the trouble of figuring them out from scratch, we created a handy checklist for you to follow. Simply following through with the checklist for every new hire is enough to have an effective employee onboarding program.

BONUS: Employee Onboarding Checklist

During the Hiring Process

• Get all the necessary employee information
  • Name & Last Name
  • Date of Hire
  • Phone Number
  • Personal Email

• Fill in essential forms
  • W-4
  • I-9
  • Direct Deposit
  • Insurance
  • NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement)

1-2 Weeks Before the Hire’s Day #1

• Prepare employee tech stack
  • Access to the internet
  • User / password for the computer
  • User / password for task management software, BPM, or anything else
  • User / password to the instant messaging software
  • Contact information for other company employees
  • Company email
• Prepare employee workstation
  • Desk
  • Monitor
  • Computer
  • Mouse
  • Phone
  • Keyboard
  • Headset
  • Any other relevant supplies for their position
• Prepare any other materials
  • Brochures with information on company culture and history
  • Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documents
  • Operations manual
  • Key or ID to access the office
  • Company swag (t-shirts, gifts, and other goodies)
• Transfer the employee’s personal information (Name, social, contact information), documents, and any other important information to your favorite employee management software.
• Bring the employee’s direct supervisor up to speed. Figure out the following…
  • Employee role
  • Initial tasks & KPIs
  • The projects your new hire will be working on
• Let everyone in the relevant department know about the new hire’s start date
• Schedule initial meetings
  • Relevant training on company culture, tasks, projects, and processes
  • Company lunch with the new hire’s department
• Send out an email to the hire with any must-have information about the workplace (how to find the office, who they’re supposed to talk to, etc.)
• Remind the office manager & the new hire’s department about their arrival
• Schedule a tour of the company HQ

New Employee’s Day #1

• Introduce the new hire to all the relevant company employees
• Conduct a tour of the company HQ
• Give the new hire a schedule of their first few weeks of work. This can include…
  • Meetings & introductions
  • Professional training
  • Onboarding on company projects & goals
  • Check-in meetings with the HR and their supervisor
• Organize a company lunch with the new hire’s key team members
• Conduct a meeting between the employee & the HR. Explain everything about the company culture, benefits, perks, and any other important company information
• Conduct a meeting between the employee & their supervisor. Educate about company processes, methodologies, and the projects your new hire will be working on.
  • Set up goals and check-in meetings to ensure that the new hire’s first few months in the company are going smoothly.
• Give the employee some down-time to set up their workplace & go through any relevant company readings or videos.

First Week of the Hire

• Conduct 1-on-1 meetings between the hire and their direct supervisor
  • Keep track of their learning process
  • Ensure that they have access to any necessary knowledge or information
  • Provide feedback on their work
  • Ensure that they have enough tasks to keep them occupied
• Set performance metrics for the employee for…
  • The first month
  • 3 months
  • 6 months
  • The first year

1-3 Months Into the HIre

• Keep conducting 1 to 1 meetings with the employee. Make this mutually beneficial by asking the right questions…
  • Are they satisfied with their work? If not, why not?
  • Do they have access to any resources they need in order to do their job right?
  • How satisfied were they with their onboarding process? Is there anything you could improve?

How to Use Employee Onboarding Software to Automate the Process

For a small organization, onboarding new hire’s isn’t hard. Just follow the exact steps we’ve mentioned above for every new employee, and you’re gold.

If you’re part of a medium-to-large sized company, though, this won’t be nearly as easy. When you’re at the stage when there are dozens of new hires every month, things start to get extremely hectic.

You end up running 20+ onboarding processes at the same time. Without software to keep track of all of them, you run the risk of missing some critical steps.

To ensure that every single one of your processes is executed flawlessly, you can try using employee onboarding software such as Tallyfy.

What’s Employee Onboarding Software

Employee onboarding software is the type of system that automates the execution of your onboarding process.

Related Questions

What are the four elements of onboarding?

The four key elements of onboarding are compliance, clarification, culture, and connection. Compliance covers basic legal and policy-related rules. Clarification ensures employees understand their new roles and expectations. Culture introduces them to organizational values and norms. Connection helps them establish vital relationships and social networks within the company.

What are the 5 C’s of onboarding?

The 5 C’s of onboarding are compliance, clarification, confidence, culture, and connection. Beyond the basic four elements, confidence is added as the fifth C, focusing on building new employees’ self-assurance and comfort in their role. This helps them feel empowered to contribute meaningfully from day one.

What are the 4 C’s of employee onboarding?

The 4 C’s are compliance, clarification, culture, and connection. Think of these as building blocks – compliance sets the foundation, clarification provides direction, culture gives context, and connection creates belonging. Each C builds upon the previous one to create a complete onboarding experience.

What are the six critical steps of onboarding?

The six critical steps include preparation before day one, first-day welcome, role and expectations setting, team integration, training and development planning, and regular check-ins and feedback. Each step requires careful planning and execution, creating a smooth transition from new hire to productive team member.

Why should you focus on employee onboarding?

Good onboarding leads to higher employee retention, faster productivity, and stronger team culture. Research shows that employees are 69% more likely to stay with a company for three years if they experience great onboarding. It’s like planting a garden – the care you put in at the beginning determines how well things grow.

How long should employee onboarding last?

Effective onboarding typically lasts 3-12 months, not just a few days or weeks. Think of it like learning to play an instrument – you need time to master the basics, understand the nuances, and become truly comfortable. The exact duration depends on role complexity and organizational needs.

What is the difference between employee orientation and employee onboarding?

Orientation is a one-time event that introduces company basics, while onboarding is a comprehensive process that unfolds over months. Orientation is like getting a map of a new city, while onboarding is like having a local guide show you around and help you become a true resident.

When should employee onboarding begin?

Onboarding should begin before the first day, as soon as the offer is accepted. This pre-boarding period helps build excitement and reduces first-day anxiety. It’s like preparing for a journey – the more you plan ahead, the smoother the trip will be.

What are the best employee onboarding tools and software?

Modern employee onboarding tools include workflow automation platforms like Tallyfy, learning management systems, digital document signing tools, and communication platforms. The best tools streamline processes, ensure consistency, and create engaging experiences while reducing administrative burden.

How does onboarding impact new employees?

Effective onboarding significantly impacts employee confidence, job satisfaction, and long-term success. It reduces new-job anxiety, speeds up productivity, and helps create strong workplace relationships. Like a solid foundation for a house, good onboarding supports everything that comes after.

What makes onboarding successful?

Successful onboarding combines clear processes, engaging content, human connection, and consistent follow-up. It requires active participation from HR, managers, and team members, creating a welcoming environment where new employees feel valued and supported.

How can you measure onboarding effectiveness?

Key metrics include time-to-productivity, retention rates, employee satisfaction scores, and feedback from new hires. Regular check-ins and surveys help track progress and identify areas for improvement, ensuring the program evolves to meet changing needs.

What common onboarding mistakes should companies avoid?

Common mistakes include information overload, lack of structure, poor communication, and treating onboarding as a one-day event. Successful programs pace the learning, maintain clear communication, and view onboarding as a gradual journey rather than a quick sprint.