What is a new hire onboarding checklist?

A new hire onboarding checklist is a step-by-step guide designed to help managers and HR teams create a seamless onboarding experience for new employees.

This checklist ensures that every stage of the onboarding process—from pre-day-one preparations to their first 90 days—is structured, efficient, and engaging.

What’s inside the template?

The new hire onboarding checklist includes comprehensive steps and milestones for every stage of the onboarding journey:

  1. Before day one – Send pre-start resources, prepare essential documents and internal resources, schedule stakeholder meetings and set up accounts for email and tools required for their job.
  2. Day one – Introduce the new hire to their immediate team and send a company-wide introductory email. Review organizational objectives, values, and team KPIs, and discuss current projects and their role within the team.
  3. Week one – Provide product demos and training sessions, walk them through the tools and platforms they’ll use, review OKRs and explain key contacts for specific needs.
  4. Weeks two to six – Outline upcoming launches and their responsibilities, introduce them to key stakeholders across departments, encourage participation, and review budgets and existing marketing inventory, including buyer personas, messaging templates, and case studies.
  5. Ongoing support – Set up regular one-on-ones to review OKRs, discuss challenges, track career development, and ensure continuous alignment with team objectives and company goals.

How to use the template

  1. Plan ahead – Start with pre-day-one tasks, such as preparing tools, resources, and introductions to set the stage for success.
  2. Follow the timeline – Use the checklist to guide onboarding activities through day one, the first week, and up to six weeks after hire.
  3. Customize as needed – Adapt sections to fit your company’s processes, role-specific training, and unique culture.
  4. Track progress – Regularly check in with new hires to ensure they’re comfortable and progressing toward self-sufficiency.
  5. Review and iterate – Use feedback from new hires to improve and refine the onboarding experience over time.

Download your new hire onboarding checklist

New hire onboarding checklist
New hire onboarding checklist

Choose your file format