The onboarding process begins with the signing of the contract and extends until the end of the probationary period. This phase is particularly important for both new employees and the company. A successful process primarily ensures that early turnover is reduced. This saves time and money on repeating the application process and avoids overburdening existing employees who would otherwise have to compensate for the vacancy through additional work. Extremely helpful here: a checklist for successful employee onboarding.
What a Checklist for Successful Employee Onboarding Should Include
Before the first working day, it is recommended to prepare a preboarding. This includes organizational preparations such as setting up an email address and all system access, as well as creating a (digital) welcome folder with the most important information about the company. Also request the necessary documents from the new employee and include them in company events and any upcoming training measures.
For the first working day, the onboarding checklist should include the following items:
- Welcome by the manager and introduction to the team
- Handing over of a welcome gift and the welcome folder
- Introduction to the new workplace
- Handover of passwords, phone number, work equipment
- Start of the buddy program with a colleague who has volunteered
- Explanation of the training plan
- Office tour and team lunch
- Discussion of the first work assignments
- Scheduling of further appointments: welcome day, IT introduction, feedback sessions, probationary period review, etc.
- Final conversation at the end of the first working day
Digitales Onboarding
If the new hire is starting a remote position, that’s no problem: the onboarding process, including all the above points, can be easily implemented virtually. Either way, you should create the onboarding checklist digitally and include all team members involved in the process. This way, you can see at a glance which tasks have already been completed, who is responsible for what, and when new tasks are due. Also take into account the different needs: depending on the position and role in the company, the focus of the onboarding may vary significantly.
Of course, a checklist for successful employee onboarding is not a document that you create once and follow unchanged for years. Conditions in your company and the expectations of your new employees are constantly evolving – and so are the requirements for your onboarding. An initial feedback conversation after a few days helps identify what’s working and what could be optimized. This actively enhances your employer attractiveness.