Employee onboarding checklist

Week 1

• Explain the role and how success is measured.
• Set up access, tools and the schedule.
• Walk through safety and attendance rules.
• Pair with a mentor.

Month 1

• Run core training and check understanding.
• Hold a one-to-one every week.
• Share first feedback.
• Introduce key colleagues.

Month 3

• Review goals and progress.
• Discuss growth opportunities.
• Collect onboarding feedback.
• Update records and pay if the role changed.

Tips for using this template well

1. Give the new hire a written plan.
2. Check in regularly.
3. Ask what was missing.
4. Keep notes for future hires.

The documents with deadlines

In the United States every new employee completes Form I-9 to verify identity and work authorization. The employee fills in Section 1 no later than the first day of work, and the employer completes Section 2 within three business days of the start date. A federal W-4 sets withholding, and employers must report new hires to the state, in most cases within 20 days, with some states requiring less time. Put these dates on the checklist with owners next to them.

The first week, day by day

Day one is paperwork, a tour and an introduction to the schedule and time clock. Day two is training with a buddy. By day five, the employee should have clocked in and out correctly, seen their first schedule and met their manager for a short check-in.

How it shows up in a schedule

Put the first week’s shifts on the checklist. A new hire should see their schedule before the first day, and the time clock should be set up by then. Include paid training time. Time spent in required orientation is work time.

Common mistakes

• Delaying the I-9 past the deadline.
• Skipping the handbook acknowledgement.
• Not setting up the time clock before day one.
• Leaving the new hire without a buddy.

A 30-60-90 day plan

Each line is something you can observe, not a feeling. At each checkpoint, sit down for 20 minutes and decide together what still needs practice.

Safety training that cannot wait

Some training has to happen before the work starts. Under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200(h)), employees must be trained on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment. Forklift operators need training and an evaluation before driving alone (29 CFR 1910.178(l)). Put these items in week one with a date and a trainer, and keep a record of who attended.

Measuring whether onboarding works

• The share of new hires still employed at 90 days.
• How many shifts it takes before the new hire works without a buddy.
• Pay errors in the first two paychecks.
• Answers to three questions at day 30: what helped, what was missing, what was confusing.

Review these numbers every quarter. A change in the checklist should show up in them within a few months.

Keeping onboarding on track

1. Start the checklist when the offer is signed.
2. Assign each line to a named person with a date.
3. Review open items at the weekly managers’ meeting.
4. Close the checklist at day 90 with a short review.

EZTime’s HR module has onboarding tracks, digital forms with e-signatures and a digital employee file with expiry reminders, which keeps the paperwork part of this list in one place.

Employee onboarding checklist: common questions

Where to go next