Human Resources
GRAD Public and Organizational Relations

Onboarding Employees

The onboarding process sets your new team member on a path to success right from the beginning. Use this checklist to help you remember the important steps and tasks that every hiring manager should do to ensure successful onboarding for all new employees at the University.

This onboarding checklist is meant to be a guide and can be used for new, promoted or transferring employees.

Hiring Manager Goals:

  • Ready for employee on Day One
  • Have a clear and easy process to eliminate guess work
  • Promote highly supportive environment
  • Help achieve or exceed goals

Employee Goals:

  • Ready to go on Day One
  • Has favorable opinion of you, the University and leadership
  • Actively engaged and confident
  • Productive and able to contribute sooner

Pre-Arrival Tasks

Not all items are applicable, please skip non-relevant tasks. You may assign some tasks to an administrative assistant or coordinator, those tasks are marked with an asterisk. Some tasks will take longer than others, please allow enough time for completion.
  1. Call or email the new employee. Be sure to remind them where to report their first day and provide reminders of dress code and office hours.
  2. Schedule time on your calendar for meetings with new team member on Day One and Day Two.
  3. Prepare the employee’s workstation, make it welcoming!*
  4. Order supplies, office furniture, computer, printer and/or cell phone.*
  5. Order keys that are needed to perform job.*
  6. Schedule IT to set up employee with computer on Day One.*
  7. Inform current staff of the new team member; explain the position, role and relationship to existing team members.
  8. Appoint the position/department trainer; explain to them their role in assisting the new team member.
  9. Create a Week One Orientation Agenda for the new employee and provide a copy to the assigned Buddy.
  10. Arrange lunch with new employee on first report day. (A team lunch is recommended but you can take new employee to lunch yourself.)
  11. Attain a copy of reappointment or performance review forms from the appropriate union.*

* You may choose to delegate activity

Day One Tasks
  1. You and the team take your new hire to lunch!
  2. Introduce the new hire to team, department and/or division.
  3. Give office, department and/or building tour.*
  4. Let them know who is the best person to ask questions as they get settled.
  5. Give the new employee their Campus Wide ID (CWID).
  6. Provide doors keys and review security.*
  7. If your new hire completed their I-9 during pre-arrival, take employee to get their University ID and review parking. (If they completed their I-9 on Day One, you will have to do this on Day Two.)*
  8. Discuss Week One Orientation Agenda.

* You may choose to delegate activity

Day Two Tasks
  1. Welcome and greet the new employee!
  2. If you did not have time on Day One, discuss the Week One Orientation Agenda.
  3. Review re-appointment or performance review process and forms.
  4. Determine and schedule regular 1:1 meetings (i.e. weekly or bi-weekly).
  5. Continue to introduce new hire to team, department and/or division that did not meet them on Day One.*
  6. Provide office contact sheet and or organization chart.*
  7. Review the university mission, vision, goals and strategic plan.
  8. Review your program, division, or department mission, vision and goals.
  9. Check in at the end of the day.

* You may choose to delegate activity

Week One Tasks
  1. Explain internal office culture, protocols, processes, policies and procedures.
  2. Explain communication channels.
  3. Order business cards.*
  4. Review office equipment.*
  5. Share and discuss your leadership style.
  6. Share your communication preferences.
  7. Review late arrival, early leave, vacation and sick day office protocols.
  8. Schedule on calendar time for follow-up reminder for new hire to complete the fire safety review, ethics compliance requirements and Preventing Sexual Harassment on-line training.*

* You may choose to delegate activity

First Thirty Days Tasks
  1. Set up a regular weekly 1:1 meeting, if you haven’t already.
First Ninety Days Tasks
  1. Continue weekly 1:1 meeting.
First Six Months Tasks
  1. Continue weekly or change to biweekly 1:1 meeting.