Preparation: Here’s What You Need for an Onboarding Checklist for New Employees

Successful onboarding starts before your new hire’s first day. Having the right documents, tools, and team alignment in place ensures you can focus on making new starters feel welcome instead of scrambling to get set up. This early groundwork is a core part of a strong new employee onboarding process.

Here’s what to prepare in advance:

• Employment contract signed and stored
• Background checks, drug tests and credentialing documentation
• Personal information collected (bank details, emergency contact, tax forms)
• Work equipment ordered and tested (laptop, phone, accessories)
• Email, software, and system accounts created
• Access permissions set up for necessary tools and platforms
• Team and manager alignment on role expectations and onboarding responsibilities
• Orientation schedule drafted and shared with relevant stakeholders
• Workspace prepared—whether it’s an office desk or a remote setup with shipped equipment

Preparation sets the stage for a smooth experience, making your onboarding checklist for new employees more than just a list—it becomes a strategic tool for getting them up to speed faster.

Pre-Boarding Checklist

Onboarding starts the moment your new hire accepts your offer. A strong pre-boarding phase builds excitement, reduces first-day anxiety, and keeps the momentum going between offer and start date. Incorporating pre-boarding tasks into your new employee onboarding checklist helps ensure your hire feels informed, valued, and ready to hit the ground running.

Key pre-boarding steps include:

• Send a welcome email introducing the company culture and next steps
• Share the employee handbook and any required reading or videos
• Provide the first-week schedule so they know what to expect
• Assign a buddy or mentor to be their go-to resource
• Confirm workspace setup and arrange delivery of equipment for remote hires
• Provide access to communication tools and collaboration platforms in advance
• Invite them to any team social channels or welcome threads
• Share a short “meet the team” introduction sheet or video

Pre-boarding keeps new hires engaged and eliminates common first-day delays, so when they arrive, they’re ready to start contributing.

First Day Onboarding Checklist

A first day on the job sets the tone for your new hire’s total experience. A well-planned agenda is the best place to start. It will make them feel welcome, confident, and clear on where to begin. Using design thinking and building these steps into your new employee onboarding checklist ensures consistency and a strong first impression.

What to include on day one:

• Welcome meeting with HR or their team lead
• Office or virtual tour to orient them to the workspace
• Team introductions, including key cross-functional partners
• Walkthrough of technology, tools, and logins
• Review of company values, mission, and organizational structure
• Overview of role responsibilities and immediate priorities
• Assign a small first-day task or shadowing opportunity
• Time for Q&A to address any immediate concerns
• Wrap-up check-in at the end of the day to gather feedback

The goal for day one is to build connection and confidence—not overload them with information. Focus on making them feel supported and part of the team from the start.

30-60-90 Day Plan: Ongoing Support & Development

Onboarding isn’t over once the first week ends. Your new hire’s success depends on consistent support and clear goals over the first three months. A 30-60-90 day onboarding plan breaks onboarding into three manageable phases, each with its own focus and milestones.

Highlights from our full plan:

First 30 Days – Learn + Observe

• Complete required trainings (e.g., compliance, security)
• Understand role responsibilities, team structure, and tools
• Shadow teammates and join onboarding sessions
• Begin building relationships across the organization

Days 31–60 – Contribute + Connect

• Take ownership of defined tasks or projects
• Participate in meetings and share early contributions
• Provide feedback on the onboarding experience
• Continue developing role-specific skills

Days 61–90 – Lead + Deliver

• Deliver a completed project or process improvement
• Present ideas for efficiency or innovation
• Set 6-month development goals with your manager
• Begin mentoring or supporting newer team members

For a full editable template—including SMART goal prompts, role-specific milestones, and space for manager feedback—download our 30-60-90 Day Plan.

Download the Rival Ultimate New Employee Onboarding Guide

The right onboarding plan will help you build a repeatable, scalable experience that works for every new hire, in any role. Our Ultimate New Employee Onboarding Guide gives you everything you need to streamline your new employee onboarding process from start to finish.

Inside, you’ll find:

• An editable new employee onboarding template
• Email templates for welcome messages, introductions, and reminders
• A first-week orientation schedule you can adapt to your company
• Evaluation forms for gathering feedback and measuring success
• A complete 30-60-90 day plan with role-specific prompts

Download the Ultimate New Employee Onboarding Guide and get a ready-to-use framework that saves you time, improves consistency, and sets your people up for long-term success.

Start Strong and Scale with Confidence

A structured onboarding checklist is the simplest way to ensure every hire gets the tools, knowledge, and support they need to thrive. It eliminates guesswork, creates consistency, and gives managers (especially first-time managers) and HR teams a clear framework for success.

But as your organization grows, manual onboarding processes can become bottlenecks. Tracking tasks across spreadsheets, emails, and disconnected systems makes it harder to provide a smooth, consistent experience for every employee.

That’s where Rival Workflow comes in. It’s a platform designed to automate and orchestrate your new employee onboarding process, so you can spend less time chasing paperwork and more time building connections. From task assignments and reminders to integrated communication and compliance tracking, Rival Workflow helps you scale onboarding without sacrificing quality.

Learn more about how Rival Workflow can help you start every new hire on the right foot: