Part of the HR templates hub. It is free, printable and placeholder-based — read it here, copy the block, or use the print/save-as-PDF button. For the wider practice, see the related employer-operations guides and the HR metrics it supports.
Template overview
The checklist is organised by phase — before day one, first day, first week, first 90 days — with the tasks that matter in each. It is generic and adaptable, so it fits any role while keeping onboarding consistent.
When to use it
- Onboarding a new hire from offer acceptance onward.
- Standardising onboarding so no step is forgotten.
- Coordinating onboarding across HR, IT and the manager.
Who it is for
- Managers onboarding a new team member.
- HR and operations running onboarding.
- Founders setting up onboarding for the first time.
Template structure
- Before day one — access, equipment, paperwork, a plan.
- First day — welcome, setup, introductions.
- First week — role clarity, early tasks, key relationships.
- First 90 days — goals, feedback and a check-in cadence.
Printable template
Copy the block below and replace every [bracketed] placeholder. It contains no real names or data — adapt every part to your situation.
Example (placeholder version)
An illustrative version using placeholders only — it shows the kind of content each part holds, with no real employee or company data.
Customisation guidance
- Adapt the tasks to the role and your tools — keep what is relevant.
- Assign an owner to each phase so nothing falls through the cracks.
- Connect the 90-day phase to goal-setting and the first review.
- Keep paperwork generic and confirm any required documents with qualified professionals.
Common mistakes
- Treating day one as the whole of onboarding.
- No owner for cross-team tasks (access, equipment).
- Skipping early goals, so the new hire lacks direction.
- Copying a generic list without adapting it to the role.
Create a professional CV
Hiring for a role like this? Candidates can create and update a clean, well-structured resume with the HELPERG CV Builder — useful to share with applicants who need to refresh their CV before applying.
Export, edit and share documents
Once you have filled in this template, you can export, edit, sign, store and share it as a PDF with the HELPERG PDF Editor — handy for sending a finished document or keeping a clean record.
Free, printable HR resources
Every template here is free and ungated. Grab the matching downloadable checklists too — no signup.