How long should employee onboarding last?

Effective onboarding should last at least 90 days, with structured activities throughout. Some organisations extend to 6 months or a year for complex roles. Research shows the first 90 days are critical for retention.

What is the most important part of onboarding?

The most important elements are: 1) Making the new hire feel welcome and valued, 2) Providing clear role expectations, 3) Building relationships through a buddy system, and 4) Regular check-ins with their manager.

What should happen on a new employee first day?

First day should focus on welcome, essential setup (IT, workspace), team introductions, and HR paperwork. Don't overload with training - save detailed learning for week 1 onwards.

What is pre-boarding?

Pre-boarding is the period between accepting an offer and starting work. It's used to complete admin tasks, send welcome materials, set up systems, and build excitement before day 1.

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HR Best Practices

Employee Onboarding Checklist 2026: Free Template + Best Practices

Research shows great onboarding improves retention by 82%. Get our free checklist template and learn best practices for welcoming new hires.

The Grove Team

Grove HR

5 January 202612 min read

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Quick Answer: What Should an Onboarding Checklist Include?

A comprehensive onboarding checklist covers 4 phases: pre-boarding (before day 1), first day, first week, and first 90 days.

Key elements:

✅ IT equipment and system access
✅ HR paperwork and compliance
✅ Role-specific training
✅ Team introductions
✅ Buddy/mentor assignment
✅ Regular check-ins and feedback

Why Onboarding Matters: The Statistics

Research consistently shows the impact of effective onboarding:

Metric	Impact
Employee retention	82% improvement (Brandon Hall Group)
New hire productivity	70% increase (Glassdoor)
Time to proficiency	50% faster (SHRM)
Employee engagement	54% higher (Gallup)

The cost of poor onboarding: Replacing an employee costs 50-200% of their annual salary (SHRM, 2024).

Complete Onboarding Checklist Template

Phase 1: Pre-Boarding (Before Day 1)

Complete these tasks before the new hire's first day:

IT & Equipment

Order laptop/computer
Set up email account
Create system logins (HR, project management, communication tools)
Prepare desk/workspace (if office-based)
Ship equipment (if remote)

HR & Administration

Communication

Phase 2: First Day

Morning

Afternoon

End of Day

Check-in with manager
Confirm week 1 schedule
Address any immediate questions

Phase 3: First Week

Training & Learning

Integration

Meet key stakeholders
Attend relevant team meetings
Schedule 1:1s with collaborators
Join communication channels (Slack, Teams)
Understand team dynamics

Goals & Expectations

Phase 4: First 30-60-90 Days

30 Days

60 Days

90 Days

Full productivity expected
90-day performance review
Confirm probation outcome (if applicable)
Set long-term goals
Transition from onboarding to development

Onboarding Best Practices

1. Start Before Day 1 (Pre-boarding)

70% of new hires who experience exceptional onboarding say their employer started engaging them before their first day (Glassdoor).

Send welcome materials 1-2 weeks early
Complete admin tasks beforehand
Build excitement with company swag
Connect them with their buddy

2. Assign a Buddy or Mentor

56% improvement in new hire productivity when paired with a buddy (HCI).

The buddy should:

Be outside the direct reporting line
Have strong company knowledge
Be approachable and available
Meet regularly (daily in week 1, weekly thereafter)

3. Don't Overload Day 1

First day should focus on:

Welcome and belonging
Essential setup only
Human connections
Building excitement

Save for later:

Deep technical training
Complex processes
Detailed policies
Heavy workload

4. Make It Interactive

Replace passive presentations with:

Scavenger hunts (virtual or physical)
Team quizzes about the company
Job shadowing
Hands-on tasks
Collaborative activities

5. Gather Feedback

Create feedback loops:

Day 1: "How was your first day?"
Week 1: Quick pulse survey
30 days: Detailed onboarding feedback
90 days: Full experience review

Remote Onboarding Considerations

With 12.7% of UK employees now fully remote (ONS, 2024), adapt your process:

Technology

Ship equipment 1 week early
Test video conferencing before day 1
Provide clear technical support contacts
Use virtual whiteboarding tools

Connection

Schedule more frequent check-ins
Create virtual coffee chats
Use video for meetings (cameras on)
Build async communication norms

Documentation

Everything in writing/video
Self-serve knowledge base
Recorded training sessions
Clear process documentation

Onboarding Checklist by Role Type

For Individual Contributors

Focus on:

Technical skills training
Tool proficiency
Team integration
Project onboarding

For Managers

Additional elements:

Leadership training
Team introductions (1:1 with each report)
Understanding team dynamics
Budget and resource overview
HR processes for managers

For Executives

Unique requirements:

Board/stakeholder introductions
Strategic context deep-dive
Key relationship mapping
100-day plan development
Cultural integration at senior level

Measuring Onboarding Success

Track these metrics to improve your process:

Metric	How to Measure	Target
Time to productivity	Manager assessment	<90 days
New hire retention (1 year)	Turnover tracking	>85%
Onboarding satisfaction	Survey (1-5 scale)	>4.0
Training completion	LMS tracking	100%
Buddy effectiveness	New hire feedback	>4.0

Using Grove for Onboarding

Grove's onboarding module automates your checklist:

Template library: Create reusable onboarding templates
Auto-assignment: Assign based on department, role, or location
Task tracking: Visual progress bars and notifications
Document collection: Securely upload and manage documents
Deadline management: Automatic reminders for overdue tasks

Get started with Grove to streamline new hire onboarding.

Tags:

onboardingnew startersemployee experienceHR checklistretention