Employee Onboarding Process: What It Is And Best Examples To ...

Checklist for corporate onboarding: steps to follow

To conclude, we have created a checklist that summarizes the key activities and strategies to implement to ensure a proper welcome for new colleagues.

 

Before the 1st day

Even before new colleagues officially join the company, there are some key aspects to consider right after completing the candidate selection process.

At intranet.ai, we provide HR teams with a form where those responsible for recruitment can enter all relevant information about the selected candidates.

This is not just about personal details but, more importantly, about information regarding the role and the tasks that the new hire is expected to handle. This includes defining their manager, the department they will work in, and the facilities they will need to perform their job effectively, from a computer to access to specific software or a particular site.

Once this form is completed, even through the corporate intranet, the first series of activities in our checklist can begin. Here are some examples:

• sending a summary email to the relevant people, such as the department head;
• sending an email to new hires with access links to the intranet’s onboarding area.

In this space, new employees can:

• upload the required documents to sign the contract
• access and confirm the reading of corporate policies

Information about the company itself can also be included. For example, a video explaining the organization's history, mission, and recent achievements.

Of course, before their 1st day, new colleagues will not have access to all intranet pages. However, by granting access to the onboarding area, the company allows them to familiarize themselves with a tool that will be part of their daily work life.

 

 

1st day at the company

The first day at work has arrived. In this second phase, HR teams can choose the most appropriate welcome approach, ensuring the onboarding experience is well-structured.

A presentation of the management team and the direct supervisor is essential, as the latter might also act as a mentor for the new hire.

From a digital perspective, the first step can be sharing a welcome message on the intranet that allows employees to:

• access the list of tasks to complete in the first few days
• find links to the most useful resources and tools

The message can also include links to:

• key contacts
• company organizational chart
• latest news and relevant updates
• meetings to get to know colleagues and introduce themselves
• meetings with mentors and team members to align on goals

 

 

First week at work

The onboarding process does not end on the first day—it has just begun. This is why it is essential to define the activities that new hires will need to carry out during their first weeks in the company.

Another key aspect: during the first week, it is important to start collecting feedback from new colleagues.

Once again, the corporate intranet proves to be a valuable tool, offering the possibility to publish and distribute customized forms for each group of stakeholders involved in the onboarding process. Feedback collection is not just for new colleagues; the forms can also be used, for example, to measure the team's sentiment towards the newly onboarded resource.

First months at work

We are approaching the final stage of the onboarding process. If managed correctly, new employees should now be able to:

• carry out their tasks independently
• collaborate proactively with colleagues
• use tools such as the corporate intranet

How can we further engage new hires at this stage?

One idea is to assign new goals (while keeping them realistic) that allow new colleagues to feel recognized as valuable resources for the organization's growth. These goals should not be imposed but should leave room for ideas, perhaps fresher and more innovative, from the new hires.