The HR onboarding checklist every startup needs

Onboarding is the most under-engineered process in most startups. A new hire's first week sets the tone for their entire tenure — yet it's usually a folder of scattered docs and a forgotten laptop.

Before day one

• Send the offer and signed paperwork
• Order hardware and grant software access
• Assign a buddy and book their first-week calendar
• Draft a 30-day plan with clear outcomes

The first week

Day one should feel welcoming, not like a firehose. Spread setup across the week:

• Day 1: Accounts, laptop, team intro lunch
• Day 2: Tooling and security walkthrough
• Day 3: Shadow a teammate on real work
• Day 4: First small ownership task
• Day 5: 1:1 with manager to align on the 30-day plan

Don't forget the culture

A checklist covers logistics, but belonging is built in the gaps. Make sure the new hire knows who to ask — and that asking is encouraged.

People don't leave companies; they leave their first week's worth of confusion.

Let AI draft it

Onboarding docs are a perfect AI task. Give the assistant the role and your team's basics, and it'll draft a first-week plan, a buddy guide, and a 30-day scorecard you can review in minutes — instead of starting from a blank page every hire.