A new hire's first days, weeks and months establish the foundation for the rest of the employment relationship. An effective onboarding process can help make this time period more productive by introducing the employee to co-workers and familiarizing them with their job responsibilities, providing a background of the company’s culture and expectations, and giving the new hire tools and resources necessary for success. Here are some keys to making the most out of your onboarding process.
Start early.
Once the applicant accepts your job offer and any post-offer screening is completed, the process of welcoming and introducing the new hire begins. Send an email or letter confirming their start date, expressing your excitement that they'll be joining the team, and letting them know that you're available to answer any questions they may have.
You may also want to create a checklist of any training they will need on workplace processes and procedures to help acclimate them once they start working. Also, be sure to procure the necessary equipment, set up their workspace, and ensure that IT systems are ready for them for their first day of work.
Avoid overloading the employee.
Carefully consider how you want to break up each day of the onboarding process. For example, you don’t want to overload the employee with too much information or work at once. So, make sure your plan introduces information and work gradually.
Assign a buddy and/or mentor.
Inform existing employees of the new hire's start date and explain their role, areas of focus, and relevant work history. Assign a buddy or mentor to help the employee with their transition. A buddy or mentor can offer career advice, share knowledge and experiences, provide training and guidance, and listen to questions and concerns. Both the mentor and mentee can benefit from these experiences.
Set expectations.
Schedule a meeting to set expectations. During the meeting, provide your new hire with an agenda for the first week or so. Review job responsibilities, objectives and expectations, and explain how their role contributes to the success of the company. Instruct the employee to review your employee handbook and discuss key issues, such as work schedules, timekeeping practices, and how performance is measured. Obtain the employee's acknowledgment of the handbook and retain it in their personnel file.
Complete new hire paperwork.
Employers must comply with numerous requirements, including paperwork and notices, when hiring new employees. In addition to required new hire paperwork, documentation is recommended to help administer payroll, benefits and other HR responsibilities. Here are some key forms to keep in mind.
Required new hire paperwork
- Form I-9: An I-9 must be completed for each new hire to verify the individual’s identity and that they are authorized to work in the United States. To complete Section 2 of the I-9, employees must present documents for this verification. The I-9 Form includes a List of Acceptable Documents (List A, List B and List C). An employee must present one document from List A or one document from List B and one document from List C.
Employers must generally inspect Section 2 documents in the employee's physical presence. However, due to the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has offered employers some flexibility. Specifically, until July 31, 2023, the requirement that employers inspect the I-9 documentation in-person applies only to those employees who physically report to work at a company location on any regular, consistent, or predictable basis, according to the DHS. If employees hired on or after April 1, 2021 work exclusively in a remote setting due to COVID-19-related precautions, they are temporarily exempt from the physical inspection requirements until they go back into the workplace on a regular, consistent, or predictable basis, or the DHS terminates the flexible option, whichever is earlier.
With the flexible option ending on July 31, 2023, employers will have until August 30, 2023 to perform all required in-person examinations of documents for those individuals who have only received a virtual or remote examination under the flexible option, according to the DHS.
- Form W-4: All new hires must complete a W-4 to determine the amount of federal income tax to withhold from their wages. Several states also require a tax withholding form. Employers should ensure they are using the latest version of the form, which may change each year. If the employee has questions or asks for advice on how to complete a W-4, instruct them to speak with a tax advisor.
- Notice of Coverage Options: Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers must provide a Notice of Coverage Options to all new hires within 14 days of their start date. This requirement applies even if the employer doesn't offer health insurance and/or the employee is not eligible for health insurance.
- Wage and hour: Under federal law, employers that use the tip credit must first notify tipped employees of:
- The minimum cash wage that will be paid;
- The tip credit amount, which cannot exceed the value of the tips actually received by the employee;
- That all tips received by the tipped employee must be retained by the employee except for a valid tip pooling arrangement limited to employees who customarily and regularly receive tips.
- State and local notices: Many states and local jurisdictions also require that employers provide specific notices to employees at the time of hire. These required notices may cover state disability insurance, state-run retirement programs, leave entitlements, harassment and discrimination, workers' compensation, unemployment, and other employment-related benefits and protections. Many states require employers to provide, in writing, the employer’s business name, address, and telephone number; the employee’s rate of pay and regular payday; and certain other information. Provide new hire notices in accordance with your state and local requirements.
- New hire reporting: Federal law requires that employers submit certain information to their state regarding each new hire within 20 days of the employee's start date, but several states have shorter timeframes. New hire reporting is included in many RUN Powered by ADP® packages. If you have to fulfill these responsibilities on your own, you have several options, such as submitting the new hire's W-4 or an equivalent form. Check your state's new hire reporting program for details.
Recommended new hire paperwork
- Handbook acknowledgment: After new hires are provided with a copy of your employee handbook, they should sign a form acknowledging that they have received the handbook and are responsible for complying with all company policies. Make sure you give employees enough time to read and ask questions about the handbook before they are required to sign the acknowledgment form.
- Payroll authorizations: If you offer direct deposit, provide new hires with a direct deposit authorization, if they would like their pay deposited directly into their bank account each pay period. A payroll deduction authorization should also be provided for voluntary deductions, such as health insurance premiums and retirement savings plans.
- Benefits information: All new hires should receive information about the benefit programs you offer as well as any forms required to enroll.
- Emergency contact: An emergency contact form lets you know who to contact in the case of an emergency. This form should be completed within the employee's first few days of work.
- Receipt of company property: If you provide your new hire with company property, such as a laptop, cell phone, or key, have the employee complete a receipt of company property form. This acknowledges that the employee has received the company property listed, that they will maintain it in good condition, and that they will return it upon separation from the company, or earlier if requested.
Make introductions and promote communication.
Within their first few days on the job, introduce new employees to key members of the company and their team. These introductions typically only take a short amount of time but can go a long way in helping employees feel welcomed. Have a few questions ready to spark conversation and allow the team to get to know one another. Then, schedule regular meetings between new hires and their co-workers. Also, hold supervisors accountable for maintaining communication with new hires and including them in key meetings.
If you have employees working remotely, you should also tailor this process for them. For example, you may want to use video conferencing to help introduce them to co-workers. In addition, consider teambuilding activities in which both remote workers and traditional workers can participate. For instance, some employers host virtual happy hours or ice cream socials for employees. Another option is competing in online trivia, puzzles, or other games.
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