Your New Hire Starts Monday. Are You Ready?

Get our free 4-page checklist that covers every document and first-week task.

Onboarding From Memory Leaves Gaps

Most small teams onboard from memory. Someone remembers the laptop. Someone forgets the I-9. Your new hire spends their first morning waiting for a login.

Their first week tells them whether they made the right call joining you. This checklist helps make sure the answer is yes.

What’s Inside

  • Before First Day: offer letter, employment agreement, CEO welcome letter, desk and tech setup

  • First Day Orientation: handbook review, office tour, emergency procedures, system access

  • Personnel File Tracker: every pre-hire document, with a “Complete” column to check off

  • Payroll and Employee Forms: W-4, DE 4, I-9 and direct deposit

  • Training: required harassment and safety training, plus company training

  • First Week: office buddy, team meet-and-greets, a 1:1 with their manager

Built for Founders Without an HR Department

You run a company of 5 to 25 people. You hire a few times a year, and each time you rebuild the process from scratch. This checklist gives you one process to reuse for every hire.

It’s built with California employers in mind and includes the DE 4 and the Labor Code 2810.5 notice.

This checklist is a general guide and is not legal advice. Requirements vary by state and company size.