What a Good Onboarding Plan Looks Like and Why It Matters

You finally hired someone new. You did the interviews, signed the contract and you’re excited to have an extra pair of hands. Now what?

This is where a lot of teams drop the ball. They think, “Great, you’re hired! Figure it out.” But here’s the thing: your shiny new hire won’t magically know what to do on day one.

A good onboarding plan makes sure they feel welcomed, clear, and set up to actually do their best work. Mess it up, and you’ll waste time, money, and probably lose a good person faster than you’d like.

Why onboarding new employees properly is a big deal

Here’s the short version: good onboarding saves you headaches.

A proper onboarding plan:

• Helps new team members feel confident, not lost
• Gets them up to speed faster
• Reduces mistakes and repeated questions
• Makes them more likely to stick around

Think of onboarding like planting a tree. If you don’t plant it well and water it, you can’t be shocked when it doesn’t grow.

What to include in a team onboarding checklist

Every company is different, but a solid onboarding plan usually covers three things: people, tools, and tasks.

Here’s what that looks like in real life:

1. The Welcome

Your new hire should know:

• What day and time to start
• Who they’ll meet on day one
• How to log in or get access to tools
• Where to find you if they get stuck

A friendly welcome email with this info works wonders. If you’re remote, set up a quick video call to say hi.

2. The Essentials

No one wants to spend the first week hunting for passwords. Make sure they have:

• Email login and communication tools (Slack, Teams, etc.)
• Access to shared drives or files
• Any apps or software they’ll use daily
• A short list of people they can reach out to for help

Pro tip: Make a simple checklist with all these details in one place.

3. Clear Expectations

Your new team member should know:

• What success looks like in their first week, month, and three months
• What tasks they should tackle first
• Who they report to and how often you’ll check in

Even better: give them a small project in week one that’s doable but meaningful. It helps them feel useful right away.

Extra things that make onboarding even better

• A buddy system: Pair them with someone friendly who can answer day-to-day questions.
• Team introductions: Schedule quick intros so they meet the people they’ll work with. No awkward silences later.
• Feedback loop: Ask for their feedback on the onboarding process. What’s missing? What could be clearer? This helps you improve next time.

How long should onboarding take?

Good onboarding isn’t just day one. It usually takes at least a month to get fully comfortable:

• First week: basics
• First month: getting into the flow
• First three months: building real confidence

Why this matters for your business

People don’t quit jobs (well, sometimes they do); they quit bad onboarding and confusion. A simple plan shows your new hire you care about setting them up for success.

When people feel supported from day one, they do better work, faster. And you spend less time fixing mistakes or replacing people who leave because they were lost.

One last thing

You don’t need a complicated HR manual to get onboarding right. A simple, clear plan and a little bit of thought go a long way.

So before your next new hire starts, take an hour to write down your welcome email, list of tools, and a first-week checklist.

Your future self and your new team member will thank you for it.

Need help creating an onboarding plan that actually works?

I love helping founders and small teams build simple, clear systems that keep everyone happy and productive. If you want to chat through yours, I’m here.