First impressions matter. A great onboarding experience sets the tone for an employee's entire tenure with your company. But for small teams without HR departments, onboarding often feels chaotic and rushed.
✅ Companies with a standard onboarding process experience 50% greater new hire productivity.
Before day one
Prepare offer letter
Create a professional offer letter that includes job title, start date, salary, reporting structure, and any contingencies (like background checks).
Gather new hire paperwork
Prepare W-4, I-9, direct deposit authorization, emergency contact form, employee handbook acknowledgment, and benefits enrollment forms.
Set up accounts and access
Create accounts for email, Slack/Teams, project management tools, HR/payroll system, and other software they'll need.
Prepare workspace
If in-office: Set up desk, computer, and supplies. If remote: Arrange for equipment shipping and provide home office setup guide.
Day one
Welcome and tour
Give a warm welcome and introduce them to the team. Show them around the office or provide a virtual tour.
Complete paperwork
Review and complete all employment forms together. Explain what each form is for.
IT setup
Help them log in to all systems and ensure everything works. Explain password policies.
Company overview
Share the company story, mission, values, and culture. Help them understand the big picture.
Streamline your onboarding
Trezbo Employee Onboarding automates checklists, document collection, and welcome emails.
Try it freeFirst week
- ✓ Department meetings - Introduce them to key people in other departments
- ✓ Training sessions - Conduct training on tools, processes, and systems
- ✓ First project - Assign a small, achievable task to build confidence
- ✓ Check-in meeting - 15-minute check-in at the end of week one
Tools to streamline onboarding
Digital onboarding tools can save hours of work:
- • Digital offer letters - Create and send offers with e-signature
- • Automated checklists - Track completion of all tasks
- • Document collection - New hires upload documents securely
- • Training assignments - Auto-assign training based on role
A great onboarding experience reduces turnover, increases productivity, and helps new hires feel valued from day one. Invest the time to get it right.