2025 HR Pre-Onboarding Checklist

Onboarding starts before your new employee ever steps foot in the office (or joins their first virtual meeting).

Because onboarding isn’t a one-team job, we’ve included HR tasks for you and tasks you’ll need to hand off to hiring managers, IT, and your new hire’s onboarding buddy. With well-prepared teams, you’re sure to create better first days!

Pre-Onboarding Tasks for Human Resources

• Prepare required onboarding documents:
• • Benefits enrollment paperwork
  • Emergency contact information
  • Employee handbook
  • Direct deposit and payroll information
  • I-9 form
  • Non-disclosure agreement
  • Confidentiality agreement
  • State tax withholding form
  • W-4 form
  • Background check request
• Send out a new-hire welcome packet, including:
• • A message welcoming the new hire to the company
  • First day schedule
  • Essential forms and documents
  • Company policies (e.g., hours of operation, dress code, parking, etc.)

• If required, have the new hire complete a drug screening.
• Document the new hire’s role and compensation information in your HRIS or records.
• Add new hire to your payroll.
• Schedule intro meetings to review paperwork, benefits, direct deposits, and company policies.
• Schedule a 30, 60, and 90-day check-in with the new hire.

Pre-Onboarding Tasks for Managers

• Send a welcome email to existing employees introducing the new hire.
• Select an onboarding buddy for the new hire.
• Coordinate a welcome meeting to kick off the new hire’s first day.
• Invite the new hire to a recurring one-on-one meeting.
• Schedule meetings to introduce the new hire to colleagues they’ll work with closely.
• Set up a welcome lunch with the new hire’s team.
• Add the new hire to relevant communication channels (i.e., Slack or Teams).
• Gather a list of account permissions and software for IT that the new hire will need to have access to.
• Create an onboarding roadmap for the new hire’s first four weeks.

Pre-Onboarding Tasks for IT

• Create an email address for the new hire.
• Set up account permissions for any platforms or software the new hire will require.
• Prepare a computer, phone equipment, and any tech accessories the new hire will need.

Pre-Onboarding Tasks for Onboarding Buddy

• Schedule regular check-ins throughout the new hire’s first two weeks.
• Invite the new hire to shadow relevant meetings and projects.
• Review the new hire onboarding roadmap, so you can better assist with projects.

The Importance of Pre-Onboarding

Effective pre-onboarding is crucial for setting new employees up for success. By completing these tasks before a new hire’s first day, you demonstrate organizational preparedness, reduce first-day anxiety, and allow the employee to focus on integration rather than paperwork. Well-executed pre-onboarding leads to faster productivity, stronger team connections, and higher retention rates.