SOP: New employee first week

How to adapt this template

• Replace every [bracketed] value with your own tools, dates and names.
• Employment law differs by country. Fill in the [right-to-work check] and [employee data notice] lines with what your country requires, taken from your government’s employer guidance or your lawyer.
• Name one owner. That person keeps this document current.
• Test it with someone who joined recently and ask what was missing.

Purpose

Make a new hire productive and welcome in the first week, with nothing forgotten: legal checks, access, equipment, training and a clear picture of what is expected.

Scope

Covers every new [employee / contractor] starting at [company]. It runs from the signed offer to the end of the first week. It does not cover probation reviews. Those follow [probation process]. Some steps (right-to-work checks, payroll forms) apply to employees only. For contractors follow [contractor onboarding rules].

Trigger

The new hire has signed the offer and confirmed a start date.

Roles

• People and operations manager (owner): runs the checklist and tracks completion. Called “people manager” in the steps.
• Hiring manager: plans the work, introductions and first tasks.
• IT or admin: prepares equipment and accounts.
• Buddy: a teammate who answers everyday questions.

Steps

1. People manager: Create the new-hire checklist in the [task tracker] at least [10] working days before the start date.
2. People manager: Collect the signed contract, tax and bank details through [HR system]. Give the new hire the [employee data notice] explaining what personal data you hold and why.
3. People manager: Complete the [right-to-work check] for the country of employment, and record the date and who did it. Where the law sets a deadline, put it in the checklist. In the UK the check must be done before employment starts. In the US, Form I-9 has its own deadlines. If the check cannot be completed by the legal deadline, do not let the person start or continue work, and tell the hiring manager.
4. IT or admin: Order or prepare equipment and create accounts for [email, chat, tools] with the minimum access the role needs.
5. Hiring manager: Pick a buddy and write a first-week plan with [3] goals.
6. People manager: Email the new hire [3] working days before the start with time, place, who to ask for and what to bring, including any documents still needed for the right-to-work check.
7. Hiring manager: On day 1, welcome the new hire, give a tour or video call, and walk through the plan.
8. IT or admin: On day 1, hand over equipment, set up the [password manager] and confirm every login works.
9. If any login fails on day 1, then IT or admin fixes it the same day. Otherwise continue.
10. Hiring manager: On days 2 and 3, introduce the team and key contacts, and assign the first real task.
11. Buddy: Join the new hire for [one lunch or call] and answer questions.
12. People manager: On day 4, confirm policies, safety and data-protection briefings are done and signed off.
13. Hiring manager: On day 5, hold a [30]-minute check-in covering what went well, what is unclear and goals for week 2.
14. People manager: Send the new hire a short feedback form and record the answers.

Checks before closing

• All accounts work and access matches the role.
• Contract and required forms are signed and filed.
• Right-to-work check done within the legal deadline, dated, and filed under [retention rule].
• Briefings are completed and recorded.
• The new hire knows their goals for weeks 2 to [4].
• Feedback is recorded and any fixes are logged.

Exceptions

• Right-to-work check incomplete, or a document expires: do not start or continue work until resolved. Follow [local rules] and ask [HR adviser / lawyer].
• Equipment late: lend a spare device or begin with reading and training that need none.
• Start date changes: update the checklist dates and tell IT and the buddy.
• Remote hire: send equipment [5] working days early and hold day 1 by video. Check whether your [right-to-work check] can be done remotely.
• Buddy absent: hiring manager names a replacement.

Time and targets

Suggested targets, adjust to your team:

• Checklist created: [10] working days before start.
• Right-to-work check done: by the legal deadline in [your country], which in some countries is before the first day of work.
• Accounts ready: by [5pm] the working day before the start.
• Check-in held: by the end of day 5.
• Feedback reviewed: within [5] working days.

Related

• [Offboarding SOP]
• [Probation review process]
• [IT access policy]

Review: [every 6 months]