Essential Onboarding Documents for New Hires

Employee onboarding can get quite overwhelming, and when it lacks organization and management, it can leave your new employee with a bad taste from the start. However, a good onboarding experience can do wonders for a company.

Onboarding documents for new hires are crucial components of effective onboarding. These documents outline roles, responsibilities, and expectations and ensure compliance, reducing legal risks. Properly drafted employee onboarding documents, safe storage, and easy access using onboarding software can make new hires feel prepared right from day one. 

To help you make a stellar first impression and provide all the compliant information, we discuss onboarding documents you’ll have to provide during different onboarding stages. 

Forming a Solid Foundation: Pre-Onboarding Documents

A strong employee onboarding process starts even before your employee’s first day. You’ll need to send the following essential documents to your new hires so they understand their role, responsibilities, and terms of employment. 

1. 1. Employment Offer Letter 

An employment offer letter is crucial onboarding documentation that offers the job to the candidate officially. It outlines:

• Job title

• Job description

• Start date

• Starting salary

• The Direct Manager of the new hire 

• Benefits eligibility

1. 2. Employment Contract

Once the recruit signs and returns the offer letter, the employing business delivers a comprehensive written agreement detailing their roles and obligations, including:

• Detailed duties and expectations

• Final compensation details

• The length of employment, if applicable

• Comprehensive information on employee benefits.

1. 3. Confidentiality Agreements and Non-Disclosure Agreements

Though not mandatory, a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) may help protect the company’s intellectual property and proprietary information. It is a legally binding agreement delivered with an employment contract that requires the employee to maintain secrecy about sensitive information, such as:

• Trade secrets

• Client lists

• Corporate strategy 

It bars the employee from disclosing this information to third parties at any moment during or after their employment. 

1. 4. Pre-Employment Background Checks and Drug Testing

Some industries require pre-employment background checks. If your business anticipates these checks, obtain the written consent of a candidate with the offer letter. Background checks often involve:

• Verification of employment history

• Assessment of credit history

• Criminal history to check any past criminal records.

• Motor vehicle history for positions involving driving responsibilities

• Drug tests to ensure a safe and productive working environment

Key Information for Day One: First-Day Onboarding Documents

Now, it’s your new hire’s first day, and it will set the tone for their integration into your company for their entire time with you. The following onboarding documents for new hires give clear, comprehensive information to establish a foundation of understanding and compliance.

1. 1. Employee Handbook

The employee handbook outlines your company’s rules, procedures, and values. Each new employee must go over the details in the employee handbook and sign to agree to comply with company policies. You should create an employee handbook that includes:

• Dress code

• Company values and ethics that guide the company

• Code of conduct and standards for behavior within the company

• Mission statement with  company's goals, purpose, and strategic plan to achieve them

• Procedures for requesting paid time off (PTO), vacation hours, sick days, jury duty, etc

1. 2. Payroll Forms 

Payroll forms in the onboarding document include the following documents to ensure timely and accurate payment.

• Direct deposit form that includes payment processing details

• Necessary tax documentation, such as W-4 or i-9 forms in the US

1. 3. Benefits Brochure

Introduce new hires to the benefits package so they understand and take advantage of the additional compensation schemes and perks, such as: 

• Medical insurance

• Retirement plans

• Career advancement opportunities

And any other benefits the company offers.

1. 4. Emergency Contact Information

Get your new hires to fill up the emergency contact information form in case of an event of emergency. This information is kept on file so the company knows who to contact in case of crisis. Include the following details:

• Full name of the emergency contact

• Email address and phone number

• Their relationship with the employee

1. 5. Workspace Setup Onboarding Documentation

Providing the new hires with their workspace set-up documentation gets them ready from day to get straight into work. HR Cloud's People HRMS software offers an all-inclusive solution for managing resources, for example, onboarding and workspace settings, amongst other things, to make the onboarding process smoother. Additionally, provide an organizational chart to help new employees understand:

• The company's structure

• Their place on the team

• Their specific responsibilities

• The chain of command

• Access credentials to the required technology

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Training and Development: Ongoing Onboarding Documents

The onboarding process isn’t done with just the first hiring day alone. Ensure new hires grow and succeed within the company with essential records of the components for employee training development, such as:

1. 1. Training process outline: Help new hires know what to expect during training with a brief overview of:

   1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. a) Mandatory sessions and schedule

                  2. b) Compliance training requirements

                  3. c) Introductions to key team members

                  4. d) Initial projects

                  5. e) Long-term training and development plan

HR cloud is an online employee onboarding and training platform that is designed to ensure a smooth introduction for new hires to the company policies, job roles, and workflow process.  

2. Learning Resources: Provide comprehensive learning resources relevant to encourage self-learning, such as:

• Detailed Guides

• Online Learning Platforms

• Access to the knowledge base

3. Performance Expectations: Outlines clear expectations, including key responsibilities and performance metrics. 

4. Goal setting: Guide your new hires into immediate and long-term goal setting. You can help them create goals using the Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) formula. 

5. Development plans: Incorporate their personal plans, which are in line with the company's goals and the employee's career ambitions. Such personal plans for development and relevant skills acquisition are relevant for mutual benefits.

6. Mentorship Programs and Feedback Mechanisms: Detail any mentorship programs available for new hires to smoothly transition into their new role. If you’ve got a structured program, let them know they can access it. You can also detail how the company will provide timely feedback, whether with regular one-on-one meetings or periodic reports.

Wrapping Up: Finalizing Onboarding Documents

This last phase of onboarding secures the new hire's place within the organization and sets the stage for further growth and success within that organization. Constantly update any information to the onboarding documents and add the records of the following to keep each employee’s documentation up-to-date:

1. 1. Probationary Period Reviews and Assessments

• Scheduled assessments: These are formal appraisals at the end of the probationary period to evaluate performance, team integration, and cultural fit.

• Feedback collection: Feedback obtained from managers, peers, and subordinates.

• Assessment documentation: Completed review forms and established goals/action plans as necessary.

1. 2. Goal Achievement and Performance Evaluation

• Performance evaluation: Measurement of progress as per their goals and timely reviews.

• Documentation: Detailed performance records and goal adjustment as needed.

1. 3. Updates to Employee Records and Future Development Plans

• Updating Records: Ensure personal and employment information is current.

• Future Development Plans: Document career paths and training opportunities.

Conclusion

Essential onboarding documents are vital in integrating new hires into the company culture, ensuring legal compliance, and setting clear expectations for performance and development. Organizations can utilize pre-onboarding, first-day, ongoing, and finalizing documents to enhance the employee experience and maximize productivity. 

Invest in a documentation tool to help you create and publish onboarding documents in an internal knowledge base. It can streamline the onboarding process, giving easy access to these documents and allowing a smooth and efficient transition for your new employees. If you’re onboarding remotely, you can also use it to offer easy access to your organization’s collective knowledge.

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Author Bio:

This article is written by a marketing team member at HR Cloud. HR Cloud is a leading provider of proven HR solutions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee communications & engagement, and rewards & recognition. Our user-friendly software increases employee productivity, delivers time and cost savings, and minimizes compliance risk.