Onboarding New Staff Checklist

A new year brings new recruitment opportunities for Motiff Shop. First impression count for both the employee and Motiff Shop -- it's important to get things right in your new recruit's first week to help them settle in.

This article aims to provide you with some helpful hints during the on boarding process.

Pre-employment tasks

Before a new employee begins their employment, it is essential that Motiff Shop is well prepared to welcome the new recruit to the organization. Motiff Shop should inform all existing employees of the new starter.

Once the new recruit's start date has been set, Motiff Shop should develop an orientation plan outlining the particular content that will be covered within the induction process. For example: a breakdown of topics to be covered, breaks, meetings and the opportunity to meet staff.

Other things to consider include:

• organizing access to the office building and security;
• creating email accounts and storage devices; and
• ensuring stationery is in adequate supply.

Being organized from the outset can help your new recruit to quickly understand how Motiff Shop works and be equipped to hit the ground running with their new role. 

Engaging a new employee

On an employee's first day, you should ensure that all relevant documents are put together and given to the employee. A convenient way to do this is in the form of an 'induction package'. From a best practice perspective, the following documents should be included:

• employment documents including a job description, letter of offer, employment contract, copy of the business' employee handbook and Fair Work Information Statement;
• Tax File Declaration form;
• superannuation nomination form; and
• personal details form.

Once the employment documents have been provided to the new employee, you should highlight and discuss the key terms and conditions of their employment. In particular, you may wish to discuss the probationary period and any additional benefits that the new employee will be entitled to receive within the role (for example, commission schemes and product allowances).

A tour of the workplace is also helpful for new recruits. It is an ideal opportunity for them to be introduced to colleagues and become familiar with the location of fire exits, kitchen and first aid facilities and amenities. 

Any additional documents (such as personal details, tax file declaration and superannuation forms) should be completed and returned to you as soon as possible. Once the company receives this information, it will need to be appropriately filed.

Having a comprehensive induction process will create a solid foundation where the company can promote its workplace culture and values, increase employee retention and foster open communication amongst new and existing staff. 

Probation review

The probationary period provides you with an opportunity to assess the new employee's suitability for the role. During the probation period, you should identify the areas where the employee is achieving and areas in need of improvement, which can be used as a basis for either extending or reducing the probation of the employee.

The appropriate screening to recruit the right individuals for your business will help minimize any potential risks for the business in the long run, and will help you to make any future recruitment easier.