New Starter Onboarding Checklist Template
Download (CSV)Twelve items that cover a frontline starter's first week: legal checks before day one, a proper day one, and the follow-ups that stop week three surprises. Download it, or copy the list into whatever you use.
The checklist
| Task | Owner | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Right-to-work documents checked and copied | Manager | Before day 1 |
| Contract issued and signed | Manager | Before day 1 |
| Payroll details collected (bank, NI, P45 or starter checklist) | Admin | Before day 1 |
| Uniform and equipment issued | Manager | Day 1 |
| Site tour and fire evacuation walkthrough | Buddy | Day 1 |
| Health and safety induction completed | Manager | Day 1 |
| Introductions to team and buddy assigned | Manager | Day 1 |
| App/login access set up and tested | Admin | Day 1 |
| Role-specific training started | Manager | Week 1 |
| First-week check-in conversation | Manager | Day 5 |
| Probation objectives agreed and written down | Manager | Week 1 |
| Four-week review booked | Manager | Week 1 |
Why the order matters
Right-to-work checks must happen before employment starts; doing them on day one is already late. The day-one items are about safety and belonging: someone who has met their buddy, knows the fire exits and can log into things feels employed. The week-one items are what most small teams skip, and they are why some starters drift to a quiet exit in month two.
Running this without the spreadsheet
An onboarding checklist in a spreadsheet has one owner and no reminders. In Team Pilot, the same checklist triggers automatically when a starter is added: documents route for e-signature, training assigns itself, and progress is visible per person, so nobody reaches week three without a login or a signed contract. See how it fits together on the HR and training page.