Template

New hire orientation template

A new starter's first morning: who we are, how work gets done here, the tools, the people to know, and what their first week looks like.

90 minutesFor People teams and managers welcoming new staffAgenda room

Change the agenda first

The agenda, with a time for each part

Welcome and introductions10 min
- What should we know about you, and what are you looking forward to?
What we do and for whom15 min
- Who are our customers, and what do they rely on us for?
How work gets done here15 min
- Where do decisions get made, and how do I ask for help?
Tools and accounts20 min
- Can you log in to everything you need today?
Policies that matter in week one10 min
- What do I need to know about time off, expenses and security?
People to meet10 min
- Who are the five people I should talk to this week?
The first week, day by day10 min
- What does a good first week look like?

How the notes read afterwards

A made-up example, so you can see the shape. In a real call each line carries the words that were said and who said them.

Customers. Mostly clinics with fewer than 20 staff.

Accounts. Email, chat and the help desk working; payroll access tomorrow.

People to meet. Their manager, their buddy, one person in support, one in sales, the office manager.

First week. Shadow two support calls; answer five tickets with a buddy by Friday.

Running it well

Have every account working before they arrive. A new starter who spends the first day waiting for a password learns what you think of them.
Give them a buddy who is not their manager, for questions they feel silly asking.
Send the first-week plan the day before, so they arrive knowing where to be.

Ways to change it

Several starters at onceRun it as a group, and make introductions part of the morning.

Remote starterShip the laptop a week early, and keep cameras on for the welcome.

When to skip it. Never. A new starter without one fills the gap by guessing.

Questions

What should new hire orientation include?

An introduction to the organisation and its customers, how work gets done, tools, the policies that matter early, people to meet and a plan for the first week.

How long should orientation be?

A morning on the first day, followed by short check-ins through the first weeks.

What is the difference between orientation and onboarding?

Orientation is the first day or two. Onboarding is the whole first months until the person is fully up to speed.

What happens in the room

Everybody joins from the link, with no account. The agenda sits beside the call and each item fills in with what was said about it, under the name of the person who said it.

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