An employee onboarding plan is a list of steps, tasks, and activities that a company needs to prepare for a new employee.
What Does an Onboarding Plan Mean for Small and Growing Businesses?
An onboarding plan outlines all the steps involved in welcoming a new employee, detailing who is responsible for preparing materials, sharing information, completing tasks, and more. Businesses usually break these steps down into phases: before the employee starts (pre-boarding), the first day, and the first 30, 60, and 90 days.
Our Recommendations: What an Onboarding Plan Should Include and How to Structure It
- Pre-boarding – Preparation Before Start Date
- First Day – The Employee’s First Day
- Onboarding – The First 30 to 90 Days
What Does an Onboarding Plan Usually Include?
- Job-specific training (e.g., technical skills, product knowledge, soft skills)
- Regular one-on-one meetings with the manager
- Setting clear goals and expectations
- Ongoing performance reviews and feedback
- Integration into team workflows and projects
How to Create an Employee Onboarding Plan?
- We recommend creating the training plan as part of the overall onboarding plan
- See the guide on how to create an onboarding and training plan for a new employee