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Complete Employee Onboarding Checklist for UK Employers

According to the CIPD's Resourcing and Talent Planning Report¹, 41% of UK organisations saw new recruits quit within the first 12 weeks. Most of those losses are preventable with a structured onboarding process. This phenomenon becomes particularly important in large organisations where you’re onboarding staff at a higher rate. Losing those staff sets you back even more and translates to financial loss and further upheaval.

This guide covers every stage of onboarding, from pre-boarding through to 90 days, including a new starter checklist for each stage, UK compliance requirements, a manager's checklist, and guidance for remote and hybrid starters.

Employee Onboarding Software Download Checklist

10 minutes

Written by Tom Noble, Senior Solutions Consultant.

Posted 30/06/2026

In this article we will explore the following areas:

What is an employee onboarding checklist?
Why is employee onboarding important?
Why does a new employee onboarding checklist matter?
The complete staff onboarding checklist: stage by stage
Manager's new starter checklist
What should an onboarding checklist include for remote and hybrid starters?
How does onboarding software support your checklist?
Start your onboarding the right way

What is an employee onboarding checklist?

An employee onboarding checklist is a structured list of tasks that guides HR teams, line managers, IT, and new starters through every stage of the onboarding process, from before day one through to the end of the first 90 days.

A good checklist covers three areas: compliance (the legal and administrative requirements), culture (helping the new hire feel welcome and connected), and role integration (setting them up to contribute quickly). It is not just an admin tool. Used well, it is one of the most effective ways to protect your investment in a new hire.

Why is employee onboarding important?

Starting a new job in an unfamiliar environment can be daunting for anyone, no matter the stage of their career.

Without a structured onboarding process, those first few days and weeks become hard, particularly in remote environments where reaching out digitally to your team can be harder. A structured, well designed onboarding process, supplemented by an onboarding checklist for repeatability, can help you:

Create a positive first impression
Improve employee engagement
Increase retention
Help employees become productive more quickly
Create consistency across departments

Why does a new employee onboarding checklist matter?

The cost of getting onboarding wrong is significant. Oxford Economics and Unum put the average cost of replacing an employee earning over £25,000 at £30,614. At the same time, 27% of UK employers reported candidates failing to show up on day one, according to the same CIPD report². For large organisations processing multiple new hires each month, those figures add up quickly.

As Emma Parkin, Head of Propositions at The Access group, puts it:

"The biggest challenge at scale is inconsistency. In Manchester, new hires might get a fantastic, structured experience. In London, it's completely different. Marketing does one thing, Operations another. Some managers are brilliant at onboarding; others see it as a burden."

Onboarding at Scale, Access Webinar

A standardised new employee onboarding checklist is the most direct way to address that inconsistency.

Despite this, Gallup research³ shows that only 12% of employees believe their company has a good onboarding process. For large organisations, closing that gap represents a significant operational and financial opportunity.

There is also a wellbeing dimension that is easy to overlook. Research commissioned by us [The Access Group] from the University of Nottingham found that 41% of hybrid workers reported feeling depressed. For new starters joining a hybrid or remote team, the risk of early isolation is real. A structured onboarding process is one of the most practical ways to address it. You can read more in our guide to hybrid working.

A well-designed staff onboarding checklist does not just reduce admin errors. It sets the tone for the entire employment relationship.

The complete staff onboarding checklist: stage by stage

A thorough onboarding checklist covers five stages: pre-boarding, day one, the first week, 30 days, and 60 to 90 days. Each stage has a distinct purpose, and skipping any one of them creates gaps that are difficult to recover from.

Pre-boarding checklist: before day one

Pre-boarding covers everything between offer acceptance and the new starter's first day. Getting this stage right reduces day-one anxiety, prevents admin backlogs, and ensures the business meets its legal obligations before employment begins.

UK compliance (legal requirements):

Conduct a Right to Work check. This is a legal requirement under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. Failure to do so before employment begins can result in a civil penalty of up to £60,000 per illegal worker.
Issue and collect the HMRC Starter Checklist where the new starter does not have a P45. This ensures the correct tax code is applied from day one.
Collect bank details and set up payroll.
Confirm auto-enrolment eligibility and enrol in the workplace pension scheme where applicable.

Admin and documentation:

Send and collect the signed employment contract.
Distribute the employee handbook and key policies for signature.
Collect emergency contact details.

Tech and equipment:

Set up laptop, phone, and system access before day one.
Create the email account and any required logins.

Culture and engagement:

Send a welcome email from the line manager.
Introduce the onboarding buddy.
Share a first-day agenda so the new starter knows what to expect.

Day one checklist: making a strong first impression

First days set the tone. Research by Glean and OnePoll⁴ found that 81% of employees feel overwhelmed during onboarding, so the goal on day one is to make the new starter feel welcome and informed, without overloading them.

Greet the new starter on arrival. Both the line manager and HR should be available.
Complete the office or virtual tour.
Finish any outstanding pre-boarding admin.
Introduce the team and the onboarding buddy.
Walk through the role, initial expectations, and the 30-60-90 day plan.
Arrange a team lunch or virtual coffee to encourage early connection.

First week checklist: getting up to speed

The first week is about role clarity and early integration.

Schedule a role alignment meeting: clarify responsibilities, short-term goals, and how the role fits into the wider team.
Begin required compliance training, including health and safety, data protection and GDPR awareness, and equality and diversity.
Provide access to role-specific learning resources.
Schedule introductory meetings with key colleagues across departments.
Hold an end-of-week check-in to ask for first impressions and answer any outstanding questions.

30-day checklist: the first milestone

Thirty days is a natural point to review progress and set the direction for the months ahead.

Hold a formal check-in meeting and review progress against initial goals.
Provide structured feedback: affirm what is going well and identify areas for development.
Confirm the new starter feels clear on their role and expectations.
Check cultural integration: are they building relationships and engaging with the team?
Begin discussing longer-term development pathways.

60 and 90-day checklist: embedding for the long term

Most onboarding programmes focus on the first 30 days, but research from Gallup⁵ suggests new employees can take up to 12 months to reach their full performance potential. The 60 and 90-day checkpoints bridge the gap between onboarding and full productivity.

At 60 days:

Conduct a mid-point review and assess performance against goals set at 30 days.
Identify any training gaps and address them before the probation review.
Confirm probation is on track and communicate this clearly to the new starter.

At 90 days:

Conduct the formal probation review where applicable.
Set objectives for the next quarter.
Discuss career development and learning opportunities.
Gather feedback on the onboarding experience to improve the process for future hires.

Manager's new starter checklist

HR owns the onboarding process, but managers are the ones who make it work day to day. A manager's new starter checklist keeps responsibilities clear and ensures nothing falls through the gap between HR handover and team integration.

Key responsibilities for line managers:

Brief the existing team on the new hire's role before they arrive.
Be present and available on day one. Do not delegate the welcome.
Set clear expectations and short-term goals in week one.
Schedule regular one-to-ones throughout the first 90 days.
Provide timely, constructive feedback. Do not wait for a formal review.
Monitor for signs of isolation, particularly for remote or hybrid starters.

That last point matters more than many managers realise, as we mentioned earlier where 41% of hybrid workers reported feeling depressed. For new starters who join a team remotely, the manager is often the primary point of human contact in the early weeks. Regular, structured check-ins are not optional. They are part of the role.

It is also worth recognising that not every new starter responds to the same management style. As Zoe Wilson, Director of ReThink HR, observes:

"Managers often treat people exactly the same through processes like probation. One person loves regular meetings and detail, another feels micromanaged and not trusted. Two different styles, two different outcomes."

Performance and Progression | Do the Best Work of Your Life Ep. 8

A good manager's new starter checklist builds in flexibility alongside structure.

Employee onboarding software can support managers by providing visibility of task completion and flagging outstanding actions automatically, so nothing is missed.

What should an onboarding checklist include for remote and hybrid starters?

A remote or hybrid new starter checklist follows the same core stages as an in-person process, but requires additional steps to compensate for the lack of face-to-face interaction. According to the Office for National Statistics⁶, more than a quarter (28%) of working adults in Great Britain now work in a hybrid arrangement, making remote collaboration a normal part of working life rather than an edge case.

Pre-boarding

Ensure hardware is delivered at least two days before the first day. Pre-load system access and send a detailed first-day agenda so the new starter is not navigating unfamiliar tools alone.

Day one

Start with a video welcome call involving the manager and any relevant team members. Walk through the tools and systems they will use and introduce the buddy virtually.

First week

Set explicit goals for building a remote network. Schedule virtual team socials alongside work meetings.

Ongoing

Arrange an in-person visit within the first 30 days where possible. Use regular video check-ins rather than relying on email, and encourage the buddy to maintain consistent contact.

How does onboarding software support your checklist?

A checklist is only as effective as the system behind it. With integrated HR onboarding software, teams can automate task assignment, track completion in real time, and flag outstanding actions before they become problems. Check out our guide to choosing employee onboarding software to discover the features that can help you improve retention.

Documents including contracts, the HMRC Starter Checklist, and company policies can be sent, signed, and stored digitally, removing the risk of paperwork being lost in email chains. Data flows directly into payroll and HR systems, eliminating duplicate data entry and reducing the administrative burden on HR teams.

Customers using Access PeopleXD have seen this directly. As Guy Corbett, Director of Business Improvement at Livv Housing Group, explains:

"Since using Access PeopleXD, we've reduced the administrative burden on the HR team, so their time can be freed up and dedicated to more strategic and meaningful HR activity to help the business meet our longer-term goals."

According to SHRM's 2025 Talent Trends research⁷, 89% of HR professionals say AI saves them time or increases their efficiency. Onboarding software reduces that burden directly.

Start your onboarding the right way

A well-structured employee onboarding checklist covers compliance, culture, and role integration from pre-boarding through to 90 days.

For large organisations, where the cost of early attrition runs into tens of thousands of pounds per hire, the process is worth investing in.

Download the free onboarding checklist template
Explore Access PeopleXD Evo's Employee Onboarding Software and the wider PeopleXD Evo suite for every step of the employee lifecycle
Find out what are the essential onboarding survey question to ask, and when, in our blog (with downloadable template).

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Onboarding Template FAQs

What is the difference between an onboarding checklist and an induction checklist?

An induction checklist typically covers the first day or first week: introductions, office tours, and initial paperwork. An onboarding checklist is broader, covering the full journey from pre-boarding through to 90 days. Effective onboarding goes well beyond induction.

How long should the onboarding process last?

Most onboarding programmes run for 90 days, but Gallup research suggests new employees can take up to 12 months to reach their full performance potential. A structured checklist with milestones at 30, 60, and 90 days helps bridge that gap.

Who is responsible for the onboarding checklist?

Onboarding is a shared responsibility. HR typically owns the process and compliance tasks. Line managers lead on role integration, goal-setting, and day-to-day support. IT is responsible for equipment and system access. A good onboarding checklist assigns tasks clearly to each stakeholder from the outset.

Do I need a different checklist for remote employees?

Yes. Remote and hybrid starters need additional steps around equipment delivery, virtual introductions, and proactive check-ins. The core stages remain the same, but the delivery method changes to account for the absence of in-person interaction.

What UK legal requirements apply during onboarding?

UK employers must conduct a Right to Work check before employment begins. Where a new starter does not have a P45, the HMRC Starter Checklist must be completed to ensure the correct tax code is applied. Employers must also auto-enrol eligible employees into a workplace pension scheme.