How to onboard a new employee
Great onboarding turns new hires into productive team members faster. It reduces early turnover, builds engagement, and supports compliance — all while making your new employee feel genuinely welcome.
Written by
Georgia Morgan
General information only – not legal advice
This guide provides general information about employee onboarding for Australian businesses. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
What is employee onboarding?
Employee onboarding is the process of integrating a new hire into your organisation. It goes far beyond paperwork — it's about helping them understand their role, connect with colleagues, and become productive members of your team as quickly as possible.
Good onboarding starts before day one (pre-boarding) and continues for at least 90 days. According to the Australian Government's Business Guide, a thorough induction helps new employees understand your business, their role, and how to work safely.
Sample onboarding checklist
Here's what a typical employee onboarding checklist looks like with the key sections highlighted.
New employee onboarding
Employee: _________________ Start date: _________________
1. PRE-BOARDING (Before day one)
2. FIRST DAY
3. FIRST WEEK
A typical onboarding checklist includes:
- Pre-boarding — Paperwork and setup
- First day — Welcome and orientation
- First week — Training and policies
- First month — Check-ins and goals
- 90 days — Review and feedback
Pre-boarding vs first day: What's the difference?
Effective onboarding starts before your new employee walks through the door.
Pre-boarding
Everything that happens between accepting the offer and starting work. Sets the employee up for success.
Timing: 1-2 weeks before start date
First day onboarding
The employee's first experience in your workplace. Make it welcoming, organised, and memorable.
Focus: Connection, culture, and comfort
Employer responsibilities
As an employer, you have legal obligations including employee wages and entitlements, tax and superannuation, insurance, workplace health and safety, anti-discrimination, and record keeping. See the Business.gov.au guide for details.
Essential onboarding tasks
These are the key tasks for onboarding employees in Australia. Required items are legally necessary, recommended items improve the experience.
Tax file declaration
RequiredRequired for payroll and tax compliance
Superannuation choice
RequiredEmployee selects their super fund
Employment contract
RequiredSigned agreement with terms and conditions
Bank details
RequiredFor salary payments
Emergency contacts
RequiredWho to contact in case of emergency
Policy acknowledgements
RequiredCode of conduct, WHS, harassment policies
System access setup
Email, software logins, security access
Equipment allocation
Laptop, phone, uniform, tools
Induction training
WHS, compliance, role-specific training
Buddy assignment
Paired with an experienced colleague
Three ways to onboard employees
Each method has trade-offs. Here's how they compare.
Manual process
Paper forms, email attachments, and spreadsheet tracking. Works but is time-consuming.
Best for: Very small teams (1-2 hires/year)
Pre-made checklists and forms. More structured but still requires manual tracking.
Best for: Small teams getting started
Automated workflows, digital forms, and tracking. Professional experience for new hires.
Best for: Growing teams (5+ employees)
How to onboard a new employee
Follow these steps to create a welcoming, compliant onboarding experience.
Complete pre-boarding paperwork
Before day one, send employment documents electronically so new hires can complete them in advance.
Key actions:
- Send tax file declaration (TFD) and superannuation choice forms
- Share employment contract for review and signature
- Collect bank details for payroll setup
- Request emergency contact information
Prepare their workspace
Set up everything the new employee needs so they can hit the ground running on day one.
Key actions:
- Set up desk, computer, and necessary equipment
- Create email account and system logins
- Prepare access cards, keys, or security credentials
- Organise uniform, name badge, or other supplies
Send a welcome message
A warm welcome email before their start date helps reduce first-day nerves and sets expectations.
Key actions:
- Confirm start date, time, and location
- Explain what to expect on day one
- Share parking or public transport information
- Include dress code and what to bring
Conduct first-day orientation
Welcome them personally, give a tour, and cover the essentials to help them feel at home.
Key actions:
- Greet them personally on arrival
- Give a tour of facilities (toilets, break room, emergency exits)
- Introduce them to immediate team members
- Cover company mission, values, and culture
Assign a buddy or mentor
Pair them with an experienced colleague who can answer questions and help them settle in.
Key actions:
- Choose someone friendly and knowledgeable
- Brief the buddy on their mentoring role
- Schedule regular check-ins between buddy and new hire
- Encourage informal coffee catch-ups
Schedule ongoing check-ins
Regular meetings in the first few months ensure the new employee is settling in and getting support.
Key actions:
- Set 30/60/90-day review meetings with their manager
- Discuss progress, challenges, and feedback
- Provide role-specific training as needed
- Gather feedback on the onboarding process
Onboarding tips
The best onboarding experiences share these common elements.
Start before day one
Send paperwork and welcome info in advance so they arrive ready to work.
Make them feel welcome
A personal greeting and prepared workspace shows you value them.
Introduce the team
Help them build connections early — arrange team lunch or coffee.
Set clear expectations
Review their role, responsibilities, and 30/60/90-day goals.
Assign a buddy
Pair them with someone who can answer informal questions.
Check in regularly
Frequent touchpoints catch problems early and show you care.
First-day induction checklist
Based on Business Queensland's first-day guide, cover these items on day one:
Onboard employees with RosterElf HR hub
What takes hours manually can be done in minutes with the right HR software.
Send digital paperwork
Tax forms, contracts, and policies sent automatically. Employees complete on any device.
Collect digital signatures
Employment contracts and policy acknowledgements signed electronically and stored securely.
Track progress automatically
See exactly where each new hire is in the onboarding process. Never miss a step.
Store everything centrally
All documents in one place. Easy to find for audits or when employees have questions.
No credit card required
Feature comparison
See exactly how each onboarding method stacks up across key features.
Setup time
Paperwork collection
Task tracking
Document storage
Policy acknowledgement
Training tracking
Compliance audit
Employee experience
| Feature | Manual | Templates | HR software |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup time | 2-4 hours | 30-60 minutes | 10-15 minutes |
| Paperwork collection | Manual (print/scan) | Email attachments | Digital forms |
| Task tracking | Paper checklist | Spreadsheet | Automated workflow |
| Document storage | Filing cabinet | Shared drive | Centralised HR records |
| Policy acknowledgement | Print and sign | Email confirmation | Digital signatures |
| Training tracking | Separate system | Manual logging | Built-in tracking |
| Compliance audit | Manual review | Spreadsheet | Dashboard reports |
| Employee experience | Inconsistent | Better | Professional & consistent |
Common onboarding mistakes
Learn from others' errors. These mistakes lead to disengaged employees and early turnover.
No preparation before day one
Consequence: New hire arrives to an unprepared workspace, feels unwelcome and undervalued
Solution: Complete all setup tasks before their arrival using an onboarding checklist
Information overload on day one
Consequence: New employee is overwhelmed and retains little of what they learned
Solution: Spread training over the first week and prioritise what they need to know first
No assigned buddy or mentor
Consequence: New hire feels isolated and is reluctant to ask questions
Solution: Always assign a buddy who can provide informal guidance and support
Skipping the paperwork
Consequence: Compliance issues, payroll delays, or missing emergency contacts
Solution: Use digital onboarding to collect all required documents before day one
No follow-up after the first week
Consequence: Problems go unaddressed, new hire may disengage or leave early
Solution: Schedule 30/60/90-day check-ins to monitor progress and provide feedback
Download free onboarding templates
Get started with our library of free HR templates. Written by HR experts, ready to customise.
Streamline onboarding
RosterElf HR Hub provides digital onboarding workflows, document collection, and compliance tracking. Built for Australian small businesses.
Related guides
More HR and employment resources.
Frequently asked questions
- Employee onboarding is the process of integrating a new hire into your organisation. It includes pre-boarding (paperwork, setup), first-day orientation (tour, introductions), and ongoing support (training, check-ins) to help them become productive and feel part of the team.
- In Australia, employers must collect a Tax File Declaration, superannuation choice form, signed employment contract, and bank details for payroll. You should also provide the Fair Work Information Statement and have employees acknowledge key policies like the code of conduct and WHS policy.
- Effective onboarding extends beyond the first day. Pre-boarding should start 1-2 weeks before their start date. The first week covers orientation and immediate training. Full onboarding typically continues for 90 days with regular check-ins at 30, 60, and 90 days.
- Induction is a subset of onboarding focused on the first day or week — covering orientation, introductions, and immediate training. Onboarding is the broader process that starts before day one and continues for months, encompassing cultural integration, ongoing training, and performance support.
- Onboarding is a shared responsibility. HR manages paperwork, policies, and compliance. The direct manager handles role-specific training, goal setting, and performance check-ins. A buddy or mentor provides informal support and cultural integration. The new employee is also responsible for actively engaging in the process.
Regulatory sources
This guide is aligned with official Australian workplace regulations on starting employment.
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