What to Include on the New Employee Orientation Checklist
Purpose
Using a new employee orientation checklist makes your life easier as a human resources professional. There is a lot of information to
cover with a new employee–especially when you consider all the federal government documentation regulations and your own organization’s needs. When you sit down with the new employee to go over all the paperwork, working from a prepared checklist ensures that you do not miss a benefit or fail to have the employee sign the required paperwork. This helps you avoid having to track the employee down at a later date to sign forgotten papers. Using the checklist also increases employee confidence in the thoroughness and professionalism of the human resources department.
Policy Forms
To be in legal compliance, your new employee needs to fill out a W-4 and an I-9 form. Include those forms on your checklist. If you have an employee handbook, check off that your new employee has received the handbook and acknowledges its receipt. Include other forms such as confidentiality agreements, emergency contact information, benefits information received, and a confidentiality form if your organization has one. As you come to each line item on your checklist, hand the form to the employee, explain its meaning, and place an “x” or a check mark next to the item.
Organizational Forms and Information
Your organization most likely has handouts, information, and forms unique to your company. If you generally go over the history of the company, the organizational structure, or reporting relationships, place a line item on your new employee orientation checklist for each. Place a line item on the form to remind you to explain whether the employee is exempt or non-exempt and how your organization reports time worked.
Insurance
Whether the new employee has had insurance for years or if he is working full time for the first time, he will have questions about your company’s benefits programs. Include every type of insurance you offer on your checklist. Begin with health insurance. Break down the health insurance section of the checklist into benefit levels, costs, family plans, and applicable deductibles. After health insurance, go over dental and vision insurance, life insurance, worker’s compensation benefits, and disability insurance. As you cover each section, check it off your list.
Additional Benefits
When creating your new employee orientation checklist think about all the other benefits that your organization offers its employees. Examples to include on your checklist include parking benefits if you are located in a large city, your organization’s paid holiday information, and vacation benefits. Include how many vacation days are allowed per years of service, as well as the procedure for requesting and reporting vacation leave. Leave for funerals, on-site child care, employee assistance programs, wellness discounts, and discounts unique to your organization are other sections you should include on the new employee orientation checklist.
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