New Starter Onboarding Checklist

A Great Hire Can Still Fail Without This

A huge amount of time, effort and budget goes into attracting and hiring the right people. But recruitment is only half the story — because even the strongest hire can struggle if onboarding isn't done well.

As September approaches, now is the perfect time to review how your new starters will be welcomed, supported and set up for success.

To help, we've put together a free New Starter Onboarding Checklist: a practical guide to creating a positive onboarding experience before, during and after day one.

Onboarding Starts Before Day One

It's easy to think of onboarding as something that begins when someone walks through the door. In reality, the period between offer acceptance and start date is one of the most important parts of the entire employee experience.

How you communicate, prepare and welcome a new starter in those weeks sets the tone for everything that follows.

Why Onboarding Matters More Than Ever

Across education and the public sector, organisations are investing significant effort into attracting talent. Yet many still underestimate the impact of onboarding once that offer has been accepted.

A strong onboarding process helps organisations:

• Increase retention — new starters who feel supported early are far more likely to stay
• Improve engagement — a confident start builds long-term commitment
• Build confidence quickly — clear structure removes early uncertainty
• Reduce time-to-productivity — well-onboarded staff contribute sooner

The most successful organisations focus on more than compliance and induction paperwork. They create a genuine sense of belonging from the very beginning.

What's Inside the Checklist

Our free downloadable resource walks through the key questions to ask at each stage of the onboarding journey:

• Before Day One — welcome communications, equipment and access
• Day One & Week One — induction planning and early structure
• First 90 Days — check-ins that keep new starters engaged and supported

It's designed to be quick to use, whether you're reviewing your current process or building one from scratch ahead of your September intake.

Get Ready for September Starters

Recruitment doesn't have to be reactive, and neither does onboarding. A little planning now means far less pressure later in the year — and new starters who feel confident, supported and ready to succeed from day one.

[Download the New Starter Onboarding Checklist →]

If you're preparing for September starters and want to strengthen your onboarding process, we'd be happy to share ideas and examples from across the education and public sector. The best onboarding experiences don't happen by accident.