Employee Benefits: What To Include In Your HR Onboarding Checklist

For any new employee, the onboarding (or induction) process sets the tone for what they will expect from their new job … and what will be expected of them, too. As you can imagine, a well-structured onboarding process won’t just ensure compliance and consistency, but in the longer run it increases motivation levels – and reduces staff turnover.  Which can’t be bad.



If you want evidence, a study by the Brandon Hall Group shows that companies who prioritize effective onboarding improve retention of new staff by a staggering 82%, and productivity by 70%. On this basis, it should be obvious to anyone that investing in this important part of HR should always be front and center for forward-thinking businesses.

Good On Paper - Essential and Non-Essential Documents

A major job with onboarding is looking after the documentation - both legal and administrative.  This is essential for protecting both the business and the employee. While some of these documents are set in stone for every business in every sector, you might also be including some of your own - for example, if an employee will be driving a company car, you may want to minimize company liability by making the employee responsible for any accidents. This would mean that you will be looking at additional documentation such as verification of adequate auto insurance. You also need to be checking the employee’s driving record, making sure that they have a current and valid license and performing vehicle verification checks - something which needs to be done through an organization such as the Florida VIN check (although these may vary from state to state).

Let’s take a look at some more standard and non-standard documents that may be useful

As you can see, some of these documents need to be locked down on the very first day of employment while others have a little more wiggle room.

Pre-boarding for a smoother onboarding experience

While onboarding generally starts on your new hire’s first day, studies show that getting a head-start by pre-boarding can really help with engagement and retention.



This can include:

• A personalized welcome email (the human touch goes a long way)
• Clear first-day instructions including when and where to arrive and dress code guidelines
• Company literature and employee guidelines including benefit structures
• Technology set up to ensure that the employee is able to hit the ground running on arrival

Getting the first day right first time

Let’s face it, the first day in a new job can be pretty grim - you don’t know anyone, you don’t know what you’re supposed to be doing and, in some cases, you don’t even know where the washrooms are.



Putting in place a proper first-day protocol with a detailed but fairly light schedule is a great way of welcoming a new hire and should include:

• A warm welcome from HR and the manager / supervisor
• Administrative tasks including documents
• An orientation covering essential company info and safety procedures
• A tour of the workplace
• An introduction to key team members

Bringing Clarity To Benefits

Although it may not be the sexiest of tasks, it’s important that HR is able to make sure that the new guy or gal is told about - and understands - the benefits available to him or her and the options that they have. This needs careful documentation and The Employee Benefit Security Administration can help by providing compliance adherence guidelines.



When it comes to health and retirement benefits, there are some pretty complex options and decisions involved and these need to be explained clearly and transparently. When presenting information about health and retirement options, it’s your job to make sure that your new hire understands all the ins and outs including coverage levels, deductibles, network restrictions, 401(k) plans, employer matching contributions, vesting schedules and investment options. You may also include additional information such as Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) along with contribution limits and tax advantages. The forward-thinking business will also offer financial planning resources and consultations with benefits experts.

Additional benefits overview

This important information helps employees to understand the full compensation value and how to manage it.

Performance Expectations And Goals

A big part of onboarding is in the communication of performance expectations to ensure success for both the employee and the company.



Here, HR should join forces with key personnel in order to establish clear job responsibilities, performance metrics and goals - for example; 30, 60 and 90 day targets. On top of this, you should be introducing any training or mentorship opportunities and scheduling regular check-ins to address questions and concerns and provide feedback.

Measuring success

Monitoring and reviewing is vital to ensure that the employee is on the right track - and stays there - and this can be measured as follows:

These measurements should be conducted at 30, 60 and 90 day intervals to gain feedback while memories are still fresh. You should also conduct exit interviews of employees who choose to leave within the first year as this can give you some real insights into your onboarding process.

Building Connections From the Start

When it comes to onboarding, your objective is to make sure that all new employees are fully engaged and invested in the business from the moment they step through the door. This isn’t just about the nuts and bolts of working there.  It’s about taking the time to explain the company’s mission and values.  It can also help to arrange meetings with other staff, and maybe plan a few social activities in order to allow new relationships to be built. Simple activities such as lunches or team-building exercises can make a real difference in those first days and reeks and should be considered an investment in productivity and retention that will pay dividends in the long run.