👥 HR Template
Onboarding Checklist Template
New starter checklist: IT setup, training, introductions, paperwork.
What a new starter checklist should track
- Signed contract returned, and identity and work rights verified
- Tax file number declaration and superannuation choice form
- Fair Work Information Statement provided — and the casual statement, for casuals
- Bank details and payroll setup completed before the first pay run
- Accounts, equipment and access provisioned before day one
- WHS induction, emergency procedures and first aid locations
- Policy acknowledgements recorded
- Role-specific training, with who is responsible for each part
- Check-ins scheduled at one week, one month and before probation ends
Day one is a retention problem, not an admin problem
Turnover in the first ninety days is disproportionately caused by the first week: no desk, no logins, no one expecting them, no idea what success looks like. The paperwork has a deadline and generally gets done. The things that actually decide whether someone stays — a named buddy, a first task that matters, a manager who has blocked out time — have no deadline and get skipped.
- Assign a buddy who is not the manager, and tell them it is part of their job that week
- Give a real, completable task in the first few days
- Book the probation check-in at the start, not the week it falls due
Record keeping
- Employee records must be kept for seven years and must be legible and in English
- Payslips must be issued within one working day of payment
- Keep the signed policy acknowledgements with the file, not in an inbox
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General information only — not legal, tax or financial advice. For contracts and tax documents, confirm your obligations with a qualified professional or the relevant authority.