New Employee Orientation: Ideas, Best Practices, and a Free Checklist

An organization’s new employee orientation can strongly influence whether someone decides to stay with the company. In fact, research from BambooHR shows that 29% of new hires know within their first week if the job feels like the right fit.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at new employee orientation: what it is, why it matters, and the benefits it brings. You’ll also find best practices, a handy checklist, and sample questions to include in an orientation survey.

Contents
What is new employee orientation?
The importance of new employee orientation
New employee orientation ideas
New employee orientation checklist
New employee orientation survey questions
New employee orientation: Best practices for HR
FAQ

What is new employee orientation?

New employee orientation is the process of helping new hires get familiar with the organization, its culture, their colleagues, and their role. At its core, orientation serves three main purposes: to welcome, inform, and engage employees as they begin their journey with the company.

Typical elements of an orientation program include team introductions, one-on-one time with the hiring manager to clarify expectations, and a walkthrough of the physical or virtual work environment.

When designed thoughtfully, orientation lays the groundwork for a strong and lasting relationship between the employee and the organization.

New employee orientation vs. onboarding

The terms new hire orientation and employee onboarding are often used as if they mean the same thing, and while that’s understandable, they are not the same.

New employee orientation is a short-term process that usually takes place over a day to a week. It’s the introductory phase of the broader onboarding journey, focused on shaping the new hire’s first impressions of their workplace. 

Onboarding, in contrast, begins the moment a candidate signs the offer letter and officially becomes a future employee. It continues until they can confidently perform their role on their own.

Put simply, orientation is a brief starting point, while onboarding is a longer, more comprehensive process. Both share the same overall goal: helping new hires become familiar with the organization, its culture, its people, and their new role.

The importance of new employee orientation

A well-designed orientation program matters for several reasons:

• Smooth transition into the organization: Orientation helps new hires familiarize themselves with the company’s culture and various policies and procedures right from the start. As such, it helps reduce the stress (or anxiety) that often comes with starting a new job and makes those critical first days less overwhelming. 
• Stronger engagement and retention: When employees feel welcomed and supported, they are more likely to engage with their work and stay longer. A structured orientation can reduce turnover by making people feel connected to the organization early on. 
• Shorter time to productivity: New hires who receive clear guidance about their roles, the expectations that come with them, and the available resources tend to get up to speed faster.  
• Laying the foundation for strong relationships: A holistic new employee orientation program involves connecting new hires with various people in the organization: their team, (direct) co-workers, manager, etc. It creates the basis for positive, lasting working relationships and communication.
• Consistency in onboarding: A formal orientation ensures every new hire receives the same core information, creating a standardized and fair experience across the workforce.
• Compliance with policies and regulations: Covering legal, safety, and policy requirements early on lowers the risk of errors or violations and ensures that new hires understand their responsibilities.
• Reinforcing the employer brand: A well-organized orientation shows that the company is supportive and professional, creating a strong first impression and reinforcing the employer brand.

New employee orientation ideas

There are many ways to design a new employee orientation program, and the right approach depends on factors such as company culture, budget, team size, and the type of role.

Below are some examples from our orientation at AIHR on people’s first day and during their first week. We’ll go over them as if you just joined our company.

On the first day

• Around 9:00 am – A warm welcome: The new hire arrives and is greeted by their team. We keep the welcome light and informal to give everyone a chance to connect right away. This first interaction helps break the ice, introduces the new employee to the culture, and sets a positive tone for the day.
• Around 9:30 am – Agenda discussion: Once the initial welcome settles, the new hire meets with their manager to review the agenda for the day. This provides structure and helps set expectations from the start.
• Around 9:45 am – Office tour and introductions: Next comes a guided office tour. Knowing where things are, the kitchen, coffee machine, bathrooms, printers, and even how to close the office, helps new employees feel at home. During the tour, they’re reintroduced to colleagues and their team. Since not everyone may be available in the morning, this ensures they’ve met everyone they’ll be working closely with. In addition, one-on-one meetings with team members are scheduled during the first week to build stronger connections.
• Around 10:30 a.m., the new employee receives their 90-day plan, which includes an elaborate explanation of all the different elements. This helps manage their expectations and provides structure.
• Around 11:30 am – Time to settle in: Before lunch, new hires are given some downtime to process their first impressions and absorb the information they’ve received.
• Between 12:00 and 2:00 pm – Team lunch: A team lunch makes the day more memorable and allows colleagues to get to know each other in a relaxed setting.
• Around 1:00 pm—Company presentation: After lunch, our founders host a company presentation. The presentation covers how AIHR is structured in terms of teams and roles, as well as the company’s mission, vision, and culture. It is designed to be both informative and engaging.  
• At 2:00 pm – Weekly and monthly structure: The manager sits down with the new hire again to explain how the company works day-to-day. This includes weekly standups, monthly business updates, team lunches, and social events. During this session, the new hire is also added to team calendar events, given access to the holiday calendar, and introduced to the Employee Resources Folder (with items like the handbook and expense forms). While these may seem routine, they are essential parts of orientation.
• Around 3:00 pm – Closing the day: The formal agenda for the first day wraps up early. From this point, new hires can decide whether they’d like to spend some extra time settling in at the office, getting familiar with their workspace, or head home to recharge so they come back the next day full of energy.

HR tip

Encourage managers to collaborate with their teams to devise creative ways to make a new hire’s first day (and first week) feel special. Small, personal touches can go a long way in giving newcomers a warm welcome.

In the first week

New employee orientation ideas for the first week could include: 

• Pick a restaurant: Give the new hire the chance to choose a spot for a team lunch. This could mean going out together or ordering takeout to enjoy back at the office.
• One-on-ones with team members: Schedule short meetings between the new hire and individual team members. If the calendar gets too full, prioritize those they’ll work most closely with, then expand over time.
• Sit-down with the hiring manager: Beyond quick daily check-ins, set aside time at the end of the week for a recap. This conversation should cover what went well, what could be improved, and any questions that may have come up.
• Plan a company pitch: Encourage the new employee to present their take on the company to colleagues. This not only reinforces their understanding of the business but also boosts confidence in speaking about it.
• Add them to the company page: Including the new hire on the “About Us” team page signals that they’re officially part of the organization.
• Announce them on LinkedIn: Sharing a welcome post introduces the new hire to a broader audience, strengthens internal pride, and contributes to your employer brand.
• Set up 90-day plan check-ins: Revisit the 90-day plan outlined on day one, during the first week, and schedule recurring monthly meetings to track progress and keep goals on course.
• Send out a new employee orientation survey: At the end of the program, ask new hires for feedback while the experience is still fresh. This helps capture honest insights you can use to improve future orientations.

HR tip

A simple way to involve all teams in the orientation program is to have each department give new hires a short 30–45-minute presentation about who they are and what they do.

This helps newcomers understand the organization more clearly, learn who’s who, and connect with colleagues from across different departments.

New employee orientation checklist

Based on the examples in the previous section, here’s a practical checklist covering the first day and the first week. You can also download the PDF and/or Word version and adapt it to your organization’s needs.

First day

Welcome (mainly for the hiring manager):

• Prepare a personalized welcome note or small gift at their desk (or send it if remote)
• Walk through the day’s agenda
• Give an office tour (or virtual walkthrough if remote)
• Introduce the new hire to colleagues and the immediate team
• Present the 90-day plan and expectations
• Share a company overview (ideally by a senior leader or founder)
• Explain weekly and monthly meeting structures
• Add them to shared calendars (team meetings, company holidays, recurring events).

Practicalities (mainly for HR; requirements vary by country and applicable laws):

• Share WiFi and system access details
• Request emergency contact details
• Collect necessary tax and payroll forms
• Submit new hire information to the payroll system
• Verify and upload identification and work authorization documents
• Take or request a profile picture for internal use.

Setup and training (usually handled by IT; depends on role):

• Set up the laptop, monitor, and other necessary equipment
• Provide access to communication tools (Slack, Teams, etc.)
• Configure email account and signature
• Walk through cybersecurity basics (password policy, policy awareness, VPN use).

First week

Team (led by the hiring manager):

• Organize a team lunch (let the new hire choose if they’d like)
• Schedule one-on-one meetings with key colleagues
• Assign a buddy or mentor for day-to-day guidance
• Encourage informal coffee chats with peers
• Hold an end-of-week recap meeting with the hiring manager.

To-dos (HR and hiring manager)

• Post a welcome message on LinkedIn (with the new hire’s approval)
• Schedule recurring 30-, 60-, and 90-day check-in meetings
• Walk through key HR processes (time-off requests, expense reporting, learning platforms)
• Assign a small first project or task to help the new hire apply what they’ve learned
• Ask for early feedback on the onboarding experience before sending the formal survey
• Send out the new employee orientation survey.

New employee orientation survey questions

We’ve mentioned the new employee orientation survey several times throughout this article. It is an excellent tool to help HR understand whether the staff orientation actually meets its goals of welcoming, informing, and engaging new hires.

Here are some new employee orientation survey questions to consider, divided into six different categories:

Overall experience

Question

1. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being lowest, 10 highest), how would you rate your overall orientation experience?

2. Did the orientation program meet your expectations? Why or why not?

3. What was your favorite part of orientation?

Clarity of information

Question

4. On a scale of 1 to 10, how clear are you about your role and what is expected of you?

5. Did you receive enough information about your responsibilities? If not, what was missing?

6. Were company policies and procedures explained clearly? Do you know who to contact with questions?

Team

Question

7. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your experience meeting your team?

8. Did you have one-on-one meetings with your direct colleagues during the first week?

9. Are you clear on the different roles people hold within the team?

Work environment

Question

10. On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you feel you know your way around the office?

11. On a scale of 1 to 10, how helpful were the department presentations in understanding their role in the company?

12. Do you have everything you need (hardware, software access, entry badge, etc.) to perform your job? If not, what is missing?

Manager

Question

13. How often did you meet with your manager during the first week?

14. Did your manager share and walk you through your 90-day plan?

15. Have you scheduled regular one-on-ones with your manager for the next month?

16. Did you receive everything you need from your manager to get started? If not, what was missing?

Other

Question

17. On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to recommend as a great place to work based on your orientation experience?

18. What suggestions do you have to improve the orientation process for future new hires?

New employee orientation: Best practices for HR

Based on all of the above, we can identify several best practices for HR to keep in mind when creating the new employee orientation agenda, including: 

• Provide structure and set expectations: Share the agenda for the first day and the first week in advance. This gives new hires clarity about what’s coming. On day one, ensure the manager spends time with the new employee to review the schedule and go over the 90-day plan.
• Offer support: Starting a new job can be stressful. Orientation should help ease this transition. A buddy system or peer mentor program is an effective way to provide reassurance, answer informal questions, and help newcomers navigate the workplace socially and practically.  
• Prepare for day one: Readiness applies to HR, the manager, and the new hire. Make sure the workspace, tools, and logins are set up, and that the manager is present to welcome the employee personally. For the new hire, provide practical details like directions, parking information, and building access ahead of time to reduce anxiety.
• Highlight organizational culture: Not everything that defines a company is written down in handbooks or procedures. Simple habits, such as having lunch together or addressing colleagues by their first names, might feel obvious to current employees but not to newcomers. Make sure orientation includes this type of organizational socialization so that new hires quickly understand not just what the company does, but how people interact and work together.
• Add team connections and fun: The first day at a new job is usually one people remember for a long time. That’s why it’s worth adding some fun, memorable elements to the experience. Encourage the hiring manager to let the team know when their new colleague will arrive and have them plan small activities during orientation. This could be greeting the newcomer first thing in the morning, organizing a lunch together, or including them in an office tour. These moments create a warm atmosphere and help the team bond with the new hire from the start.
• Explain the software: Orientation should always include an introduction to the software and tools that employees use daily. This covers company-wide tools like email, communication platforms, or expense reporting systems, as well as any role-specific applications. Depending on the job, software training might be a short overview or a more detailed session, but either way, it’s important to cover this early so new hires can work efficiently.
• Use checklists and be consistent: Checklists are one of the simplest and most effective ways to ensure orientation runs smoothly. They help HR, hiring managers, IT, and others know exactly what needs to be done and when. However, for checklists to be effective, they need to be used consistently. Make sure everyone involved in the process applies them to every new hire so that no steps are skipped.
• Collect feedback and adjust: Finally, orientation should end with an opportunity for new hires to share their feedback. A survey is a great way to capture insights while the experience is still fresh. Ask what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved. Use this input to continuously refine your orientation program so it stays relevant and effective.

Wrapping up

New employee orientation is an exciting time both for new hires and for the organization. A well-structured, carefully designed process that balances practical information with the human side of starting a job can go a long way in building strong, long-lasting working relationships.

To keep improving your program, it’s important to ask for feedback right after orientation ends. A short survey allows new hires to share what worked well and what could be improved, ensuring your process stays relevant and effective.

FAQ