--- title: "Onboarding a New Employee: 5 Tips" description: 5 must-dos when onboarding that new employee. image: https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hubfs/images/Blog_Images/write-593333_1280.jpg --- 2 min read # Onboarding a New Employee: 5 Tips [![Picture of Brad Johnson](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hubfs/Horizon-Icon-Logo.png) Brad Johnson ](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/author/brad-johnson) : August 8, 2016 at 10:30 AM [Onboarding](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/topic/onboarding) [Human Resources](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/topic/human-resources) ![write-593333_1280.jpg](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hubfs/images/Blog_Images/write-593333_1280.jpg) Does the word "onboarding" make your HR team run away screaming? It shouldn't. There are many tools, tips and tricks that help ease the burden of [onboarding new employees](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/solutions/hiring-onboarding). There's also another type of onboarding you can't forget - and that's when you as a company are onboarding with a new vendor. We'll examine the former in this blog. You've finally found that dream accountant (or attorney or server or consultant...) and they've accepted your offer. Time for onboarding. [Inc. magazine](http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html) defines onboarding as *"a comprehensive approach to bringing on new hires that goes beyond simple orientation. Onboarding plans are intended to make new employees familiar with the overall goals of a company and support them as they embark on early projects all in an effort to achieve the perception of success (and productivity) quickly." * But proceed cautiously. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), many businesses, [particularly small ones](https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/leadership-and-navigation/pages/hr-tips-for-small-businesses.aspx), make big mistakes while onboarding. The [US Small Business Administration](https://www.sba.gov/starting-business/hire-retain-employees/hire-your-first-employee) recommends that all companies start with the following when making a new hire. **1. Verify employee eligibility**. This includes: - Obtaining and filing away a valid, signed I-9 form. - Doing a background check or screening. The specifics of this depend on your industry and the position you're hiring for, but it's important. According to SHRM, 45% of all resumes contain at least one fabrication. 2. **Register the new employee** with your state's New Hire Reporting Program. Find your state's program and additional resources [here](http://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/resource/state-new-hire-reporting-websites).  3. Obtain/register your employee for **worker's compensation** insurance. Another must-do: 4. Immediately give your new employees a copy of your **employee handbook** or manual. This manual should include the following: - Non-disclosure agreements and/or conflict of interest statements - Anti-discrimination policies - Compensation - Work schedules/leave - Standards of conduct - Safety and security - Computer/electronic device protocol (including social media) - Other pertinent information (unions, termination/resignation procedures, probationary periods, employee records, etc.) And while you're at it, **get signatures. **You can't just hand over the manual; the new hire must sign a form acknowledging they've received the manual, or any other documents specific to your business. If this sounds unwieldy, see number 5.  5. Finally, [the experts agree](https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/leadership-and-navigation/pages/hr-tips-for-small-businesses.aspx). **Don't go it alone. **SHRM quotes Bob DelPonte, human resources expert and vice president at Kronos Inc: *“Partnering with payroll service bureaus, recruiting organizations, and technology vendors can help recruit, retain, manage, and grow a small or medium businesses’ workforce, while employees can concentrate on the business and focus on their own customers, products and services.” * In our next blog, we'll look at the other type of onboarding - when YOU are onboarding as a customer.   [![Automated Onboarding](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1821703/650e0b41-10b0-48bc-88e9-48127de5a632.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1821703/650e0b41-10b0-48bc-88e9-48127de5a632)           - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![Get On Board with Onboarding: Why The Way You Hire Matters](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hubfs/Stock%20images/Business%20man%20pointing%20to%20transparent%20board%20with%20text%20You're%20Hired!.jpeg) ](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/get-on-board-with-onboarding-why-the-way-you-hire-matters) 5 min read #### [Get On Board with Onboarding: Why The Way You Hire Matters](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/get-on-board-with-onboarding-why-the-way-you-hire-matters) ![Picture of Brad Johnson](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Horizon-Icon-Logo.png?width=30&name=Horizon-Icon-Logo.png) [Brad Johnson](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/author/brad-johnson) : July 26, 2017 at 6:36 PM Most of us can remember being the new person on the job. Even if you’re excited for a change, it can be a little scary when you don’t quite know what... [Onboarding](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/topic/onboarding) [Hiring](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/topic/hiring) [Human Resources](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/topic/human-resources) [Read More](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/get-on-board-with-onboarding-why-the-way-you-hire-matters) [![Hire Interns Without Taxing Your HR Resources](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hubfs/Stock%20images/Business%20man%20pointing%20the%20text%20Interns%20Wanted.jpeg) ](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/hire-interns-without-taxing-your-hr-resources) 5 min read #### [Hire Interns Without Taxing Your HR Resources](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/hire-interns-without-taxing-your-hr-resources) ![Picture of Brad Johnson](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Horizon-Icon-Logo.png?width=30&name=Horizon-Icon-Logo.png) [Brad Johnson](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/author/brad-johnson) : May 8, 2017 at 12:35 PM Creating a strong internship program is advantageous for any organization, big or small, and internships benefit both the employer and intern.... [Payroll](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/topic/payroll) [Onboarding](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/topic/onboarding) [General](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/topic/general) [Read More](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/hire-interns-without-taxing-your-hr-resources) [![How to Engage and Inform New Hires with Online Training Tools](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hubfs/Stock%20images/Portrait%20of%20student%20girl%20in%20training%20course.jpeg) ](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/elearning-for-onboarding-how-to-engage-and-inform-new-hires-with-online-training-tools) 5 min read #### [How to Engage and Inform New Hires with Online Training Tools](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/elearning-for-onboarding-how-to-engage-and-inform-new-hires-with-online-training-tools) ![Picture of Brad Johnson](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Horizon-Icon-Logo.png?width=30&name=Horizon-Icon-Logo.png) [Brad Johnson](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/author/brad-johnson) : March 20, 2019 at 1:03 PM You probably know that onboarding correlates to employee retention. In fact, according to Wynham Group research, new employees who went through a... [Onboarding](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/topic/onboarding) [Read More](https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/elearning-for-onboarding-how-to-engage-and-inform-new-hires-with-online-training-tools) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Brad Johnson", "url" : "https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/author/brad-johnson" }, "dateModified" : "2026-03-10T21:30:45.019Z", "datePublished" : "2016-08-08T14:30:00.000Z", "headline" : "Onboarding a New Employee: 5 Tips", "image" : [ "https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hubfs/images/Blog_Images/write-593333_1280.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/blog/onboarding", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.horizonpayrollsolutions.com/hubfs/Horizon-Logo-Official.png" }, "name" : "Horizon Payroll" } } ```