Onboarding Checklist: Free Checklist & Steps

By Mohammad Barzegar, Director, TQN Personnel · Reviewed by Mohammad Sakhvidi · Updated October 2026 · 8 min read

An onboarding checklist gets a new starter paid correctly, safe on site and clear about the job from the first shift. It must cover the paperwork, the pay and super set-up, safety and licence checks, and a buddy shift or introduction. Use the template below as a starting point, then adjust it for your award, site and employment type.

Onboarding checklist: what to include

Give each section an owner and a date, and check licences before the starter arrives.

New employee onboarding process step by step

1. Confirm the offer, the award and the employment type in writing before the start date.
2. Collect the tax declaration, super details, bank details and any licences or checks the role needs.
3. Set up payroll with the correct classification and rate, and report the new starter through Single Touch Payroll on or before the first payday.
4. Run the site induction and safety briefing, and record who attended and when.
5. Assign a buddy shift with an experienced colleague who knows the site, the tasks and the safe way to do them.
6. Check in with the new starter after the first week, and again before any probation ends.

Buddy shift: how to run it well

A buddy shift pairs a new starter with a colleague who does the same work.

• Pick a buddy who is reliable and patient, not just the fastest worker on site.
• Agree what the new starter will learn on the shift, such as tools, routes, safety rules and who to call.
• Pay the new starter for the buddy shift at the correct rate, because it is working time and not an unpaid trial.
• Ask for feedback from both people at the end of the shift, and write down any gaps.
• Do not use the buddy shift to test someone without pay or without a contract in place.

The onboarding checklist template

This is a starting point only. Replace the [square brackets] with your details.

Onboarding checklist examples for different situations

Casual worker

• Give the Casual Employment Information Statement and explain the 25% loading.
• Confirm rostered hours and how shifts are offered.
• Record the date for a conversion conversation after 6 months, or 12 months with a small business employer.

Site labourer

• Check the white card and any other licences before the first shift.
• Run the site induction and issue PPE.
• Pair the labourer with a buddy who knows the site.
• Remember the white card is needed for construction work in NSW, and a duplicate costs $43 in 2026-27.

Office role

• Set up email, systems and building access before the start date.
• Walk through the award, hours and flexible work options.
• Book a check-in after the first week.

Labour hire worker

• Confirm that the labour hire provider is the employer and pays the wages.
• The host employer and provider share safety duties, so the host runs the site induction.
• Collect signed timesheets from the host supervisor each week.

Legal must-haves and things to leave out

Must have

• Pay at least the award or national minimum rate, and show it on the payslip.
• Honour the NES, including annual leave, personal leave and the 38-hour week, plus any award rules.
• Obtain written consent before any police check, and assess a criminal record for relevance to the role.
• Pay super at 12% of ordinary time earnings.

Leave out

• Any term that removes or reduces an NES or award entitlement.
• Questions or forms about age, pregnancy, family plans, religion, race, sexuality, marital status or union membership.
• Any unpaid trial shift or unpaid induction.
• Any step that pressures a worker to sign without time to read.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting someone before the contract and pay rate are agreed in writing.
• Leaving the induction until the end of the first week, when the risks start on the first shift.
• Forgetting the Casual Employment Information Statement for a new casual.
• Treating a buddy shift as an unpaid trial.
• Losing the paperwork, which leaves no records if there is a dispute.
• Skipping the check-in, so small problems become resignations.
• Asking for original documents without explaining why they are needed or how they will be stored.

Onboarding checklist FAQ

What should be on an onboarding checklist?

Include the contract and award, tax and super forms, pay set-up, safety induction, licences and checks, and a buddy shift. Add the Casual Employment Information Statement for casuals, and keep records for 7 years.

What is a buddy shift?

A buddy shift pairs a new starter with an experienced colleague for a first shift. It is paid working time, not an unpaid trial, and it helps the starter learn the site, the tools and who to ask.

What is the new employee onboarding process?

It runs from the signed offer to the first week and beyond: confirm the terms, collect forms, set up payroll, run the induction, assign a buddy and check in. The new starter should be paid correctly from the first shift.

Can a new employee start before the contract is signed?

You should have the terms agreed in writing first. A person who starts work is an employee and must be paid at least the award or minimum rate from the first shift, so do not delay the paperwork.

Next step

This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice, so check the Fair Work Ombudsman, the ATO or an employment lawyer, and have a lawyer review your contracts. Start with our guide on how to hire employees, or talk to TQN Personnel about host employer services.

• Check police checks in NSW, where a name and date of birth check costs $58.60 in 2026-27.
• Prepare with interview questions that are lawful and non-discriminatory.
• Confirm the white card in NSW before any construction work starts.
• Set terms for a probation period in the contract.
• Use an employment contract template as a starting point, then get legal review.
• Plan future hiring with workforce planning.

Related guides

• How to hire employees
• Police check NSW
• Interview questions
• White card NSW
• Probation period
• Employment contract template
• Workforce planning