Organizations that lack a formal onboarding process report lower productivity (16%) and higher employee turnover (12%). That’s why we created the Peachtree VA Comprehensive Onboarding Guide!
Our guide helps create positive onboarding experiences for virtual assistants and full-time employees. Use our guide to create your own checklist or upload it to a PDF editor for direct use with each new hire.
Download our Comprehensive Onboarding Guide →
In this blog, we’ll cover:
- Onboarding Virtual Assistants
- Onboarding Full-Time Employees
- HR Checklist
- Manager Checklist
- IT Checklist & Best Practices (by Pickard Solutions)
Stay tuned for more on virtual vs. in-person onboarding, communication strategies, and building trust and culture, or download our guide to access that information now!
Onboarding Virtual Assistants
When onboarding a Peachtree Virtual Assistant, consider these steps:
- Schedule a kick-off meeting to introduce the VA to your team and discuss expectations
- Provide access to necessary tools and platforms (project management software, communication tools, etc.)
- Create a detailed task list or project outline (include 30-day goals to ensure a smooth transition)
- Set up regular check-ins (weekly is recommended)
- Establish communication preferences and working hours
- Share important company policies and procedures
- Assign yourself or a team member as a point of contact for questions
Onboarding Full-Time Employees
HR Checklist
- Complete necessary paperwork (I-9, W-4, etc.)
- Enroll the employee in benefits programs
- Add the employee to the payroll
- Provide employee handbook/company policies
- Schedule mandatory HR training sessions
- Set up performance review milestones
Manager Checklist
- Send team welcome email introducing them
- Assign a mentor or onboarding buddy
- Schedule introduction meetings with team
- Prepare new hire’s workstation/virtual workspace
- Create a training schedule
- Set up regular one-on-one meetings
- Communicate role expectations and goals
IT Checklist
Pickard Solutions offers insights to save time and reduce frustration by setting up essential tools and accounts in advance:
- Procure, set up and ship any necessary equipment to the new team member
- Ensure the new user has a business email account set up under your company domain to maintain security and professionalism.
- Provide a password manager to securely share credentials if needed.
- Provide file and folder access for the information needed by the new team member.
- Provide access to shared calendars and any calendars of employees the team member will be supporting
- Identify and document the necessary tools & platforms and the appropriate level of access required.
Recommended PC Configuration:
- Windows 11 Pro
- 16 GB of RAM
- 256 GB solid state drive
- Business Antimalware
- BitLocker enabled
- Password Manager
For more IT tips from Pickard Solutions, check out our IT Management Guide →
Continuous Improvement
Remember, onboarding is an ongoing process. Ensure that all new hire information is accessible and easy to find. Keep in mind that virtual and on-site onboarding require different steps.
Regularly seek feedback from new hires and adjust your onboarding program as needed to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. A proper onboarding and training process saves you time in the long run, boosts team morale, and reduces employee turnover!
