Free Template
Employee Onboarding Template Free Word Download + Checklist for New Employees
Bringing a new employee into your company should be smooth and consistent. But creating onboarding documents from scratch every time can be repetitive and time-consuming.
In this guide, you’ll get:
- A simple employee onboarding template in Word format
- A comprehensive employee onboarding template with extra sections
- A simple onboarding checklist for new employees
- A faster way to reuse onboarding documents without editing each time
Employee Onboarding Template Preview
The preview below shows the simple version of the employee onboarding template. The comprehensive Word version includes extra sections such as key contacts, tools and systems, training plan, manager notes and first 30-day goals.
{{Company Name}}
Employee Onboarding Plan
Employee Details
Employee Name: {{Employee Name}}
Job Title: {{Job Title}}
Department: {{Department}}
Start Date: {{Start Date}}
Manager: {{Manager Name}}
Work Location: {{Work Location}}
Welcome Message
Welcome to {{Company Name}}, {{Employee Name}}.
We are pleased to welcome you as our new {{Job Title}}. This onboarding document will guide you through your first days and weeks with the company.
Before Your First Day
- Confirm your start date and working hours
- Complete required onboarding forms
- Review company documents
- Set up accounts if needed
First Day Schedule
Date: {{First Day Date}}
Start Time: {{Start Time}}
Location: {{Meeting Location}}
- Welcome meeting
- Team introduction
- Role overview
- System setup
Employee Onboarding Checklist
- Meet team members
- Complete onboarding forms
- Set up tools and accounts
- Review company policies
- Confirm role expectations
Employee Acknowledgement
I confirm that I have received and reviewed this onboarding plan.
Employee Name: {{Employee Name}}
Employee Signature: _______________________
Date: {{Acknowledgement Date}}
Manager Signature: _______________________
Date: {{Manager Signature Date}}
Download the Employee Onboarding Templates
Choose the version that best fits your needs. Both templates are editable Word documents.
Simple version includes:
- Employee details
- Welcome message
- Before your first day checklist
- First day schedule
- Basic onboarding checklist
Comprehensive version includes:
- Employee details
- Welcome message
- Before your first day checklist
- First day schedule
- Role overview
- Key contacts
- Tools and systems checklist
- First week checklist
- First 30-day goals
- Training plan
- Manager notes
- Employee and manager signature section
What Is an Employee Onboarding Template?
An employee onboarding template is a structured document used to guide new hires through their first days in a company.
It may also be referred to as:
- A new hire onboarding template
- An onboarding checklist
- An onboarding document template
These templates help standardise the onboarding process and ensure consistency across all new employees.
Who Uses This Template?
Employee onboarding templates are commonly used by:
- HR teams
- Small businesses
- Startups
- Hiring managers
- Administrative teams
The Problem With Editing Onboarding Documents Manually
Most teams follow the same process:
- Open an old onboarding document
- Copy it
- Replace names, dates and job roles
- Adjust a few details
- Save a new version
This works, but it is repetitive and prone to small mistakes.
A Faster Way to Reuse This Onboarding Template
Instead of editing this onboarding template manually every time, you can turn it into a reusable document.
By keeping placeholders like:
- {{Employee Name}}
- {{Start Date}}
- {{Job Title}}
You can generate a complete onboarding document instantly by filling in the values once.
If you regularly copy old onboarding documents and change names, dates, and job details, read our guide on how to stop copy-pasting documents manually.
Turn This Into a Reusable Template
With TextReplacer, you can:
- Upload your onboarding template
- Keep the {{placeholders}}
- Generate completed documents in seconds
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving out key details such as start date, manager or job role
- Using inconsistent formatting
- Rewriting the same document every time
- Not standardising your onboarding process
Related Templates
Related Guides
FAQs
What should an employee onboarding template include?
It should include employee details, job role, start date, onboarding checklist, responsibilities and key contacts.
Can I customise this onboarding template?
Yes, you can adjust sections, add company policies or include additional onboarding steps.
Is this onboarding template suitable for small businesses?
Yes, it works well for small teams and can be easily adapted.
What is the difference between an onboarding template and a checklist?
An onboarding template is a full document, while a checklist focuses on tasks to complete. Many templates include both.
Final Thoughts
This employee onboarding template gives you a simple and practical starting point.
You can use it as-is, customise it for your company or turn it into a reusable system to save time.