Give every new hire a first week that works.

Many people decide in their first week whether they will stay. A new hire who spends day one waiting for a laptop and day two shadowing someone too busy to explain anything starts looking elsewhere early.

A simple plan fixes that: who does what before they arrive, what each day looks like, and what good looks like after 30, 60 and 90 days. This prompt writes it for any role.

How to use it

• Fill in the role, the tools they need and who on the team will help.
• Run it a week before the start date, so accounts and equipment are ready on day one.
• Share the first-week plan with the new hire on day one. Knowing what is coming lowers the nerves.

Create an onboarding plan for a new employee.

Business: [name], [what we do], [team size]
Role: [title], [full-time/part-time], [on site/remote], start date [date]
Manager: [name/role] · Buddy: [name/role]
Tools and accounts they need: [e.g. email, CRM, scheduling app, accounting, vehicle, keys, uniform]
What they must learn first: [list]
What success looks like after 90 days: [goals]

Write:
1. Before day one: a checklist of accounts, equipment and paperwork, each with an owner and a due date.
2. Week one, day by day: a short plan for each day mixing welcome, training, shadowing and a first small real task by day 3. Include a 15-minute end-of-week check-in with 4 questions to ask.
3. A 30-60-90 day outline: goals for each stage and how we will measure them.
4. A short welcome message from the owner (under 120 words) to send the day before they start.

Rules: practical and specific to the role and tools I listed. Warm, plain language. Canadian English.

Small things that make a big difference

• Everything works on day one: laptop, email, logins, keys, uniform.
• A named buddy who is not their manager, for the "silly" questions.
• Real work by day three, even small. People want to contribute.
• A check-in at the end of week one and again at 30 days: what is going well, what is confusing.

Use your onboarding to collect required paperwork properly (for example the TD1 forms and SIN for payroll in Canada) and store it securely. Check your province's employment standards for anything specific to your industry.