Bringing someone new on board is a big step in growing your business. But before they walk onsite, you need to consider if your business ready to support someone new. Do you have the right systems, finances and gear in place? And how will you make sure their first few weeks set them up for success? The more organisation you do now, the smoother things will run later.
Get ready for your new hire with our free New Hire Checklist!
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A new hire checklist is a list of tasks and onboarding steps that need to be completed before looking for a hire, before they start, and after your new employee starts.
Think of it as a roadmap for you and your team. It ensures everyone is on the same page and nothing slips through the cracks, from safety inductions and payroll setup to introducing them to your systems and team culture.
You can create a printable version to keep onsite or use an editable digital copy to tick off items as you go. Either way, it’s your go-to guide to make sure your new hire is welcomed properly, set up with the right tools, and confident in their role from day one.
Planning for a new hire, particularly your first new hire, can get overwhelming. There’s payroll, taxes, onboarding, creating the job description itself. The focus of a new hire checklist is to ensure that your business is prepared for the responsibility of a new hire, this includes organising all the legal, payroll, safety training/insurance compliance requirements, as well as whatever tools and logins they need to begin.
Write a clear job description:
A job description is your blueprint for finding the right person. Be specific about what the role involves on a daily basis. For example, will your new hire be:
Include the skills and qualifications they’ll need (e.g. driver’s licence, safety training, or an apprenticeship in progress) and any tools they’re expected to bring. Finally, think about what success looks like in your business — whether that’s completing jobs to a high standard, keeping customers happy, or simply being reliable and willing to learn.
A clear, realistic job description attracts the right applicants and helps you see exactly where this hire will take pressure off you and your team.
To ensure you've got all your basic's covered, use our free Job Description Template.
Be specific about what your new hire will be responsible for. Will they be customer-facing? Managing jobs on-site? Handling invoices or admin tasks? Clear responsibilities will help avoid confusion later and ensure better performance from day one.
Can your business afford this new hire long-term? Factor in wages, superannuation/KiwiSaver/401K contributions, insurance, and time spent onboarding.
Tradify’s Employee Cost Calculator calculates the full cost of a new hire!
Set up the practical stuff they’ll need to do their job:
Make sure your payroll system, health and safety training, employee email logins, and job management tools are all set up and current. If you’re hiring an apprentice, check with your local training authority to confirm what support and documentation they require.
The first 30-odd days are critical. A solid onboarding plan helps your new hire feel supported, stay engaged, and get up to speed faster. It also gives you a chance to spot any issues early and set expectations around quality and communication.
Your first-month plan should include:
Goal setting:Tradify is the most straightforward approach to job management, so you can avoid any major admin backlogs and focus on those all-important tasks that will help you market and grow your business.
Tradify features:
Want to experience the benefits of an organised business? Sign up for a 14-day free trial with Tradify. No credit card is required. No commitment. Or visit one of our live demo webinars to see Tradify in action.