# Standard Operating Procedure: [ONBOARDING PROCESS NAME, e.g. New-Hire Onboarding — First 30 Days]

## Document Control

| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| SOP ID | [SOP-HR-001] |
| Version | [1.0] |
| Effective Date | [YYYY-MM-DD] |
| Owner | [HR MANAGER / PEOPLE OPS LEAD NAME] |
| Approver | [HEAD OF HR / COO NAME] |
| Next Review Date | [YYYY-MM-DD — review annually and when employment law or tooling changes] |
| Applies To | [DEPARTMENTS / LOCATIONS / EMPLOYMENT TYPES] |

## 1. Purpose

Give every new hire a consistent first 30 days: paperwork completed on time, system access on day one, role training scheduled, and a documented 30-day check-in — so ramp-up time drops and no compliance step (I-9, policy acknowledgments, mandatory training) is missed.

## 2. Scope

- **Applies to:** all [FULL-TIME / PART-TIME / CONTRACT] hires in [DEPARTMENTS/LOCATIONS].
- **Does not apply to:** [e.g. "temporary agency staff, covered by SOP-HR-005; interns, covered by SOP-HR-008"].

## 3. Definitions

| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Pre-boarding | Everything that happens between signed offer and day one |
| Onboarding buddy | A trained peer (not the manager) assigned for informal questions during the first [30] days |
| I-9 | U.S. employment-eligibility verification; Section 1 by day one, Section 2 within 3 business days [REPLACE WITH LOCAL EQUIVALENT OUTSIDE THE U.S.] |
| [HRIS] | [YOUR HR SYSTEM, e.g. BambooHR / Workday] — system of record for all onboarding tasks |

## 4. Responsibilities

| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| HR / People Ops | Owns this SOP; sends pre-boarding packet; verifies I-9 and policy acknowledgments; tracks completion in [HRIS] |
| Hiring Manager | Prepares the 30-day plan (Section 6, step 8); meets the new hire day one; runs weekly 1:1s |
| IT | Provisions accounts and hardware per the access request [TICKET TYPE] before day one |
| Onboarding Buddy | Daily check-in during week 1, then [WEEKLY]; escalates blockers to the manager |
| New Hire | Completes assigned tasks in [HRIS] by their due dates |

## 5. Required Materials, Systems, and Access

- Offer letter (signed) and background-check clearance [IF APPLICABLE] on file
- [HRIS] onboarding workflow template [TEMPLATE NAME] assigned to the hire
- Hardware kit: [LAPTOP MODEL, MONITOR, BADGE, PPE IF APPLICABLE]
- Account set: [EMAIL, SSO, SLACK/TEAMS, ROLE-SPECIFIC SYSTEMS] per the role's access matrix [DOC ID]
- Day-one packet: [BENEFITS GUIDE, HANDBOOK, ORG CHART, FIRST-WEEK SCHEDULE]

## 6. Procedure

Timings are relative to the start date (D). Example entries show the expected specificity.

1. **D-10: Kick off pre-boarding.** HR triggers the [HRIS] workflow, sends the welcome email with day-one logistics (start time, location/remote link, dress code, parking), and requests payroll and tax forms.
2. **D-7: Request access and hardware.** Manager submits the IT ticket using the role's access matrix — request only listed systems (least privilege). IT confirms completion in the ticket by D-2.
3. **D-3: Manager prepares the first-week schedule.** Block: day-one orientation, tool setup, [3–5] intro meetings with key collaborators, and the first real task (something shippable in week 1, e.g. "fix one small support ticket" or "shadow two customer calls and log notes").
4. **Day 1 morning: Orientation and compliance.** HR completes I-9 Section 1 verification kickoff, collects signed policy acknowledgments ([HANDBOOK, SECURITY POLICY, CODE OF CONDUCT]) in [HRIS], issues badge, and covers emergency exits and [SITE SAFETY BASICS].
5. **Day 1 afternoon: Manager session.** Manager walks through the role scorecard [DOC ID]: mission of the role, top 3 responsibilities, and what "good" looks like at 30/60/90 days. Introduce the buddy.
6. **Days 2–3: Complete I-9 Section 2** (within 3 business days of start — hard legal deadline) and enroll mandatory training in [LMS]: [SECURITY AWARENESS, ANTI-HARASSMENT PER STATE LAW, ROLE-SPECIFIC SAFETY]. Due dates: [D+14].
7. **Week 1: First task shipped.** Manager assigns the starter task from step 3 and reviews it before Friday. Buddy checks in daily, [15 MINUTES].
8. **Weeks 2–4: Role training per the 30-day plan.** [LIST THE ROLE'S CORE PROCEDURES/SOPs TO LEARN, e.g. "SOP-OPS-003 order processing (week 2), SOP-OPS-007 returns (week 3)"]. Each procedure is signed off by [TRAINER] in the training log [FORM ID] — observed once, performed once under supervision, then independent.
9. **Day 30: Structured check-in.** Manager and new hire complete the 30-day review form [FORM ID]: progress vs the scorecard, blockers, feedback both directions. HR audits workflow completion; any open compliance item is escalated same-day.
10. **Close-out.** HR marks the workflow complete in [HRIS], schedules the [60/90-DAY] follow-ups, and files all records per the retention schedule (I-9: 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later).

## 7. Compliance Notes

- I-9/right-to-work deadlines are statutory — do not let system delays slide them. [ADD E-VERIFY STEP IF ENROLLED.]
- Mandatory training deadlines: [e.g. "California harassment-prevention training within 6 months of hire (SB 1343)"] — adjust to your jurisdictions.
- Personnel records access is restricted to [ROLES]; store in [HRIS], not email or shared drives.
- Terminated-before-30-days hires: run the offboarding SOP [SOP-HR-00X] and revoke access same day.

## 8. Related Documents

- [SOP-HR-005 — Contingent Worker Onboarding]
- [DOC ID — Role Access Matrix]
- [FORM ONB-01 — 30-Day Review Form] / [FORM TRN-01 — Training Sign-Off Log]

## 9. Revision History

| Version | Date | Author | Summary of Changes | Approved By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [1.0] | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [NAME] | Initial release | [NAME] |
| [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |

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