ONBOARDING CHECKLIST: PRE-ARRIVAL

Onboarding begins before the employee’s first day. In addition to responding in a timely manner to the new employee’s inquiries, supervisors lay the foundation for a successful employee transition by effectively preparing for their arrival.

• Obtain any necessary pre-start paperwork. Contact your department’s HR Coordinator for a list of required paperwork.
• Request the new employee’s MyID.
• Announce the new employee’s hire and start date as appropriate. Consider including the following information in the announcement:
  • Employee name and position
  • Start date
  • Work and educational background
  • Invitation for current staff to reach out and welcome the new employee
• Communicate helpful information about UGA and Athens, as appropriate. Some new employees may be familiar with campus as graduates or former employees. For those who are joining us for the first time, consider directing them to resources such as Moving to Athens or the UGA Visitors Center.
• Obtain appropriate levels of access to facilities and systems. Facilities and systems to consider include, but are not limited to:
  • Building keys/card access
  • Office keys/card access
  • Shared computer work drives
• Obtain the UGA Student Affairs Welcome Guide. Contact Staff Development at ugasastaff@uga.edu or 706-542-8229.
• Prepare the employee’s work environment. Each work environment is contingent upon the location and position. Considerations for preparing the work environment include, but are not limited to:
  • Clean and organize designated workspace
  • Update phone lists, directories, organizational charts, office signage, etc. with the new employee’s information
  • Obtain uniforms or supplied apparel
  • Order business cards and office nameplate
  • Label mailbox, locker, etc.
• Prepare a schedule for the employee’s first days/weeks. Ensure the schedule includes time to address UGA Student Affairs Onboarding Checklist (link to PDF) Day 1-4 items. Additional scheduling considerations include:
  • Acclimation to the work environment
  • Critical trainings
  • Team meeting(s)
  • Appointments/meetings with key stakeholders
• Communicate first-day information, including, but not limited to:
  • Start date
  • Time of arrival
  • Where to park
  • Building/office to report to
  • First day attire
  • Additional particulars (e.g., first day schedule, lunch plans/options)