Making the Offer

1. After references are completed and verbal offer has been extended, the hiring manager sends out the offer packet to the candidate:

• Offer Letter - needs to be completed with specific offer and candidates details and signed by CEO and the candidate.
• Employment Agreement – send it out to be signed by CEO and the candidate.
• Employee Handbook - use the template and send it out to be signed by CEO and the candidate.

2. If helpful for Q&A with the candidate, send them a benefits summary to give a brief overview of the benefits we currently offer our employees.

3. Once signed documents are returned, hiring manager will ask for preferred email + order hardware to be available on day 1. Using a Google form, or something similar is a good way to capture the requests from the employee. See sample form here.

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Before the First Day

1. Hiring Manager sends basic information (should be in signed offer letter), company email address (from step 1), and the signed offer packet to (specific person who handles payroll/employee info). Save signed offer documents in employee’s HR folder wherever you are storing these documents as a company.

2. [Hiring Manager] Sends new hire hardware request form to person who orders equipment and sets up technical accounts.

3. Create G Suite Account

• Other services (e.g. Gusto) will hang off of this requested email address (what the employee asked for in form above)
• Don’t send password setup to actually activate the account until first day, though
• Add them to necessary groups (such as everyone@ as well as function-specific groups)

4. New employee info is to be entered in various systems (examples below)

• Wage info in Gusto (and send the self onboarding email to the new employee)
• Draft option grant in Carta (if applicable)

5. [Hiring Manager] In between offer accept and first day, team members should send out an email welcoming new hire and, if possible, meet up for coffee before start date. Key is to make them feel top of mind and good about taking the offer.

6. [Hiring Manager] Send email to new employee to personal email with expectations about the first day: schedule, logistics (e.g. how to get into building, who to ask for, dress code) and if employee needs to bring anything.

7. [Hiring Manager] Customize the New Employee Onboarding (sample one here) by adding their job specific onboarding tasks on the specific tab for their particular role; save it as a specific onboarding checklist for them to go through with them when they start.

• Make a copy of it in Google Docs
• Put the employee’s name in the title
• Customize it as necessary
• Share it with the employee’s new email for them to find on first day

8. [Hiring Manager] Set up any meetings that new hire will need in the first week.

9. [Hiring Manager] Send out a box with company swag with “glad to have you on the team” note (if don’t send beforehand, have it ready for day 1).

On the First Day

1. Manager greet & intros

• Basic orientation into practical matters (office, communication norms, etc)

2. Activate G Suite Account (can be done in advance)

3. Get them setup with 2FA

4. Add them to the everyone@ group

5. Gusto

• This is where employee will complete personal info, emergency contact info, benefits, direct deposit and taxes
• I-9, copy of passport and such happen here

employee fills out form in Gusto; Gusto administrator verifies that proper documentation was brought

6. Slack

• Slack intro to company once online in #general
• Add them to any other pertinent Slack channels

7. Set up and 2FA any role-specific tools and services

8. Manager intro on email, slack, and at first team standup

9. Welcome lunch

Day 1 or 2

1:1 meeting with employee to cover:

• Questions that have come up so far in the day
• Employee’s job description and priorities for the first 30 and 90 days - refer to their specific New Hire Onboarding (Manager should call out that on their checklist if it states to have employee reach out to each of the founders (and/or leadership team) to have a meeting as a general get to know each other, and learn what each founder does here, the scope of ownership, and how the employee will be working with each)
• (If applicable), things like OKRs and Process
• When there will be a structured check in to discuss progress on these 30 and 90 day priorities
• How and when will regular 1:1s occur (then set up the regular 1:1s on the calendar)

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