Onboarding a New Employee in Singapore (Checklist Included)

Years ago, new employees were told to just turn up for work and expected to get on with their job. Now, the process of onboarding (or orientation, or induction) is important for many HR leaders. How you welcome new staff to the team plays a huge role in their performance over time.

Why Onboarding Is Important

Onboarding a new employee is a critical step in enhancing productivity and retaining talent. According to Gallup research, employees that have a great onboarding experience are 2.6 times more likely to be extremely satisfied with their workplace.

Many Singaporean business leaders should know that the employment relationship is a two-way street. Not only do they hope to hire the right person; the employee also needs to know that they’re in the right job. The onboarding experience is the company’s chance to show that they are indeed a great place to work.

Depending on the role, the onboarding process can last from just a day, or up to a year or more for senior, more complex positions. The goal of a great onboarding experience is to:

• Enable employees to feel welcomed as a valued team member.
• Establish a sense of belonging.
• Know what the company does, and how they contribute.
• Build confidence in the new joiner’s role and their relationships with colleagues.
• Set clear expectations about their performance over time.

With this in mind, we’ve compiled this handy checklist for you to summarize the onboarding process.

One Week Before: Pre-boarding

The onboarding process begins as soon as your job candidate accepts the offer. Completing pre-boarding means that the employee’s first day can be spent providing a warm welcome instead of getting bogged down in admin work.

• Ensure the employment contract is duly signed and all relevant parties have a copy. Digitally signed documents are faster and more convenient!
• Check that the employee has the right to work in Singapore.
  • If you’re hiring a foreigner, you need to apply for a valid pass with the Ministry of Manpower.
• Set up payroll for the new joiner, including salary, CPF rate, SHG contributions, SDL etc.
• Set up all relevant systems and assets for the new joiner by checking with the IT team, e.g. company email and login credentials for company intranet.
• Extend a welcome email to the new joiner. Things to include are:
  • Their start date and office hours.
  • Office address.
  • Their first-day schedule.
  • A copy of the employee handbook.
  • Parking arrangements (if applicable).
  • Dress code (if applicable).
  • Instructions for them to log in to their company email.
  • A link to online onboarding software (like BrioHR) for them to submit relevant documentation (e.g. NRIC, work passes etc).
• Extra: prepare a welcome pack for their first day. Include company-branded goodies like stationery and T-shirts in a company swag bag – new hires will appreciate this!
• Optional: remove the job posting if still active.

Day One: Orientation

The first day at work can feel like the first day at school: awkward. Spend the day getting to know each other and giving them a sense of what it’s like to work for the company, rather than throwing them head first into work.

The new employee will then be able to understand the organisational structure, the company’s culture, and how various departments work with one another.

• Show the new joiner their seat (with their welcome pack prepared) and introduce them to their department and teammates.
• Organize a tour of the office and introduce the new joiner to the business leaders.
• Ensure the new joiner has submitted all relevant documentation, including:
  • ID documents (NRIC or passport plus work pass).
  • Bank details for salary payment.
  • Emergency contact details.
  • Any relevant certifications, university degrees etc.
• Give the new joiner their access card as well as explain any security procedures.
• Ensure they have access to their company email as well as all relevant software tools.
• Walk them through the employee self-service app (like BrioHR), including how to apply for leave, access their payslips, claim for expenses etc.
• Let them know key contacts such as HR, IT etc.
• Send an internal email announcing the arrival of the new joiner, including:
  • Their full name.
  • Job title and department.
  • Optional: any interesting facts (e.g. hobbies, professional background etc)
• Optional: assign a buddy to the new joiner who can serve as their guide to the workplace. Having a buddy will ease the transition process and give the new joiner a point of reference.

Week One: Acclimatization

As the days go by, the new joiner should start getting used to their routine. Their manager would have already assigned to them their first tasks. If the employee requires training, this is the time that the training and support period will really kick in.

• Get their manager to check in daily with them. Take some time to see how they are doing and invite any questions they may have.
• Remind them of their probation period and their KPIs.
• Set goals and probation reviews for the employee at regular intervals, e.g. at 30 days, 60 days, 90 days etc.
• Plan regular lunches with the team to bond and build better relationships.
• Optional: plan a 1-on-1 with the C-level executive or most senior manager responsible for the team. When even the boss makes time for new joiners, this shows employees that the company really cares.

One Month to Six Months: Assimilation

By now, the new joiner would have completed training and started contributing to the team.They would have also formed bonds with their colleagues, customers, and other stakeholders.

Also, a big milestone is approaching: the end of the new joiner’s probation period. Probation periods normally last from three months to six months depending on the company.

• Not everything needs to be serious – invite the new joiner out for any company events like sports, festive get-togethers etc.
• Continue setting targets and remind them of the company’s expectations of their role.
• Conduct the new joiner’s probation reviews. Let them know:
  • Their strong points.
  • Areas for improvement.
  • Any training that may be required.
  • If they are on track for confirmation.
  • What they need to do if they are not.
• Conduct informal reviews in between their probation reviews.
• Go through the employee’s probation reviews and manager feedback. You now have a choice:
  • Confirm the employee.
  • Extend their probation period.
  • Let the employee go, following all procedures and the notice period stipulated in the contract.

Six Months and Beyond

After confirmation, your new joiner is now a full-time employee! But that doesn’t mean the employee experience stops there. Research by Michael Page shows that, on average, employees will start to think about changing jobs 18 months into a new job. Thus, delivering a great employee experience even after onboarding is crucial to continued performance and employee retention.

Onboard New Joiners the Right Way With BrioHR

Designing an onboarding process differs from company to company. But with BrioHR, you can make the right first impression, improving employee engagement, productivity, and retention. With automated reminders and notifications, you can make the onboarding process as systematic as possible following this checklist.

Furthermore, you don’t onboard an intern the exact way you onboard a C-level executive. You can easily customise your onboarding process and create multiple onboarding tracks as needed.