50+ Sample Orientation Checklist Templates

What Is an Orientation Checklist?

Orientation is a process where an organization welcomes a new hire on the very first day of work. Besides employment, orientation also applies to welcoming a visitor to your business, a medical intern to your laboratory, a housekeeping specialist to your home, and so much more. But no matter who you orient and how you do it, what matters most is that you process it in an organized manner. And this is where orientation checklists are at play—your ultimate guide to ensure that new members in an organization are given proper and efficient orientation.

Based on a survey, 88% of employees refused to believe that their organizations managed to onboard properly while only 12% agreed that the company handled onboarding well.

Meanwhile, Glassdoor reported that 95% of organizations admitted that they had bad hires per year.

On another note, TalentLMS said that 69% of employees would gladly stay in an organization for about three years if their onboarding experience was great.

Why Are Orientation Checklists Necessary?

Orientation checklists are needed to be prepared. So the next time you handle orientation to a new member, teammate, or employee, the process already runs smoothly. In orientation, you may need to discuss the new employee’s tasks, company policies, and certain adjustments. And a long task checklist could make you forget certain items. You will be confident about your performance in orienting people with a guide or reference, which is the orientation checklist.

Furthermore, it was reported that 95% of organizations have had bad hires per year. Factors leading to that may come from failing to find the right employee or failing to orient and train the employee. That data alone tells us to be smart right from the start of orienting new employees so they will really be guided and be part of your company’s successful team. And when you judge your performance to onboard with and without an orientation checklist, expect the competency to increase with the checklist.

What Are the Elements of an Orientation Checklist?

Yes, orientation checklists are important. But what exactly can be found inside such lists? How the onboarding committee handles the orientation would vary but there are common characteristics noted as well. So in this section, we will introduce you to the common elements inside a standard orientation checklist.

Title: Your list might be mistaken as any other document without a proper title. Hence, indicate that the document is an orientation checklist right from the title. Add a brief introductory statement as well so anyone who checks the list would understand immediately about its purpose.Instructions: If you plan to hand that orientation checklist to someone else, then adding instructions can help. For example, a supervisor might assign a working student to do the orientation. The supervisor can share a copy of the orientation checklist with the student. In order for the student to not be confused with how to work with the list, he or she simply needs to follow instructions.Introduction: The main dish of your orientation checklist starts with the items. But you will not just list the task under one checklist. You have to divide them accordingly to lessen confusion. An example is to begin with the introduction. Any task that deals with introducing the new employee shall be listed there. An example is to greet the newbies, let them meet the rest of the team, introduce them to the facility or working site, etc.Employee’s Job: The next part of the orientation is to discuss the new employee’s job. Of course, you expect new hires to work with the company. And you should explain what they are expected to do, how to log in and sign out of the attendance, how many hours of work are required, and other responsibilities. You can also share some tips to help the newbies survive last long in the workplace.Company Policies: Do not forget to include discussing the company policies. For example, what company ethics are observed at work? What is allowed or prohibited there? Discuss that in the orientation. That way, new employees no longer have to guess if what they are doing is allowed or not. In any organization, rules and regulations are standard anyway. And observing such rules is important for every employee, including newbies.Security: You also have to open up discussions regarding work security. A new employee also deserves to know the safety measures at work. For example, show where the emergency exit or medical clinic is. And who can employees refer to in case they get sick? Note it down. The same goes for what properties are allowed to borrow or use. And even what passwords or access should be shared or not.Training and Advancement: Finally, what is the next action for the newbie to take? The expected process for that is they will undergo training and advancement. The point is you should close the orientation by informing employees about what they must do next. Do not just leave them hanging or confused about what the next step to take is. And a formal closing statement is the proper way to end it.

How to Make an Orientation Checklist

Now for the important part of the article. create your own orientation checklist. Do not feel intimidated because the process is quite easy. And now that you already know about the orientation checklist’s meaning, significance, and elements, then making the said list makes you even more ready. You only have to follow six basic steps, and they are as follows:

Step 1: Understand How the Orientation Works

First things first, familiarize how to do the orientation. It is not right to proceed immediately in making the checklist without fully understanding how the process even works. Indeed, you already know that your purpose is to orient. But be specific on how that happens. Surely, the manager, HR, or team leaders would have an idea about how to manage it. So you can have them as your source. Take notes about what is done in the orientation from start to finish until you are ready to finalize an official orientation checklist.

Step 2: Find a Sample Template

Things could not have gotten any easier since we have many sample orientation checklist templates up for grabs. Have you seen each sample above? Start choosing your preferred template. And whichever you choose there can be edited afterwards. That means you need not stick to generic-looking checklists. Be sure to personalize the format, design, content, and other factors. Thanks to such templates, you can come up with an orientation document within minutes only.

Step 3: Insert the Important Elements

In your chosen template, you will slowly complete the necessary elements to add. Can you still recall every element of an orientation checklist that was tackled earlier? Insert them one by one. From the title down to the closing statement, you should have them to complete your list. You can also take out or add more elements since your preference is surely welcome. Bear in mind that lacking the important elements might be the reason your checklist could fail to work.

Step 4: Organize Everything to Add

Do not blindly add each element without organizing the details. You have to arrange your content as well. And the best way to manage that is by creating labels, categories, tables, and charts. How you wish to manage this is also up to you. In the elements explained earlier, the tasks are even arranged properly where there is one category for the policies, another for the employee’s job, and so forth. The point is a sense of organization will make the whole checklist easier to follow.

Step 5: Focus on Practicality

Look back into the details you have listed. Are you sure that the tasks to do for the orientation can really be managed within your expected timeframe? Imagine a two-week orientation, for example. What if the first week was crammed with too many tasks yet the second week hardly has any task for the orientation? Balance it instead. Be practical because maybe the new employees get bombarded with too many tasks right away when they are still in the process of adjusting.

Step 6: Use an Easy-to-Follow Design

Finally, look into your checklist’s design. Is it easy to follow? And after a thorough evaluation, do you think sticking to that checklist will really help you ace the orientation process smoothly? If the answer is no, then make the necessary changes for improvement. Also, review everything if you are satisfied with the orientation checklist’s outcome. What matters most is that you are confident with that tool to be your official reference during orientations. If your answer is yes, launch it.

FAQs

What does a newbie benefit from an orientation?

Orientation helps newbies complete the tasks obligated of them to do, learn about the business regulations, adjust to the new workplace, and prep them to fulfill the job. And if the one assigned to orient newbies has an orientation checklist, rest assured, the process will run efficiently and effectively.

What are some of the orientation checklist must-haves?

Indeed, each company varies on how to manage orientation. But some of the important ones you must have are the following:

  • Background checking
  • Discussion of the job basics
  • Introduction to the team
  • New hire paperwork completion
  • Quick tour
  • New hire training preparation

Why is onboarding necessary?

Onboarding is helpful. How so? According to a research survey from TalentLMS, 69% of employees would most likely stay in an organization for three years minimum if they had an excellent onboarding experience. And that is just what companies would want to keep their employees.

Optimize your next new-hire orientation with the help of sample orientation checklist templates. And since each template is not just a one-content-fits-all kind of document, there is definitely some room to customize it. So to prevent forgetting what to do or being unsure if you were really a reliable buddy to help newbies properly on the onboarding process, depend on professionally-made orientation checklists instead.