onboarding

name	onboarding
description	Build a comprehensive onboarding plan for a new team member covering pre-boarding, first day, first week, 30/60/90 day milestones, and success metrics. TRIGGER when: user asks about onboarding plan, new hire checklist, onboarding template, first day plan, 30-60-90 plan, new employee setup, or orientation schedule.
argument-hint	<new_hire_name> <role> [--start-date <date>] [--team <team>]
user-invocable	true

Onboarding Plan Builder

You are an experienced People Operations lead. Create a structured, welcoming onboarding experience that sets new hires up for success and accelerates their time-to-productivity.

Step 1: Gather Context

Field	Required	Default	Notes
New Hire Name	Yes	—	For personalization
Role / Title	Yes	—	Determines technical onboarding depth
Start Date	Yes	—	Anchors the timeline
Department / Team	Yes	—	Team-specific onboarding tracks
Manager Name	Yes	—	Primary onboarding owner
Onboarding Buddy	No	—	Assigned peer mentor
Location	No	—	In-office, remote, or hybrid
Level / Seniority	No	—	Adjusts expectations and autonomy
Visa / Relocation	No	No	Triggers additional logistics

Step 2: Pre-boarding (Before Day 1)

Complete these tasks 1-2 weeks before the start date:

IT & Access

• Laptop ordered and configured
• Email account and calendar created
• Slack / Teams / chat tool account provisioned
• VPN and security credentials set up
• Access to required systems: {list specific tools}
• Building access badge / key card (if in-office)

HR & Admin

• Offer letter signed and filed
• Background check completed
• I-9 / right-to-work verification scheduled
• Benefits enrollment information sent
• Payroll setup completed
• Emergency contact form sent
• Employee handbook / policy acknowledgment sent

Manager Prep

• Onboarding buddy assigned and briefed
• First week calendar pre-loaded with key meetings
• Welcome message drafted for team channel
• 30/60/90 day goals drafted
• Desk / workspace set up (if in-office)
• Welcome kit or swag ordered

Step 3: Day 1 Schedule

Time	Activity	Owner	Duration
9:00 AM	Welcome & orientation check-in	HR / People Ops	30 min
9:30 AM	IT setup & tool walkthrough	IT / Self-guided	60 min
10:30 AM	Manager 1:1 — role, expectations, goals	Direct Manager	45 min
11:15 AM	Meet onboarding buddy	Buddy	30 min
11:45 AM	Team lunch (in-person or virtual)	Team	60 min
1:00 PM	Company overview & culture session	HR / Founder	45 min
1:45 PM	Benefits enrollment walkthrough	HR	30 min
2:15 PM	Break	—	15 min
2:30 PM	Department overview & org chart	Manager / Lead	30 min
3:00 PM	Self-paced reading: docs, wiki, handbook	Self-guided	90 min
4:30 PM	End-of-day check-in with manager	Manager	15 min

Step 4: First Week Plan (Days 2-5)

Day	Focus Area	Key Activities
Day 2	Systems & Processes	Tool deep-dives, development environment setup, key workflow walkthroughs
Day 3	Team & Stakeholders	1:1s with immediate team members, cross-functional introductions
Day 4	Domain Knowledge	Product demos, customer journey overview, competitive landscape
Day 5	First Contribution	Starter task or small project, end-of-week retro with manager

First Week Checklist

• All critical tools accessed and tested
• Completed required compliance training
• Met all immediate team members via 1:1 or group
• Reviewed team documentation and runbooks
• Attended at least one regular team meeting
• Submitted first small task or PR (for technical roles)
• Scheduled recurring 1:1 with manager

Step 5: 30/60/90 Day Milestones

30 Days — Learn

Goal	Success Criteria	Owner
Understand the product and customers	Can articulate the value proposition and key user personas	New Hire
Build relationships	Completed 1:1s with all key stakeholders (list 8-12 people)	New Hire
Learn processes	Follows team workflows independently (standups, PRs, tickets)	New Hire
Complete training	All required compliance and role-specific training done	HR + Manager
Deliver starter project	First meaningful contribution shipped or presented	New Hire

60 Days — Contribute

Goal	Success Criteria	Owner
Own workstreams	Independently manages 1-2 projects or areas	New Hire
Identify improvements	Proposes at least one process or product improvement	New Hire
Deepen expertise	Demonstrates growing domain knowledge in reviews	Manager
Expand network	Building relationships beyond immediate team	New Hire
Receive feedback	Completed informal 60-day feedback conversation	Manager

90 Days — Drive

Goal	Success Criteria	Owner
Full productivity	Performing at expected level for the role	Manager
Strategic contribution	Contributing to planning, roadmap, or strategy discussions	New Hire
Mentorship	Helping newer team members or sharing knowledge	New Hire
Cultural integration	Actively participating in team rituals and culture	New Hire
Formal review	90-day performance check-in completed, goals set for next quarter	Manager

Step 6: Onboarding Feedback

New Hire Survey (send at Day 7, Day 30, Day 90)

Key questions to include:

1. How welcome did you feel during your first week? (1-5)
2. Did you have the tools and access you needed on Day 1? (Yes/No + comments)
3. How clear are your role expectations and success criteria? (1-5)
4. How effective has your onboarding buddy been? (1-5)
5. What is one thing we could improve about the onboarding experience?
6. Do you have any unresolved questions or concerns?

Edge Cases

• Remote hires: Ship equipment early, schedule virtual coffee chats, assign a remote-experienced buddy, ensure timezone overlap for key meetings
• Executive hires: Add board introductions, strategy deep-dives, skip-level meetings, first 90 days focused on listening tour
• Boomerang employees: Abbreviated onboarding focusing on what has changed since they left
• Acquisitions: Emphasize culture integration, acknowledge the transition, provide extra psychological safety
• Intern / co-op: Compress to a project-based plan with clear deliverables and a final presentation
• International hires: Add visa support contacts, local compliance training, cultural adjustment resources
• Part-time / contractor: Scale the plan proportionally, clarify scope boundaries, ensure system access matches role