By Brandon Hess, CVPM, CCFP

A smooth transition from applicant to employment is vital to establish a positive relationship with a new hire. An unorganized onboarding process could not only leave a negative impression, but it could also cause delays in employees receiving pay or benefits. If there is any place that is ideal to have a fail-safe checklist, it is here. The goal of creating an onboarding checklist is to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. By using an effective checklist, you can not only make sure the important steps are completed, but you can also set an expectation for organization and accountability.

As you begin creating your checklists you should consider creating a different one for employment classifications. For example, you may have one for: part time, full time, DVMs and salaried employees. The reason for this is because each position likely requires a sufficient number of different items. A Veterinarian will need things like business cards, a signed contract and to be set up as a provider in your software, whereas a technician would not.

 

Format

Regardless of how many onboarding checklists you create, there are going to be some standard items and considerations on all of them. The first thing to consider is the personal information you will be putting on this checklist. Is it necessary to put sensitive personal information on this form, such as: social security number, pay rate, birthdate etc.? If not, I would strongly discourage including it.

Next, you will want to break your checklist into sections. This will allow you to easily organize the documents/steps that need to be completed. An example of 3 main categories you would want to include would be: Human Resource Documents, Clinic Access Information and Relevant Work-Related Items.

 

Human Resource Documents:

As you build out this category on your checklist consider the following questions. Are there any time sensitive documents that need to be obtained (ex. I9, direct deposit form etc.)? Are there any supporting documents that you need to ensure you obtain (ex. Correct forms of IDs for I9)? What policies must the employee sign off on before beginning employment?

This section is critical as employees may experience financial implications if these items are not completed in a thorough and timely fashion. Some general items to include under this section would be: State and Federal tax forms (detail out), I-9, emergency contact information, benefit forms, direct deposit authorization and employee handbook acknowledgement.

TIP: Require employees to bring a print out from their bank with direct deposit information on it. Attach this to your acknowledgement form to ensure there are no transcription errors. Many times an employee could miss a number, or an employer could misread the handwriting. This causes a delay in compensation which is one of the worst things for a new employee’s relationship with your practice.

 

Clinic Access:

When thinking about this section you want to consider things that the employee may need on a daily basis to accomplish their job. Many times this could include passwords, keys or special clearance to access different software. Common items that would fall under this category would be: timeclock username and password, building door codes, software access/password and voicemail setup.

 

Relevant Work-Related Items:

Lastly, this section you will include the “small” items you need to ensure the new hire receives. Something as little as forgetting an employee’s name tag can have a larger impact than you may know. It’s important that a new hire feels like a part of the team when they hit the floor. Think about things that could have a direct, or indirect impact on the employee’s ability to complete their job. An example of something that has a direct impact is ensuring they have an x-ray badge before beginning to work. Without this they cannot take x-rays and may feel limited in their training. Some indirect things would be: name badge, locker or cubby assignment, uniforms and business cards.

By creating and implementing an onboarding checklist at your practice you will be setting an impactful first impression. More importantly you will be ensuring the employee is set up for success from the beginning.