Free tool · 10

First-Week Onboarding Plan

The first five days decide how fast a new hire finds their feet. Add a few details and get a day-by-day plan you can print, copy or share.

Built and reviewed by Anthony Cayman

Onboarding plan inputs

01 The new hire

Role

First name Optional

Level

Individual contributor Manager Director or executive

Where they’ll work

On site Hybrid Remote

02 Start date and people

Start date

Manager

Buddy Optional. A peer they can ask anything.

Key people to meet Optional. Separate with commas.

03 What success looks like

One to three goals for their first 90 days. Plain words beat polished ones.

Goal 1

Goal 2 Optional

Goal 3 Optional

A first small win Optional. Something real they can finish by Day 3 or 4.

Nothing you type leaves your browser. There’s no sign-in, and nothing is stored.

Your first-week plan

Add the role, start date and at least one goal, then select Build my first-week plan, or try the example.

Onboarding is where a good hire starts to become a great one. It’s the heart of Part Three of the LeadersWhoHire book, “Rise Together,” and the conversation continues at LeadersWhoRise.com (opens in a new tab).

Planning the next hire already? Start the search early.

Start a search (opens in a new tab) or book a 30-minute call (opens in a new tab)

Common questions

What should a new hire do in their first week?

Get set up, meet the team, finish one small piece of real work, meet the people they’ll rely on most, and end the week with an honest check-in with their manager. Keep the week light on paperwork and heavy on people.

Why does the first small win matter?

A small, real result in the first few days builds confidence on both sides. It shows the new hire how work gets done here and gives the manager an early, low-stakes look at how they work.

What should the manager ask at the end of week one?

Ask what’s clearer or harder than expected, what they need to do their best work next week, and which goal feels closest. Listen more than you talk, and agree on next week’s focus.