Free template
First 30 days onboarding handoff
The hiring process learns a great deal about a person, and most of it is lost the day they accept. This template moves what you know — the accepted risks, the gaps, the things they were promised — into a first month with owners and dates.
Who fills it in
Hiring manager, handed to whoever runs onboarding.
How long it takes
Twenty minutes at offer acceptance, reviewed weekly for a month.
Reviewed
15 August 2026 by Joseph Edney, Managing Director, Humand Talent Solutions.
When to use it
Use it when
- An offer has been accepted and the start date is set.
- The decision scorecard recorded risks or untested areas to address early.
- The manager who hired is not the person who will onboard them.
What good looks like
- The accepted risks from the decision record appear here with a named owner and a date.
- Week one has something real to do, not only reading and introductions.
- The promises made during the process are written down, so they are kept.
- There is a scheduled honest conversation in the first month, booked before the start date.
Common mistakes
- Starting the first day with no accounts, hardware or first task ready.
- Assuming the new starter will ask when they are stuck. Most will not, early on.
- Forgetting what was promised at offer stage, which is the fastest way to lose a new hire.
- Treating a quiet first month as a good sign rather than checking.
The template
Anything you type stays in this browser tab. It is not saved, sent to us or added to the link, so it is safe to put real salary numbers and colleagues’ names in. Closing the tab clears it — copy or print before you go.
Handoff summary
Use it early. People do their best work when the first task plays to it.
Scope, tools, budget, progression, working pattern — anything said out loud.
Ready before day one
The first month
What should be true at each point, who owns it, and how you will know. Keep it small enough to actually happen.
| Row | What should be true | Owner | How you will know |
|---|---|---|---|
| End of week 1 | |||
| End of week 2 | |||
| End of week 4 | |||
| Honest review conversation (date booked) |
The thinking behind it
- What happens to recruitment fees when a hire leavesRebates, tapers, replacement clauses and monthly models explained, with the exact questions to ask any recruiter before you sign.
- When not to hireThe cases where a permanent hire is the wrong answer, the alternatives worth testing first, and the signals that a role is genuinely ready.