Training and onboarding new team members is challenging. There is a lot involved and it is easy to leave out important steps. When you onboard an employee, you want to train them methodically and give them the tools to be successful.
To be purposeful in training and to ensure I don’t forget any critical steps, I’ve created a checklist to guide our onboarding process. On the first day, I review the checklist with the new team member and discuss the training process. After the initial meeting, we schedule times to review the checklist together. During the first week of training we update the document daily.
I recommend reviewing this checklist with your new hire on the first day and discussing the training process. Give them a copy of the document and schedule times to review this with them periodically. I recommend a daily review during the first week, and then switching to weekly and monthly reviews as needed.
Below is a sample screenshot of a portion of the completed checklist. As items are checked off, I like to add dates at the end of each line item. During our periodic reviews of the list, I will ask if there are any items they want to be trained on again, or in more detail. It is common for an employee to need training on a topic more than once.
I recommend making a custom checklist tailored for each position within your company. Below is the checklist that I use for training project engineers.
Onboarding and Training Checklist
Day 1: Company Overview
- Tour of company
- E-mail setup and signature
- Use of office equipment (scanner and color scans)
- Computer shortcuts setup including excel and quick access folders
- Explanation of network drive and shared files
- Time Card
Basics: 1-2 Weeks
- Review of job description
- Read company documentation such as Quality Manual, procedures, etc.
- Review of project folder structure
- Project numbering and package sequencing standards
- Setting up a new project (review project startup checklist)
- Standard material shapes training
- Overview of project logs (submittal, RFI, PCO)
- Company software basics (list applicable programs for ERP, CRM, etc.)
- Fabrication schedule
- Review process of releasing a work package for fabrication
Intermediate: 1-3 Months
- Project responsibilities list (RACI similar chart showing roles and responsibilities)
- Fabrication schedule process review
- Company software intermediate training (list applicable programs for ERP, CRM, etc.)
- Read AISC Code of Standard Practice
- Training on RFI processing checklist
- Shop drawing standards
- Stock material lengths training
- Invoicing process
- Watch Galvanizer Training videos
- Take the plan reading for steel construction class
- Re-read company documentation such as Quality Manual, procedures, etc.
Advanced: 3-12 Months
- Working with 3rd party detailers and the detailing process
- Creating an invoice
- Review of material purchasing processes with purchasing manager
- Use of nesting software
- Approved vendor list and vendor capabilities (vendor tours when practical)
- Generating a purchase order
- Generating packing slips
- Use of estimating spreadsheet (or applicable software)
- Quoting change orders
- Company software advanced training (ERP, CRM, etc.)
- Process for closing a project (review project close checklist)