Onboard so they're useful in a week

The fastest way to lose a good new hire is to throw them in with no plan and hope they figure it out. A little structure in the first week — what to do, how you like it done, and who to ask — turns a nervous newcomer into someone who actually lightens your load fast.

Do this

1. Plan day one: paperwork done, tools and access ready, and a real welcome — not "here, figure it out."
2. Show them how you like the core tasks done: once with them watching, once with you watching them.
3. Give them a short list of what to own this week, and exactly who to ask when they're stuck.
4. Check in at the end of day one, day three, and the first week — catch small problems before they grow.

First-week onboarding plan

• Paperwork done before day one (W-4/W-9, direct deposit, etc.)
• Tools, keys, logins, and a workspace ready to go
• Show each core task: you do it once, they do it once
• A written list of what they own this first week
• Who to ask when stuck (you, or a written how-to)
• Check-ins at end of day 1, day 3, and week 1