Here's a Checklist You Should Follow Before Making a New Hire The checklist also helps the new recruits in becoming part of a successful team

Are you on a hiring spree? Be it your first team member or one of many employees that you are recruiting, a new-hire onboarding checklist always comes handy. To begin with, it enables hiring managers cover all the essential steps before onboarding a new employee. The checklist also helps the new recruits in becoming part of a successful team.

One should also keep in mind that the initial few days of a new employee set the tune for their future engagement with your company, and decide if the investment in your new recruit will be of benefit. A well designed checklist helps in keeping trail of the recruiting efforts.

An effective hiring checklist addresses both recruiting and hiring processes and the subsequent development to the HR manager. Here are some essential new hire checklist steps:

1. Work with the HR

Make the hire official with your HR department before proceeding any further. According to Dr. Kuldip Maity, Managing Director, Village Finance, once you feel the need for a new position, schedule a recruitment strategy meeting with the hiring manager and if possible a co-worker.

"The next step is to conceive and prioritize the chief requirements for the position and the particular credentials, skills, and experience you are looking for in the desired candidate. These will help the HR manager draft the classified ad and develop the job description for the position. Once done, post the job online and on your website, and sort out from the resumes you receive to select potential candidates for interviews," he elaborated.

2. Be Candid to Create a Candidate Pool

Take the effort to drop emails to all the applicants to acknowledge receipt of their resumes. Be careful to only send an acknowledgement and not to make any other statements. "Find out the candidates who are compatible and qualified for the position and contact them to schedule an interview. Resumes of those who do not fit in must be kept in case of future opportunities," shared Maity.

3. Schedule the Interview

Once applications are received, schedule the interview sessions with the hiring supervisor or the hiring manager.

"Keep the candidates informed about the duration of the interview process. Before the interviews take place, make sure that each interviewer is clear about their roles and responsibilities - including cultural fit, technical qualifications, customer responsiveness, and knowledge - during the interview process. Interviewers must also fill up the Job Candidate Evaluation Form," recommended Yashovardhan Gupta, Director and CEO, Torero Corporation Pvt. Ltd.

4. Making the Interview Full-proof

It is critical to find out if you can meet the salary demands of the candidates before scheduling eligible candidates for a first round of interview with the hiring supervisor and an HR representative.

"Make it a point to give the candidates a copy of the job description to go over. During the first round assess the candidates for screening and give them the chance to know about your organization and needs. Ask the interviewers to fill out the Candidate Evaluation Form for each candidate interviewed. After the first round meet and decide which candidates to call for the second round of interview where the presence of - potential co-workers, customers, the hiring supervisor and HR – will be critical. During this phase ensure that each interviewees are clear about their role," advocated Gupta.

Subsequently the HR picks up the finalists and double-checks their credentials, references, background and other qualifying documents and statements.

5. Background Check is Critical

In order to make sure that the safety and security of your clients and colleagues are not compromised, a background check is essential for many of the positions in your company.

"Identify the roles and positions which are security sensitive, do a thorough research and background check of the candidates you are going to shortlist for the position," warned Binod Homagai, Co-Founder and CFOO, Wow! Momo Foods Pvt. Ltd.

6. Review schedule and job basics

Once selected and enrolled meet your newly appointed employees and clarify the first week's work schedule, offering them a timesheet if necessary, and provide them with information like parking rules and dress code.

"You need to email the newly appointed employees a copy of the job description, offer an outline of the functional area and explain the ways for the employee to adapt to their assigned department. One way to go about it is to include this in your new employee welcome letter," added Homagai,

Also complete all the new-hire forms before their first day as that will save you time and help you take-up more important things on their joining day.

7. Helping the New-Recruits Adapt

It is your responsibility to assist the new recruits adapt to your organizational culture. "Initiatives like emailing their team to introduce the new hire, scheduling essential meetings with key team members, planning a tour of the office are a good way to go about it. It also includes tidying their work-space, getting business cards done and providing tools like computers, phones, etc. Another important component is to set up the required training schedules and organise the trainings with proper trainers, equipment and space as necessary," opined Prashant Jalan, Founder and Managing Director, Bengal Nestors Industries Limited.