Standard Operating Procedures
Creating Standard Operating Procedures for Onboarding New Employees
This prompt helps operations teams develop clear and detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for onboarding new employees. It ensures consistency, reduces onboarding time, and provides new hires with the necessary resources to integrate successfully into the organization.
Responsible:
Operations
Accountable, Informed or Consulted:
Operations, HR
THE PREP
Creating effective prompts involves tailoring them with detailed, relevant information and uploading documents that provide the best context. Prompts act as a framework to guide the response, but specificity and customization ensure the most accurate and helpful results. Use these prep tips to get the most out of this prompt:
Identify the key steps and responsibilities involved in the current onboarding process.
Gather input from HR and department leaders on essential tasks and resources.
Review tools or platforms available for managing onboarding workflows.
THE PROMPT
Help create a standard operating procedure for onboarding new employees in [specific department, e.g., customer support]. Focus on:
Pre-Onboarding Preparation: Recommending setup steps, such as, ‘Prepare required documents, create system accounts, and ensure workspace or equipment is ready before the employee’s first day.’
Orientation Schedule: Suggesting structure, like, ‘Develop a schedule for orientation sessions, including introductions to team members, company policies, and role-specific training.’
Documentation and Checklists: Proposing tools, such as, ‘Create onboarding checklists covering essential tasks, like completing HR forms, reviewing company policies, and setting up email accounts.’
Role-Specific Training: Including guidance, such as, ‘Provide detailed training materials or shadowing opportunities tailored to the new hire’s responsibilities.’
Follow-Up and Feedback: Recommending engagement, such as, ‘Schedule follow-up meetings during the first 30, 60, and 90 days to address questions, track progress, and gather feedback on the onboarding process.’
Provide a comprehensive SOP for onboarding that enhances the new hire experience and ensures consistency across teams. If additional details about the company’s onboarding goals or resources are needed, ask clarifying questions to refine the SOP.
Bonus Add-On Prompts
Propose strategies for automating parts of the onboarding process using HR tools like BambooHR or Gusto.
Suggest methods for integrating role-specific tasks into the onboarding SOP to improve training efficiency.
Highlight techniques for incorporating cultural integration activities into onboarding procedures.
Use AI responsibly by verifying its outputs, as it may occasionally generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Treat AI as a tool to support your decision-making, ensuring human oversight and professional judgment for critical or sensitive use cases.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
Focus on onboarding SOPs for specific roles, like software engineers or customer service representatives.
Include tips for remote onboarding processes.
Propose ways to document and update SOPs regularly based on feedback.
Highlight tools like Trello or Notion for creating digital onboarding templates.
Add suggestions for incorporating interactive or gamified elements into the onboarding process.
WHEN TO USE
To create a structured onboarding process for new employees.
During efforts to streamline and standardize HR workflows.
When scaling teams or preparing for a large onboarding cycle.
WHEN NOT TO USE
For ad hoc or one-off onboarding scenarios.
If resources and tools for onboarding are unavailable or undefined.