Hiring and onboarding: from defining the role to the first month
Start with the problem you need the new role to solve. Work through the stages below, or choose the step you are dealing with today.
If this is your first hire, keep the employment setup and terms checks alongside the selection work.
Once a start date is agreed, plan the first day and the learning that follows. Use the employment checklist for setup requirements and the worksheets below for day-to-day support.
Define the role
Check which work needs an owner, then describe the duties, evidence and reporting relationships.
Check whether a new hire will solve your workload problem
Use a two-week workload log to decide what a new employee would actually own. Compare recurring work, seasonal pressure and avoidable admin before defining a role.
3 min readHow to write a job description around work that needs doing
Write a small business job description from real tasks. Use an annotated admin role, separate essential skills and check the requirements before advertising.
4 min readHire a friend or family member with clear expectations
Discuss duties, reporting, feedback and confidentiality before hiring a friend or family member. Use a practical agenda to separate the job from the relationship.
3 min read
Find candidates
Use the approved role to explain the vacancy and make the application steps clear.
Write a job advertisement that gives applicants the information they need
Write a clear job ad with useful duties, location, hours, pay information and application steps. Compare vague phrases with a practical small business example.
4 min readHiring Your First Employee in Australia: The Complete Checklist
Hiring your first employee in Australia? Step-by-step checklist: true cost and on-costs, award pay rates, PAYG, STP, super, workers comp and day-one paperwork
9 min read
Assess fairly
Compare evidence against the job, plan the interview and agree any reference enquiries with the applicant.
Shortlist job applications with a simple evidence scorecard
Shortlist job applicants using a clear evidence scorecard. See a fictional four-person comparison, handle missing information and record reasons for decisions.
3 min readRun a structured job interview in a small business
Plan a structured interview for a small business role. Use a forty-minute agenda, practical questions and a scoring rubric that keeps the focus on evidence.
3 min readCheck job references with consent and useful questions
Check a job applicant's references with permission and role-specific questions. Use a call worksheet, separate facts from opinions and resolve conflicting accounts.
3 min read
Confirm the hire
Check the proposed employment arrangement and written terms, then prepare for the agreed first day.
Casual vs Part-Time vs Full-Time: What Each Means for Employers
Casual vs part-time vs full-time in Australia: the current casual definition, 25% loading, leave, notice, minimum shifts and how casual conversion works.
10 min readEmployment Contracts: What to Include (and What's Illegal)
What to include in an Australian employment contract: pay and award, hours, probation, notice, IP, plus clauses that are void or illegal and free templates.
9 min readNew Employee Onboarding: The Compliance Checklist
New employee starting? The day-one onboarding checklist for Australian employers: Fair Work statement, TFN, super choice, VEVO, WHS induction and first pay.
10 min read
Prepare the first day
Arrange a welcome, a supported first task and someone who can answer everyday questions. Keep the employment setup checks alongside the agenda.
Plan a first day that helps a new employee start useful work
Plan a new employee’s first day with a practical agenda, one supported task and a clear check-in. Includes an editable timeline and preparation checklist.
3 min readChoose and brief an onboarding buddy
Set up an onboarding buddy in a small team with a clear brief, time allowance and backup. Separate everyday help from supervision and management decisions.
3 min read
Support the first month
Plan the learning, explain how policies work in practice and check whether the employee has the support they need.
Build a 30-day learning plan for a new employee
Build a practical 30-day employee learning plan with a four-week matrix, observed tasks and named support. Adjust the pace without turning it into probation.
3 min readExplain workplace policies so new employees can use them
Introduce workplace policies through everyday situations and short finding exercises. Check understanding, keep versions clear and avoid treating a signature as proof.
3 min readUse early check-ins to find onboarding gaps
Use week-one and month-one onboarding questions to find missing support. Includes two check-in cards, a worked example and a simple record of agreed actions.
3 min read
Handle a handover or several starters
Keep live commitments visible when a role changes hands, and book enough individual practice time when several people start together.
Create a useful handover when an employee is leaving
Create an employee handover that preserves live jobs, deadlines and decision context. Use a simple board and test whether the replacement can find what matters.
3 min readOnboard several new employees without losing individual support
Onboard several employees with shared orientation, individual practice and named supervisors. Use a cohort timetable that leaves room for catch-ups and different needs.
3 min read