There are both explicit and hidden costs to overlooking onboarding and offboarding of employees. Studies show that organisations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. Advertising for a new hire, going through a lengthy and rigorous process and providing a detailed orientation is a costly and time-consuming process in itself. Having to repeat the whole cycle because of employee churn increases the expenses manifold.
Welcoming a team member or saying goodbye to one is a tough job for HR. In Agile teams, especially where momentum and communication are everything, dropping the ball during transitions can stall progress and disrupt sprint goals.
But when onboarding and offboarding is done right, the impact is huge. According to SHRM, nearly 7 in 10 employees are more likely to stay for 3+ years if they have a strong onboarding experience. That includes interactive sessions, clear information, reliable leadership and yes – even a thoughtful welcome gift.
In this guide, you’ll get a complete onboarding and offboarding checklist, employee transition checklist, employee exit strategy and employee exit checklist, from pre-arrival prep to final-day handoffs. We’ll break down best practices, Agile-friendly tips and real-world examples so your team can build a smoother onboarding process, sprint after sprint.
What is employee onboarding?
According to George Bradt, author of “Onboarding: How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time,” onboarding is “the process of acquiring, accommodating, assimilating and accelerating new team members, whether they come from outside or inside the organization.”
In simpler terms, the employee onboarding process refers to everything that happens from the moment a candidate accepts the offer to when they’re fully settled into their role.
What happens when a new hire onboarding process is done right? The employee receives a welcome email before day one, their workstation and credentials are ready, a team member walks them through the sprint board, and their leader helps them pick their first user story.
Why does it matter? Because first impressions stick. A thoughtful onboarding process builds trust, boosts confidence and reduces ramp-up time. It sets the tone for how valued and prepared your new teammate feels, which affects their long-term loyalty and performance.
Steps for a successful onboarding process
A structured onboarding process supports your entire Agile workflow. Following a consistent plan helps every new hire’s onboarding experience feel intentional and effective. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown you can follow:
1. Pre-onboarding: Set the stage before day one
Make sure the new hire feels expected and welcomed. Send a welcome email, share the sprint calendar and give them access to your internal tools. This early stage is often overlooked but is a critical part of the employee transition checklist.
2. Equip them with the right tools and access
Ensure the employee has login credentials, a laptop and access to project management software, communication channels and documentation. Introduce a detailed orientation and training agenda to give them an idea of their upcoming activities and assignments at work.
3. Introduce the Agile framework your team follows
Provide a clear rundown of how your sprints, user stories and ceremonies work. Let them into a daily stand-up or sprint planning session early on.
4. Assign a mentor or onboarding buddy
A mentor helps the new hire navigate both tasks and team dynamics and can answer their queries in real time. It’s a subtle but essential part of new hire onboarding.
5. Break tasks into achievable wins
Don’t throw them into the deep end. Start with small user stories or documentation tasks they can complete within a sprint.
6. Share your company values and team culture
Beyond projects and tools, help your new hire understand your team’s communication style, feedback loops and Agile mindset. Introduce them to employees and coworkers they will be interacting with during their work.
7. Provide feedback early and often
Continuous feedback reinforces your commitment to their success and keeps your onboarding process Agile. It will also help your new hire grasp your organization’s workflow and business processes faster.
8. Celebrate small wins and milestones
Recognizing early contributions reinforces that they’re on the right track. It’s a small investment with long-term returns.
Stick to this employee transition checklist and you’ll build a culture where people want to stay.
What is employee offboarding?
SHRM describes employee offboarding as “the process that leads to the formal separation between an employee and a company through resignation, termination, or retirement.”
In layman’s terms, the employee offboarding process covers everything that happens once an employee gives notice – right up until their last day and sometimes beyond. It’s how you close the loop respectfully and responsibly.
What happens when an employee exit strategy is done right? The employee wraps up active tasks, hands over sprint responsibilities, shares key project knowledge and completes an employee exit checklist.
A clear and respectful employee exit strategy leads to a perfect offboarding process that protects your data, culture and Agile flow.
Key elements of an effective offboarding process
The offboarding process is triggered once an employee is set to leave the organization. It’s crucial for businesses today to have an employee exit checklist and handle the offboarding process with care and professionalism, ensuring a positive exit experience for all parties involved. Here’s what a well-executed employee transition checklist should include:
1. Initiate a transparent conversation
Once the resignation (or termination) is confirmed, schedule a conversation to set expectations around the offboarding process. During this conversation, your organization should formally thank the departing employee, wish him the best for his future endeavors and apprise them of the offboarding process.
2. Document and delegate active responsibilities
Use an employee transition checklist to capture all active tasks and assign those to team members with clear ownership to ensure delivery stays on track. Ask the departing employee for input and feedback about transitioning his duties and responsibilities.
3. Transfer access to tools and platforms
Ensure the employee’s access to email, internal communication tools (like Slack), project boards (like Jira) and company databases is either revoked or reassigned on or before the final day. Disable the login credentials for all company software and apps as well.
4. Offer an exit interview
In this interview, ask questions about the employee’s overall experience with your organization, reasons for leaving and gather feedback about their workplace. Use this opportunity to understand what worked and what didn’t during their time on the team. Ask about their experience with the onboarding and offboarding processes as well.
5. Celebrate their contributions
Offboarding doesn’t have to be cold. A thank-you note, small gesture, or team-wide shoutout can go a long way. It serves as a chance to protect your company’s reputation and enhance your brand image.
6. Maintain the connection post-departure
If possible, keep communication open. A thoughtful employee offboarding process leaves the door open for future collaborations or a return.
By creating a formal framework for employee exits, your organization can make the process swift, painless and efficient. In today’s data-centric environment, the role of HR is crucial for ensuring a smooth transition for workers.
The role of HR in onboarding and offboarding
Your company’s HR Department has a crucial role in ensuring a smooth transition, creating a positive employee experience and maintaining organizational integrity. Your HR team should be tasked with setting up a streamlined, informative and comprehensive employee transition checklist.
During Onboarding:
HR plays a central role in designing and executing a smooth onboarding process. From preparing the paperwork and compliance documents to setting up orientation sessions, HR ensures that new hire onboarding feels structured and welcoming. They also coordinate with team leads to assign mentors, schedule intro meetings and equip new employees with tools they’ll need from day one.
During Offboarding:
HR becomes the point person for managing exits with care and consistency. They ensure all steps in the employee exit checklist are followed – conducting exit interviews, managing asset returns, revoking system access and facilitating final settlements. HR also helps maintain professionalism throughout the transition, ensuring the employee exit strategy aligns with company policies while still honoring the individual’s contributions.
A professional and thorough transition process and well-trained HR team to implement it can have far-reaching and long-term benefits for your organization.
Onboarding and offboarding checklist (Free downloadable template)
Task your HR teams to proactively develop templates for onboarding and offboarding employees. This increases efficiency and ensures that disruption of your workforce and schedule is kept to a minimum. Here’s a free template to get you started:
New hire onboarding checklist:
Before day one:
- Send offer letter and collect signed documents
- Share the welcome email and onboarding schedule.
- Set up employee email, tools and system access (Slack, Jira, email, etc.)
- Assign an onboarding mentor.
- Share employee onboarding documents.
Week one:
- Conduct HR orientation and company values walkthrough.
- Introduce to the team and schedule meet-and-greets.
- Assign the first small user story or task.
- Schedule 1:1 with managers for goal alignment.
- Provide access to key documentation and playbooks.
First 30 days:
- Regular check-ins to gather feedback and answer questions.
- Review progress on the first sprint or assigned tasks.
- Discuss learning goals or upskilling opportunities.
Employee offboarding checklist
Notice period start:
- Acknowledge the resignation and share the next steps
- Notify relevant departments (IT, Payroll, Legal, etc.)
- Prepare and share employee exit checklist
- Begin project/task handover using the employee transition checklist
One week before exit:
- Reassign responsibilities in the sprint board
- Schedule exit interview
- Revoke/transfer access to systems, tools and data
- Collect company assets
Last working day:
- Conduct exit interview
- Offer appreciation or team farewell
- Provide documentation of benefits, final pay and contacts
- Remove from mailing lists and project channels
Post-exit (Optional):
- Share survey link to gather offboarding feedback
- Add to alumni network or future collaboration list
Conclusion
Onboarding and offboarding aren’t just HR checkboxes – they shape how employees experience your company at its most crucial touchpoints.
A well-planned onboarding process builds trust from day one, while a thoughtful employee exit strategy preserves team continuity and leaves a lasting, positive impression.
Tools like UpRaise People have modules that will help enhance the onboarding and offboarding process. UpRaise integrates seamlessly with Jira, which helps HR and team leads track onboarding milestones, manage transition checklists and gather ongoing feedback.
So, if you’re looking to make your employee onboarding and offboarding processes more transparent, consistent and Agile-friendly, UpRaise can help you build systems that support both people and performance.
FAQs
What are the biggest onboarding mistakes companies make?
Delayed setup, lack of role clarity and treating onboarding as a one-day event instead of an ongoing experience. Another large mistake is not developing continuous training and development opportunities
How can businesses ensure smooth knowledge transfer during offboarding?
Schedule dedicated handover sessions, document key responsibilities and involve team leads early in the process. Ask the exiting employee for feedback and to list all their roles and responsibilities.
What role does technology play in onboarding and offboarding?
The right tools help automate tasks, track progress and keep communication transparent across teams – especially in Agile setups. For instance, Employee Success by UpRaise has modules that will help enhance the onboarding and offboarding processes for your organization.
How does a positive offboarding experience benefit employer branding?
It leaves a lasting impression, turning former employees into advocates and showing future talent that people are valued even on the way out. A positive exit also leaves the door open for future collaborations and even a potential return.
