Manager Onboarding Guide - Before Day 1 - First Day - First Two Weeks - First 30 Days

Sep 26, 2026

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Manager Onboarding Guide outlines a structured workflow for preparing a new hire and supporting smooth integration into the GW team and community. It details required actions across timelines: prior to Day 1 setup steps, Day 1 greetings, orientation access, I-9 completion guidance, and coordination with IT if needed. It further specifies expectations for the first two weeks and the first 30 days, including onboarding review, goal setting, performance communication, and participation in orientation, benefits, and leadership events. It also includes example manager communications and a manager checklist.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Before Day 1

Day 1

First Two Weeks

The First 30 Days

Template First Day Communication

Manager Checklist

Manager Onboarding Guide Talent & Organizational Development | | Before Day 1 | | --- | --- | | | Email your new employee your contact information and where they should meet you on their first day (virtually) or in – person using the Template First Day Communication. | | | Be sure to e-mail your current team that a new team member will be starting and when their first day is. You can use this opportunity to encourage your team to intentionally reach out to and support their new colleague during their transition. | | | Set up their workspace | | | Request laptop and any other additional technology items | | | Create a Day 1 schedule | | | If your new employee is starting before attending virtual New Employee Orientation, take this into consideration when creating their onboarding plan. | | | Review the New Employee Checklist to ensure you are aware of new hire requirements. | | | Day 1 | | | Greet your new employee! | | | If they are attending New Employee Orientation, ensure that they are able to log in to a GW provided laptop using their GW credentials. | | | Confirm they have completed or have an appointment to complete their I-9 process. (Employees have 3 days from their start day to complete their I-9) | | | If they do not have their GW email set up, help them reach out to ITat [ithelp@gwu.edu](ithelp@gwu.edu) | | | Give your new employee a tour of the office and introduce your new employee to the team. | | | It is also recommended that you walk them to the GWorld card office if they are unfamiliar with the Student Center. | | | First Two Weeks | | | Ensure they attend New Employee Orientation in their first two weeks (an invite will be sent to their personal and GW email) . It will be approximately two hours starting at 10:00am on Mondays. | | | Encourage them to attend the Benefits webinar at 2pm on the same day of orientation | | | The First 30 Days | | | During the first 30 days it will be important for you as their manager to continue the onboarding process. | | | Review their job description with them and begin to form goals to structure their Introductory Employment Period. | | | Engage your new employee in regular communication to clarify the performance expectations of their position. Use the Clarifying Expectations Tool to align expectations. | | | Encourage them to attend the next session of Leaders at all Levels hosted by Talent & Organizational Development team in HRMD. | | | Encourage them to attend the New Employee Luncheon where they can connect with Benefits, Payroll, Parking, Athletics, and more! | Congratulations on your new hire! Successfully onboarding a new employee is the first step in retaining talent on your team and at GW. Use this guide to prepare for your new staff member and to support a smooth transition onto your team and into the GW community. Next is an overview of the communication flow that a candidate receives when they become a new employee. If your new employee reaches out to you at any stage of the transition with questions, this guide can show you what has been communicated and what is coming up next. Whenever you see a star: Manager Action Required it is a Manager Action Task that you should complete following the examples or templates provided. We hope this guide streamlines the onboarding process and look forward to supporting you and your new employee. Raise High! Communications The Manager and the HR Business Partner are copied on the following communications and notifications: • Electronic offer letter to employee • Electronic offer letter has been signed by employee • Background check has been started • Background check has been cleared • GWID and NetID generation New Employee Orientation emails go out on Wednesday and Fridays and are sent to the new employee’s personal and GW email (if set up) . Template First Day Communication Below is a sample communication that you can send to your new employee as their manager

FAQs

What should managers do before Day 1 for a new employee?

Managers should send first-day contact details, set up the workspace, request laptop and additional technology, create a Day 1 schedule, review new hire requirements via the New Employee Checklist, and account for any start date timing before virtual orientation.

What tasks are expected on Day 1?

Managers should greet the new employee, ensure login to a GW-provided laptop for New Employee Orientation, confirm an appointment or completion plan for the I-9 process (within 3 days), help contact ITat if GW email is not set up, and conduct an office tour with team introductions.

What should happen during the first two weeks and the first 30 days?

In the first two weeks, managers ensure attendance at New Employee Orientation and encourage participation in the Benefits webinar. Over the first 30 days, managers continue onboarding by reviewing the job description, setting goals for the introductory employment period, aligning performance expectations using the Clarifying Expectations Tool, and encouraging attendance at related leadership sessions and the New Employee Luncheon.

Sep 26, 2026

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