A Simple Employee Onboarding and Offboarding Tech Checklist

Adding or removing an employee touches more technology than most small businesses realize. A short checklist prevents forgotten access, missing equipment, and last-minute scrambling.

Before a new employee starts

• Create the company email account.

• Create accounts for the systems they actually need.

• Assign the correct permissions instead of giving full admin access by default.

• Prepare the computer, phone, or other equipment.

• Confirm multi-factor authentication and recovery options.

• Document who is responsible for training on each tool.

During the first week

• Confirm every required login works.

• Remove access they do not actually need.

• Show them where shared files and documentation live.

• Make sure important work is saved in company systems rather than personal accounts.

When someone leaves

• Disable sign-in at the agreed departure time.

• Transfer ownership of files, calendars, mailboxes, and documents.

• Remove access to shared systems and password vaults.

• Collect company equipment.

• Update shared passwords only where individual access was not used.

• Preserve business records according to your needs and policies.

Keep a record

A simple employee access list makes this process much easier. Record which systems each role should have so the checklist does not have to be rebuilt from memory every time.

Good onboarding helps someone become productive faster. Good offboarding protects the business after they leave. Both can be handled with the same repeatable checklist.