You would never build a building without a step-by-step plan. Likewise, you would never start a new dental practice without a new business checklist outlining what you need. Similarly, you should never hire a new employee without a new hire onboarding list.
It’s true – if you have a new employee, they need to go through some onboarding or new hire process to understand what you expect from them and to ensure that they know your practice’s various rules and culture.
A new hire checklist is critical to your dental practice. It is necessary for everyone joining your team in any capacity, be it as a new dentist or a receptionist. Not operating with a new hire checklist can lead to many potential problems, including an inconsistent onboarding process, an incomplete orientation, and failing to get the legally required paperwork.
Fortunately, with the proper guidance, you can get the help you need to create this new hire onboarding checklist.
What is a New Hire Checklist?
A new hire checklist — also referred to as a new hire onboarding checklist or new employee checklist — is a physical document containing all the steps necessary to get a new hire ready to be part of your dental practice’s team. This can include completing a background check, a collaborative review of the job description, preparation for the work environment, an overview of operating equipment, and completing required paperwork.
You want to ensure that this new hire checklist is a physical and digital document. In addition, you’ll need a place to store the copy. Fortunately, at HR for Health, we offer electronic document storage that can easily be accessed and edited by the appropriate employee.
The above is a broad overview, but each step can be time-consuming. As such, you should develop a solid understanding of how long each step takes to complete. Completing this checklist should be a foundational component of any new hire orientation.
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How to Onboard a New Employee in Your Dental Practice
Here’s the truth: There is no set way to onboard a new employee. Every dental practice will have different onboarding procedures based on the specific role in the dental team and the individual’s place within your practice. You should consider what you need the new employee to know and determine the best ways to get them up to date.
Suppose you have questions about this onboarding practice and need to consult with experts on the best way to get your employees onboarded and to create a new hire checklist. In that case, experts like HR for Health can help. We have access to HR experts that can assist you in developing an onboarding plan and a new employee checklist that will give you the information you need.
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Onboarding Best Practicing in Healthcare
Can I Customize a New Hire Checklist for My Dental Practice?
Absolutely!
A boilerplate new employee checklist won’t do you a lot of good. You need a new hire checklist that is specific and customized to your practice. It should be relevant to the position, the benefits you offer, and the state-specific documents you legally must maintain.
If you have questions about what documents you need to track, you’re in luck. At HR for Health, we have specific client portals that clients can use to determine what documents they need. You can then upload your documents to electronic storage and label them according to the employee, making them easy to store and find.
Required New Hire Paperwork
Dental practices must ensure they update their forms when needed, including withholding forms, I-9 forms, and more. These forms get periodically updated, and you may be required to update the information you have on these forms.
Have questions about when you need to update your forms? Don’t worry, HR for Health has you covered. We can track what documents you need, when you need them updated, and what you should put on your new hire checklist.
Prepare Employee Benefit Documents
Virtually every employee benefit you offer — including all insurance and retirement benefits — will require the employee to complete extensive paperwork. Filling out this paperwork should be part of a new hire checklist. On your end, you should have a checklist for your steps to prepare the proper paperwork for your employees.
Your employee handbook should also lay out what benefits your dental practice offers. You should always ensure that this handbook is updated with the latest benefit information and is up to date with the most recent legal and regulatory changes. If you need help creating a robust and updated handbook, contact HR for Health today, and learn more about what your handbook should contain.
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Why Your Employee Handbook and Benefits Must Align
How to Handle Multiple Hires in Your Dental Practice at Once
This can get complicated! Fortunately, there are ways to manage the onboarding of multiple individuals. Chief among them: You need a system for collecting and storing new hire info. This means you have to have a separate folder for the personnel records of every team member, and you have to ensure that only the appropriate people have access to this information.
If you use HR for Health, hiring multiple team members is no sweat: Employees can complete their onboarding process simultaneously and paper-free.
What You Need to Know
New hire checklists are critical to your dental practice. A well-constructed checklist can ensure that you never miss having the required paperwork. However, it may be challenging to understand what paperwork you need and to locate a place to store all of this paperwork. Fortunately, HR for Health can assist you in this process and help you create a customized checklist for your dental practice.
How HR for Health Can Help
At HR for Health, we have everything you need to help you create a new hire onboarding list, including electronic document storage, employee handbook creation, and access to HR experts who can help you create a customized checklist that fits your needs.
Want more information? We’re here to help. Contact HR for Health today to set up a free, no-obligation, fifteen-minute call, and learn more HR for Health can help your dental practice succeed and thrive.
