New Employee IT Setup Checklist: Everything You Need to Prepare

Why IT Onboarding Matters

A new employee's first day sets the tone for their entire experience at your company. If they arrive to find no laptop, no email access, and no idea how to log into the tools they need, that first impression is a poor one — and your team loses valuable productive time.

A structured IT onboarding checklist ensures that every new starter has the hardware, software, accounts, and access they need from day one. It also protects your business by ensuring security policies are applied from the outset.

Pre-Start: Before Their First Day

Ideally, IT onboarding begins at least a week before the new employee's start date. Here is what to prepare in advance:

Hardware

• Order and configure a laptop or desktop appropriate to their role
• Set up a monitor, keyboard, and mouse if they will be working from an office desk
• Provide a headset if they will be taking calls or joining video meetings
• Issue a mobile phone if required by their role
• Prepare any access cards or security fobs for building entry

User Accounts

• Create their email account (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or your email platform)
• Set up their account in your identity provider (Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, etc.) with appropriate group memberships
• Generate a temporary password and prepare instructions for first login and password change
• Enable multi-factor authentication on their account

Software and Applications

• Install or assign licences for core business applications — Office suite, Teams/Slack, CRM, accounting software
• Grant access to shared drives and folders relevant to their department
• Configure access to any line-of-business or specialist software they will need
• Set up VPN access if they will work remotely

Security

• Ensure the device has endpoint protection (antivirus, EDR) installed and active
• Apply your device management policy via Intune, JumpCloud, or your MDM platform
• Enable disk encryption (BitLocker for Windows, FileVault for Mac)
• Configure automatic updates for the operating system and installed software

Day One: Getting Them Started

On the employee's first day, the goal is to get them up and running with minimal friction:

• Hand over their device and peripherals
• Walk them through first-time login and password setup
• Guide them through MFA registration (installing the authenticator app, scanning the QR code)
• Confirm they can access email, Teams/Slack, and shared files
• Show them how to connect to the office Wi-Fi and printer
• Introduce them to the IT support process — how to raise a ticket, who to contact, expected response times
• Share your IT acceptable use policy and confirm they have read and acknowledged it

First Week: Verify and Refine

After the first day, follow up during the first week to catch anything that was missed:

• Check they have access to all required applications and systems
• Verify they have completed MFA setup and have a backup verification method
• Ensure they have completed any required security awareness training
• Confirm email signature is set up correctly with company branding
• Add them to relevant Teams channels, distribution lists, and shared calendars
• Schedule a brief IT check-in to answer any questions and resolve outstanding issues

Downloadable Checklist Summary

Use this summary as a quick reference for every new starter:

Task	When	Done
Order and configure device	1 week before	☐
Create email and user accounts	1 week before	☐
Assign software licences	1 week before	☐
Install endpoint protection	1 week before	☐
Enable MFA	1 week before	☐
Device handover and first login	Day 1	☐
MFA registration walkthrough	Day 1	☐
Verify all app access	Day 1–3	☐
Security awareness training	Week 1	☐
IT check-in	End of week 1	☐

For a more detailed guide on the full onboarding process, see our blog post on IT onboarding for new employees.

Why Standardising IT Onboarding Pays Off

Businesses that standardise their IT onboarding process see measurable benefits: faster time-to-productivity, fewer IT support tickets in the first week, stronger security posture, and a better employee experience. It also ensures nothing falls through the cracks when multiple people start at the same time.

If you use managed IT support, your provider can handle the entire onboarding process — from device procurement and configuration through to day-one setup and ongoing account management.