New hire paperwork and onboarding experiences + checklist

Filling out new hire paperwork is one of the first steps in the employee lifecycle. It starts with gathering the right documents to meet compliance requirements. But it’s also the underlying way organizations manage information that makes the difference between a tedious slog and efficient, data-informed onboarding.

Unfortunately, many organizations don’t organize paperwork very well. Research shows HR teams spend as much as 57% of their time on admin work.* This suggests an approach that still relies on scattered spreadsheets and manual data entry. When completing paperwork is treated as an isolated event instead of a connected process, errors multiply and create friction with the employee onboarding process.

This guide explores new employee paperwork and why outdated habits slow HR teams down. We’ll show you the main types of forms used during onboarding, along with a free checklist to help keep you organized.

* Deloitte, 2024

What’s new hire paperwork? Forms and responsibilities

New hire paperwork refers to the forms an employer requires new employees to fill out before or shortly after work starts. It covers both new employee forms required by the government and internal paperwork determined by each organization.

Many companies look at new hire paperwork as a chore to wrap up and get into the employee file as quickly as possible. But it shapes new hire orientation by showing employees how the organization communicates and handles basic responsibilities. Clear instructions and well-structured documents help new hires settle in with confidence. As Gallup notes, the way teams explain company policies like time off and benefits enrollment gives people a sense of how the company operates.

New hire paperwork can be broken down into three primary categories:

• Government-mandated forms: These are non-negotiables required by federal, state, and local law. For example, Form I-9 verifies a new hire’s identity and employment authorization to work in the U.S. Mistakes here can lead to compliance penalties.

• Standard employer forms: These are the documents HR needs to handle core logistics like benefits enrollment and getting employees paid. Examples include direct deposit forms and confidentiality agreements.

• Supplemental forms: These add a personal touch and round out the onboarding process. They can provide extra information, such as the new employee’s preferred communication channels or personal likes and dislikes.

What does a new employee need to fill out? Full HR checklist

Here’s a closer look at the forms and documents included in each category of new hire paperwork.

Government-mandated forms

• Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.

• Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate.

• State tax withholding forms.

• State and local notices where required, such as information about leave laws or anti-discrimination legislation.

Standard employer forms

• Direct deposit forms.

• Personal information forms for employee records.

• Benefits enrollment forms.

• Payroll deduction authorization forms.

• Non-disclosure agreements.

• Receipt of company property forms.

• Employee handbook acknowledgment.

Supplemental forms

• Welcome letter.

• New hire questionnaire or icebreaker form.

• Personality quiz like Myers-Briggs to help teammates get a sense of a new employee’s communication and work style.

• Company fact sheet that gives a quick overview of company history, values, and lighthearted trivia.

• Personal bio submission form to give new hires an opportunity to introduce themselves in their own words.

Download Leapsome’s free new hire checklist to help track new hire intake forms. Pair it with Leapsome’s employee onboarding checklist to cover the entire onboarding process end to end.

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📝 Take care of new hire paperwork without missing a beat

Stick to Leapsome’s free checklist and leave no box unchecked.

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Collecting paperwork is just one part of the process. HR teams also need a streamlined way to create and securely store key documents. With Leapsome, it’s all in one place.

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✍️ Signed, sealed, delivered

Ditch manual follow-ups and create transparent audit trails while slashing your administrative workload.

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New hire paperwork as the foundation of great onboarding

In many cases, new hire paperwork shapes early impressions and influences how confident new employees feel during their first week. According to a Gallup study, barely 1 in 10 employees strongly agree that their organization has a good onboarding program. The same research showed that employees often jump ship within their first 12 months of employment.

Properly managing onboarding documents for new hires has more than just nurturing positive new employee perceptions. HR becomes more efficient when payroll and employee data are accurate from the outset. Reliable data helps managers avoid spending time tracking down basic information. It also informs future HR processes like learning programs and performance reviews by providing teams with reliable data.

“We built trust from day one with live 30-, 60-, and 90-day check-ins where employees speak openly with HR — and even with the CEO at the one-year mark. When people see action after those talks, they start to trust that feedback truly leads to change.”

— Janelle Daugherty, Head of People & Culture, Notion Health

Accurate paperwork gives HR and managers reliable information from day one. Clean data prevents delays, reduces rework, and keeps new hires focused on learning their role instead of correcting mistakes. 

Disconnected systems make this harder. When paperwork, onboarding tasks, and employee records live in separate tools, information gets lost, and teams spend time chasing details. Leapsome links these steps, so you can move seamlessly from preboarding to onboarding and beyond.

“For first-time managers, we focus on understanding the company culture, tools, and people processes. For more senior managers, it’s about identifying their development goals and ambitions — and giving them access to learning that helps them grow in those areas.” — Victor Tomas, Learning & Development Specialist, Swapfiets

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🧭 Trade improvised onboarding for structured stability 

Design structured onboarding journeys connected to employee records and learning programs, supported by automated document collection, task assignment, and welcome materials delivery.

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Simplify and connect new hire paperwork and onboarding

Many HR teams spend too much time tracking down signatures and manually reentering the same payroll and benefits information. As organizations grow, fragmented processes become unmanageable. Admin work balloons, compliance risks multiply, and teams struggle to give new hires a steady, predictable start.

A connected workflow solves these problems. With Leapsome, HR teams get:

• Streamlined document management: Use Documents & E-Signatures to create files, store them securely, and collect signatures in one place. Digital new hire paperwork keeps everything organized and easy to track.

• Efficient workflows: Jump into Pre & Onboarding to automate time-consuming admin work like sending reminders and running onboarding workflows. Cut down on manual work and keep processes consistent every time.

• Employee information you never have to hunt down: Leverage compliant and connected Employee Records to create a centralized source of truth that never goes out of date.

“Many HR teams still struggle with the basics — too many disconnected tools, limited insights. That’s why we built a truly people-first HRIS that unifies all employee data into one source of truth.”

— Suraj Paneru, Customer Success Coach, Leapsome

Leapsome’s all-in-one HR platform helps teams deliver onboarding experiences that set new hires up for success. It links employee data to document management and onboarding workflows. This gives organizations the visibility and efficiency to lighten their administrative burden while helping new employees hit the ground running from day one.

“We’re really focusing on making sure the data we produce is high-quality and consistent across countries. Good data helps us identify pain points early, plan development initiatives, and return to the business with clear, actionable insights.”

— Victor Tomas, Learning & Development Specialist, Swapfiets

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🚀 From paperwork to people-first

Turn paperwork from a futile box-checking exercise into a launchpad for getting new hires to productivity faster than ever.

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FAQ

What paperwork is required for hiring a new employee?

Typical paperwork for new hires includes:

• Government-mandated forms: Such as IRS Form W-4 for federal tax withholding, which lays the foundation.

• Standard employer forms: Such as direct deposit and benefits enrollment forms, which aren’t required by law but are necessary for basic HR functions.

• Supplemental forms: Such as welcome letters and new hire questionnaires, which are entirely optional but add a friendly personal touch.

For a complete rundown, download Leapsome’s free new hire paperwork checklist.

How can HR streamline the new hire paperwork process?

The best way to streamline the new hire paperwork process is by taking advantage of all-in-one HR software like Leapsome. These platforms connect core HR functions like onboarding, learning programs, and employee records to help HR teams work faster with fewer mistakes.

If you’re not ready to change providers just yet, creating a new hire form template can keep your document management organized so you’re not starting over with every new team member who comes aboard.