Employee Onboarding and Offboarding: The Tech Checklist

A new employee starting, or someone leaving, is a normal part of running a business, but the tech side gets missed more often than you’d think. This guide is a plain-English checklist for both: what to have ready before day one, and what to do the same day someone leaves.

Two moments that matter

What happens on day one, and on the last day, says a lot about how secure your business is.

Ready before day one — Accounts, a computer, and the right access, set up before they walk in.

Exactly the access they need — Not more, not less, and nothing left over from a role they don’t have anymore.

Cut off the same day they leave — Access doesn’t linger for days or weeks after someone’s gone.

The onboarding and offboarding tech checklist

1Set up before they walk in

Email and Microsoft 365 accounts, a computer with standard apps and security software, and the right folder permissions.

WHAT TO DOA new hire who’s locked out on day one makes a bad first impression, and wastes a morning.

Employee onboarding offboarding tech checklist: Set up before they walk in

2Access ends the same day

Disable their accounts, revoke access to shared files and apps, and change any shared passwords they knew.

WHAT TO DOCollect company equipment, and forward or archive their email before the account is removed.

Access ends the same day

A few tips

Use a checklist, every single time — So nothing depends on someone remembering
Involuntary departure? — Cut off access before, or right at, the conversation, not after
Review access quarterly — People change roles; their old access often doesn’t get updated

Recap: onboarding and offboarding tech

Onboarding: accounts, computer, and access, ready before day one
Offboarding: access cut off the same day they leave
Collect equipment, change shared passwords, archive email
Use a checklist, and review access regularly

Printable quick guide

Onboarding & Offboarding Tech (1-page quick guide PDF)

Frequently asked questions

What should be ready before a new employee’s first day?

Email and Microsoft 365 accounts, a computer with standard apps and security software installed, and folder or app permissions matching their role.

How quickly should access be cut off when an employee leaves?

The same day, ideally at or before the departure is announced for an involuntary exit. NIST’s personnel-termination guidance calls for disabling access within an organization-defined period, and most small businesses set that at same-day.

What else should happen during offboarding besides disabling the account?

Revoke access to shared files and apps, change any shared passwords the employee knew, collect company equipment, and forward or archive their email before the account is removed.

How often should employee access be reviewed?

Every few months is a reasonable starting point. People change roles over time, and old access from a previous role often doesn’t get removed automatically.

For an involuntary departure, access should be cut off before, or right at, the conversation, not afterward; that’s standard security practice, not something to feel awkward about.