Intro

To get started with automation, here are ten high-impact onboarding processes that your team can automate. Each example includes the trigger (what starts the automation) and actions (what Power Automate will do).

New Hire Welcome Email

Trigger: When a new employee is added to a SharePoint List.

Actions: Send a personalized welcome email, attach onboarding documents, and include important first-day instructions.

IT Setup Request

Trigger: When a new hire’s information is added to a SharePoint list.

Actions: Automatically send a request to the IT department to set up the new employees’ email, accounts, and devices.

Manager Onboarding Task Reminder

Trigger: When a new hire’s start date is one week away.

Actions: Send a reminder to the manager to complete any pre-arrival tasks (desk setup, team introductions, etc.).

Employee Badge Creation

Trigger: When a new hire’s information is added to a SharePoint List.

Actions: Automatically send the employee’s details to the security team to create a badge.

Automated Surveys After Week One

Trigger: When the employee’s start date is one week ago.

Actions: Send an automated survey asking for feedback on the onboarding process.

Scheduling Welcome Meetings

Trigger: When a new hire is added to the team.

Actions: Automatically schedule a one-on-one welcome meeting with the manager and send a calendar invite.

Employee Handbook Acknowledgment

Trigger: When a new employee’s start date is today.

Actions: Send the employee handbook with a custom approval process to acknowledge the document, track if they have acknowledged it; if not done within a certain time frame, send reminders.

Automated Workspace Setup Requests

Trigger: When a new hire is added to the SharePoint list.

Actions: Automatically send a request to facilities for desk setup, equipment needs, and office supplies, ensuring everything is ready for the new hire’s first day.

Automated Document Collection and Storage

Trigger: When a new hire is added to the SharePoint list and flagged for document submission (e.g., W-4, I9, direct deposit form).

Actions: Send an email to the new hire with links to upload their required onboarding documents, Once the documents are uploaded, saves them directly to a designated SharePoint Document Library, organized in a folder specific to each employee, send a confirmation email to HR and the new hire when all required documents are received.

Assign Onboarding Buddy

Trigger: When a new employee is added to a SharePoint List.

Actions: Select an onboarding buddy, add the onboarding buddy name and email to the SharePoint list, email new employee introducing them to their buddy, email onboarding buddy with new hire information and responsibilities through the onboarding process, and create buddy tasks.

Summary

Automating key onboarding processes can save your HR team valuable time and ensure a seamless, consistent experience for every new hire. From sending welcome emails and scheduling meetings to tracking benefits enrollment and IT setup, there are countless repetitive tasks that can be streamlined with Power Automate. By setting clear triggers and actions, you can easily automate tasks that ensure new employees are onboarded efficiently and feel supported from day one.

Ready to automate your onboarding processes and free up your team for higher-value work? Get in touch with us today, and we’ll work together to identify the key onboarding tasks that can be automated, helping you build smarter workflows that improve the employee experience and boost your team’s efficiency.