Your new hire starts Monday and you have nothing prepared. No handbook, no training guide, no checklist of what they need on day one. Here's how to generate everything you need in a single day using AI — so your new employee feels welcome and gets productive fast.
| Tool | What It Does | Cost | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude or ChatGPT | Generates handbook content, checklists, and training materials | Free | Sign up → |
| Google Docs | Where you compile and format your onboarding documents | Free | Sign up → |
What to do: Prompt AI: “Create a first-day checklist for a new [role] at a [type of business]. Include: paperwork to complete, accounts/tools to set up, people to meet, and what they should know by end of day one. Make it actionable and specific.”
Why you’re doing it: A checklist turns a chaotic first day into a structured experience. The new hire feels organized, not abandoned.
What to expect: A detailed checklist in 30 seconds. Customize with your specific tools, systems, and team members.
What to do: Prompt AI: “Write a short employee handbook for a small [type of business]. Include: company overview, working hours, dress code, time-off policy, communication expectations, and key contacts. Keep it under 5 pages. Professional but not corporate.”
Why you’re doing it: Even a simple handbook sets expectations and prevents misunderstandings. It doesn’t need to be 50 pages — 3–5 pages covering the essentials is perfect for a small business.
What to expect: A complete mini-handbook. Review carefully and edit policies to match your actual rules. This is one document where accuracy is critical — don’t just accept the AI draft without checking every policy.
Common mistakes: Stating policies you don’t actually enforce. If you don’t have a formal PTO policy, say “we handle time-off requests on a case-by-case basis” rather than inventing a policy you won’t follow.
What to do: Prompt AI: “Create a training guide for a new [role]. Break it into Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3. For each week, list: skills to learn, tasks to practice, and goals to hit. Include how they’ll know they’re on track.”
Why you’re doing it: New employees want to know what success looks like. A training guide gives them a clear path from “I’m new” to “I’m contributing.”
What to expect: A structured 3-week training plan. Customize with your specific processes, tools, and standards.
What to do: Put everything into Google Docs: the checklist, handbook, and training guide. Add your logo and company name. Create a single shared folder called “Onboarding — [Employee Name]” and put everything in it.
Why you’re doing it: One organized folder beats a scattered mess of emails and verbal instructions. The new hire can reference it anytime.
What to expect: 30 minutes to compile, format, and organize. This folder becomes your template for every future hire.
What to do: Make a copy of the folder called “Onboarding Template.” For each new hire, duplicate the template and customize the name-specific details.
Why you’re doing it: You did this work once. Every future hire takes 15 minutes to customize instead of 4 hours to create from scratch.
This workflow is Beta — Based on Best Available Knowledge. AI generates excellent first drafts of HR documents, but you MUST review all policies for accuracy and legal compliance. If you have specific legal requirements for employment in your state, consider having an HR professional or employment attorney review your handbook. This is worth flagging — employment law varies by state.