Onboarding New Trade Employees: Your 90-Day Checklist

Hiring a skilled tradesperson is only the first step.

A structured onboarding process during the first 90 days helps new trade employees settle in faster, work safely, and become productive members of your team. It also plays a major role in retention, especially in a competitive labour market.

This checklist breaks onboarding into clear stages so businesses can support new starters from day one through to their first three months on the job.

Before Day One: Set Them Up for Success

Good onboarding begins before tradie recruitment commences and your new employee steps on site.

Confirm employment details: Ensure contracts, pay rates, allowances, superannuation and start dates are finalised and clearly communicated. Uncertainty early on can undermine confidence.

Prepare site access and tools: Organise site inductions, access cards, PPE, tools, and equipment in advance. Delays here can frustrate new starters and signal disorganisation.

Share expectations early: Provide information about start times, reporting lines, dress standards, safety requirements and key contacts. This helps reduce first-day nerves and prevents avoidable mistakes.

Days 1–30: Foundations and Safety

The first month is about orientation, safety, and understanding how work gets done.

Conduct a thorough induction: Cover site rules, WHS procedures, emergency processes and quality standards. Reinforce that safety is a shared responsibility.

Introduce supervisors and teammates: Tradespeople integrate faster when they know who to approach for instructions or support. Clear introductions help build trust and accountability.

Explain how work is prioritised: Outline how jobs are allocated, how changes are communicated, and how performance is measured. This gives clarity around what good work looks like in your business.

Check in regularly: Short, informal check-ins during the first few weeks allow issues to be addressed early, whether they relate to skills, tools, or site expectations.

Days 31–60: Skill Alignment and Confidence Building

By the second month, new employees should be settling into routines and building confidence.

Review job performance: Provide practical feedback on workmanship, productivity, safety and teamwork. Be specific so expectations are understood.

Identify skill gaps: Every site operates differently. Use this period to identify any training needs or areas where additional supervision may be required.

Encourage initiative and communication: Reinforce that speaking up about hazards, delays or uncertainties is expected. Strong communication is essential on active worksites.

Days 61–90: Integration and Retention

The final stage of onboarding focuses on long-term fit and engagement.

Assess overall fit: Review how well the employee aligns with your team culture, work standards and site demands. This is also the right time to confirm their ongoing suitability for the role.

Discuss future opportunities: Tradespeople value visibility around progression, additional skills, and stable work. Even simple conversations about future projects or responsibilities can improve retention.

Confirm ongoing support: Ensure the employee knows who to contact for HR, payroll, safety or operational concerns. Clear support pathways reduce turnover and disengagement.

Why Structured Onboarding Matters

Businesses that invest in structured onboarding reduce early turnover, improve safety outcomes, and get better performance from their trade workforce. For many employers, the challenge is finding the time and expertise to manage this properly while keeping projects moving.

MiRecruit supports businesses with specialised trades recruitment – sourcing quality professionals and helping ensure the transition into your workplace is smooth and well-managed. We also provide outsourced apprentice management for employers who engage apprentices directly and need expert support across compliance, mentoring and retention.

A strong onboarding process protects your investment in people and helps build a reliable, skilled workforce for the long term.