A new employee should have everything they need ready on their first day: an account, access and a device. When this is not done in time or is done chaotically, time is lost and security risks arise. Let us go through what IT to prepare so onboarding goes smoothly and securely.

Why to think about onboarding in advance

A new person without working access just waits on the first day, and rushed granting of access “to get it going” often means too many rights and weak passwords. Prepared onboarding saves time and sets up security right from the start.

A checklist for the start

  • A work account and email on the company domain.
  • Licenses for the needed software, for example Microsoft 365.
  • Access only to what the employee really needs (the principle of least privilege).
  • A prepared and encrypted device with software and antivirus installed.
  • Two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled from the start.
  • VPN and access to the systems they will use.

Preparation before the start

Ideally, onboarding begins a few days before the first day. IT gets the new person’s role and department from HR or the manager and prepares access accordingly. The account can be created in advance and activated only on the start day, so everything is ready in the morning. Agree in advance which systems and shared folders they will have access to, so you do not add anything at the last minute.

The principle of least privilege in practice

The principle of least privilege means giving the employee only the access they truly need for their work, nothing extra. In practice it helps to grant access through groups by role (for example “accounting”, “marketing”), not individually for each person. When someone later changes position, you simply move them to a different group. This shrinks the attack surface and makes it easier to check who has access to what.

Security from day one

Right at the start, set up a strong password and 2FA, enable disk encryption on the laptop and grant only the access truly needed. Briefly brief the new colleague on phishing and safe habits, because the beginning is the best time to set things up right. Forcing a change of the initial password at first login is a good habit too.

A device prepared in advance

The laptop or computer should be ready before the start: the system and software installed, encryption, antivirus, a connection to the company network. That way the employee sits down and works on the first day, not waiting for installations. With a larger number of devices it pays off to manage them through a tool (MDM) that distributes settings, apps and security in bulk and consistently.

Documentation pays off

Keep a record of what the employee received: devices, licenses and access. This makes not only daily management easier, but also the later departure of the employee, when everything has to be disconnected correctly.

Want onboarding and the management of company devices under control? Get in touch, we will prepare and automate it for you as part of IT support for companies.