New hire checklist: A step-by-step guide to onboarding employees in the Czech Republic (Czechia)

• Enroll them in benefits. Pension, employment insurance, and sickness insurance are all mandatory benefits in the Czech Republic. Questions about benefits and employee eligibility? You’ll find the answers in our guide to employee benefits in the Czech Republic.
  
• Add them to payroll. You have to pay full-time and part-time Czech-based employees in Czech koruna (CZK) unless you’ve specifically obtained their written permission to pay them in a different currency. Under Czech law, you’ll also need to register for payroll tax, social security, mandatory coverage for occupational accidents, and with the employee’s health insurance provider, which can be the state-owned VZP. Check out our full guide to running payroll for employees in the Czech Republic.

• Order and configure their devices. Whether your new employee will be on-site or working remotely, they need the proper tools for their job. Before their first day, order and configure any devices they need so they can hit the ground running.

• Set up their app accounts. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to start work and suddenly realizing you need access to email, Slack, Zoom, Figma, and all the other work apps. You can help your employees by setting up their app accounts before their first day. This ensures that everything is ready for a fast, easy sign-in when they start their job.

• Prepare any resources they'll need. These can include the following documents and support materials:
  • Their own copy of your onboarding checklist
  • An employee handbook and copies of any other important company policies
  • The Czech rights and obligations document
  • Your company's mission statement and an overview of your company culture and values
  • A team directory
  • A rundown of their first day
  • Their job description and top priorities
  • Any other role-specific support they may need

• Plan their orientation (and a get-to-know-you event with the team!). Schedule your new employee’s orientation events—like 1:1s with their manager, meetings with their team, or even getting-to-know-you events for their first day. Send out invites now, so everyone who needs to attend can block their time.

• Assign them an onboarding buddy or mentor. Onboarding will go more smoothly if your new hire has a point person who can guide them through the process, answer their questions, and make introductions. Assign that person before the new hire’s first day so they have time to prepare to welcome a new face to the team.

• Send a welcome email. As your new hire's first-day approaches, create a welcome email with all the particulars about what to expect on their first day. This can include a first-day schedule, notes on your office dress code (you don’t want them showing up in the wrong attire), FAQ about their first day—whatever they may need to feel at ease and excited about starting their new job. Let them know if the working environment is casual or more professional and the importance of being on time—a big deal in Czech business culture.

On Day 1

• Make sure their workspace is set up. If your new employee works in-person, make sure their office, desk, or workspace is set up for their first day with their devices—and, depending on how casual the office is, maybe some fun decorations (or slippers, which are a thing in Czech offices!) to welcome them to the team. A welcoming work environment creates a great first impression by helping your new hire feel appreciated right off the bat.

• Send a "welcome to the team" email. Early on their first day is the perfect time to send an email to the rest of the company to encourage them to say ‘ahoj’ (hello in Czech, pronounced ‘ahoy’) to their new co-worker. Learn how to craft the perfect "welcome to the team" email with our guide.

• Give them an agenda or plan to help them get started. If their welcome email didn't include a schedule or plan for their first couple of days, have that ready for your new hire when they arrive on their start date. They'll feel much more confident digging in if they know exactly what to expect on the first day and beyond.

• Schedule a 1:1 with their manager. One of the first things a new hire should do on their first day is have a 1:1 with their supervisor or manager and, depending on the size of the company, someone from human resources. This gives them a chance to be properly welcomed and get answers to any immediate questions they may have as they plunge into their new position.

• Schedule a 1:1 with their onboarding buddy or mentor. Next up is a 1:1 with the person who will be guiding your new hire through the onboarding experience. Schedule time for your new hire to meet them and get acquainted.

• Have a get-to-know-you event with their team or closest peers. If there's time on your new hire's first day, schedule a get-to-know-you event over a káva (coffee) with as many of the people they'll be working closely with as possible. This can be casual—a team lunch at a nearby kavárna (café) is a great option. Don’t be surprised if people order a beer at lunch—this is common in Czech work culture.

• Give an office tour. If your new employee will be working on-site, make sure to give them an office tour on their first day. Don't forget important safety information, like where the bathrooms, break areas, and fire extinguishers are.

• Provide them with a list of contacts. Finally, provide your new hire with a "cheat sheet" of people on the team they can reach out to for help while they learn the ropes. It's also a great idea to note each team member's department, role, and contact information (phone number, email, Slack handle, and whatever else is relevant at your firm), so the new hire can find the right person to answer specific questions.

During their first 90 days

• Schedule organizational and role-specific training. Keep in mind that your new hire's goal in their first months should be to learn about their new company and their purpose within it. Start them off with organizational training, where they're tasked with learning about the company, its goals, its purpose, and its values. Then, slowly move to role-specific training that will help them learn specific skills and information they'll need to succeed in their position.

• Assign work and help them set goals. A new hire can only do and learn so much—expect there to be a learning curve and be careful not to burden them with too much work in their first few months. Goal setting and guidance are expected in the Czech workplace. A great way to do this, in the beginning, is using a framework like SMART goals—setting goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. This will help give your new employee clear targets to work toward so they don't get stuck in a trap of not knowing exactly what to do in their first weeks and months in their role.

• Schedule regular check-ins and mentorship to help them stay on track. Schedule time with your new hire to discuss progress on their goals and answer any new questions they may have. A check-in at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days is a good place to start, but stay flexible in case they want to schedule more frequent meetings than that. Remember that in Czech work culture, it is important not to offend, so communication may be indirect, despite the formal setting.

• Offer regular feedback as they get settled in. Don't leave your new hire wondering about their performance during their first few months. Give them regular feedback so they know when they're on track—and when they need to redirect so they can better meet their goals. Older workers who were employed under the communist system may show a slower acceptance of change, whereas the new generation of Czech workers tends to display a greater willingness to adapt.

• Seek their feedback on how you can improve the onboarding experience. And finally, keep in mind that feedback goes both ways. Obtain feedback from all new employees about their onboarding experience and how it can be improved for future hires.

Onboarding new employees in the Czech Republic is easy—and fast—with Rippling

If you're going to hire employees, contractors, or remote workers in the Czech Republic, you need more than just a new hire checklist: you need Rippling. 

Rippling makes it easy to onboard and manage employees and contractors around the world—in one system that helps keep you compliant with local employment laws and regulations.

And with Rippling, onboarding new employees is a breeze. Complete and verify background checks, write and send offer letters, send, sign, and store digital documents, and localize onboarding materials to your new hire's home country—all from one centralized location.

Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.