New hire checklist: A step-by-step guide to onboarding employees in Lithuania

• Enroll them in benefits. Mandatory employee benefits in Lithuania include pension, unemployment insurance, health insurance, sick leave, annual leave, public holidays, maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave, severance pay, and worker's compensation. These are paid via contributions to the State Social Insurance Fund (Sodra).

• Add them to payroll. Lithuanian employees are paid in euros (EUR). Contactors can be paid in other currencies by mutual agreement. Employers are responsible for calculating and withholding taxes, social security payments to the State Social Insurance Fund, and other benefits. These calculations must be done correctly, otherwise, it could cost you in terms of extra work, fines from the State Social Insurance Fund Board, and other penalties.
  
• Order and configure their devices. Your new hire, whether they’re on-site or working remotely, will need all the tools necessary to perform their job. Be sure to order and configure their devices before their first day, so they can start work without delay.
  
• Set up their app accounts. The last thing a new hire wants to deal with on their first day is apps that they can't access. Be sure that you’ve set up their app accounts before they start so that they have access to email, Slack, Zoom, and the other apps and platforms that they’ll need.

• Prepare any resources they'll need. These can include:
  • A copy of the onboarding checklist
  • An employee handbook covering important company policies and procedures
  • Your company’s mission statement
  • A brief about your company’s culture and values
  • A company directory
  • An agenda covering their first day
  • Their job description and top priorities
  • Employee ID and access card, if required
  • Any other job-specific resources and documents they may need

• Schedule their orientation (and a get-to-know-you event with the team!). Put together a schedule with your new employee’s orientation events. On the first day, include things like a 1:1 with their manager or supervisor, a team meeting, and perhaps a get-to-know-you event. Send the invites out early, so their co-workers can block out time. 

• Assign them an onboarding buddy or mentor. To ensure a smooth onboarding experience, assign a point person for your new hire. This person will help guide them through the onboarding process, address their questions, and introduce them to the rest of the team. Designate this person in advance to give them time to create a welcoming environment for the new hire.
• Send a welcome email. As their first-day approaches, your new employee probably has a lot of questions. Create a welcome email that includes their agenda for the big day, dress code tips (formal and conservative are generally the norm in Lithuania), and a FAQ that answers any questions they might have. This information will go a long way to ensuring that they’ll be excited (and stress-free) about starting their new job. Our onboarding tools can do this for you automatically.

On Day 1

• Make sure their workspace is set up. For employees who work on-site, ensure that their workspace is organized before they arrive. Their devices should be set up and working. Help break the ice by adding some decorations to welcome them. The office atmosphere in some Lithuanian companies is a lot more relaxed, so do what’s appropriate for yours. A warm greeting is a nice touch and will make the new team member feel welcome and appreciated. 

• Send a "welcome to the team" email. Send an email early on the new employee’s first day that announces their arrival. The email should encourage team members to stop by to say ‘labas’ (hello in Lithuanian) to their new co-workers. Learn how to create the perfect "welcome to the team" email with our guide.

• Give them an agenda or plan to help them get started. If an agenda for their first couple of days wasn’t part of the welcome email, have one handy for when they arrive. If they know what to expect, it’ll help them feel confident and positive about joining a new team. Overwhelming the new workers with too much information is a common mistake. No wonder just 12% of workers think their employer does a great job of onboarding.

• Schedule a 1:1 with their manager. One of the most important tasks for the new employee on their first day is a 1:1 meeting with their manager or supervisor. This provides the opportunity for a proper welcome and a chance for the new hire to ask any questions they might still have and get immediate answers.

• Schedule a 1:1 with their onboarding buddy or mentor. The next item on your new hire’s agenda should be a 1:1 with the person who will be guiding them through their onboarding. Schedule a time for them to connect.

• Have a get-to-know-you event with their team or closest peers. If there’s time, plan a get-to-know-you event with your new hire’s co-workers. Business lunches in Lithuania aren’t as popular as business dinners, but they’re still a good opportunity for the team to get to know each other. Depending on your company’s work culture, they can be formal affairs. Should employees drink? It depends on what’s acceptable in your workplace, but it’s always best to err on the side of caution. A better option is kava (coffee).

• Give an office tour. For employees working in the office, it's essential to show them around on their first day. Point out key areas such as bathrooms and break areas, and be sure to include important safety information, like the locations of fire extinguishers and emergency exits.

• Provide them with a list of contacts. Lastly, put together a "cheat sheet" for your new hire. It should contain a list of the team members to contact if they have questions about their job, the company, or human resources. Include the team member’s department, role, and contact information (phone number, email, and Slack handle). This will help them quickly find the right person to answer their questions.

During their first 90 days

• Schedule organizational and role-specific training. Your new employee’s main goal during their first couple of months should be to learn about the company and how they fit into it. Start with corporate training, where they learn about the firm, its purpose, goals, and values. Then transition to job-specific training that will help them learn the skills and information they'll need to succeed in their new role.

• Assign work and help them set goals. It’ll take some time for your new team member to get up to speed. You should expect there to be a learning curve during their first few weeks and months. Be sure not to overload them and set reasonable goals. Goal setting and guidance are common in Lithuania and using a framework like SMART goals—setting goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound—can help. Giving your new employee defined targets to achieve will prevent them from losing focus or becoming lost in their new job.

• Schedule regular check-ins and mentorship to help them stay on track. Organize regular meetings with your new employee to discuss how things are going if they’re meeting their goals, and if they have any new questions. Check-ins at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days are a good start, but remain flexible if they prefer more frequent meetings.

• Offer regular feedback as they get settled in. Be forthcoming with your feedback. Your new employee shouldn’t be wondering where they stand. Performance appraisal is the norm in Lithuania and it lets them know if they’re doing a good job or if they need to pivot to meet their goals. Note that work-life balance is also very important to Lithuanians.

• Seek their feedback on how you can improve the onboarding experience. Feedback is a two-way street. Survey new employees about their experiences during the onboarding process and ask what you can do to make improvements in the future.  

Onboarding new employees in Lithuania is easy—and fast—with Rippling

If you're going to hire employees, contractors, or remote workers in Lithuania, 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.