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The developer onboarding checklist is essential for the success of any company, particularly as an increasing number of software developers change jobs every two to three years. Due to high attrition rates, IT companies consistently strive to retain technical staff and hire new talent. Failing to onboard new developers properly can result in time and financial losses. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure a seamless and hassle-free engineering onboarding process.

We have prepared a checklist to facilitate the smooth onboarding of new developers. In this article, you will discover best practices and the five onboarding steps our professionals at Factor Dedicated Team follow.

How long should onboarding software engineers take?

The duration of onboarding processes can vary greatly in different companies. The table below highlights average estimations:

Stages of onboarding developers with duration

Practical onboarding, which includes familiarizing software engineers with the company's tools, processes, chat apps, email, and learning management systems, typically takes around 1 week. This initial phase allows engineers to get up to speed quickly.

Technical onboarding is a more extensive process focusing on developing hard skills and knowledge. This phase can range from 3 to 6 months, allowing engineers to gain proficiency in their assigned tasks and backend or frontend technologies. But it also depends on the level of the individual developer’s technical skills and experience. That's why some developers can become fully integrated much more quickly.

Cultural onboarding is a longer-term process because it includes adjusting to the company culture and ways of working. It typically spans 6 months to a year as software developers immerse themselves in the new roles, build relationships with team members, and align with the company's mission.

Software developer onboarding checklist

You and your team can gain insights into how the developer onboarding strategy works by learning the system we showed in the scheme below:

Dev onboarding scheme.

We have learned best practices for onboarding engineers to be able to create this software onboarding checklist. It embraces the following steps:

1. Preparing for onboarding software developers.
2. Team and culture onboarding.
3. Technical software engineer onboarding.
4. Training and skill development.
5. Setting goals and check-out performance.

Step 1. Preparing for onboarding

Before a formal onboarding program, you should provide new engineers with necessary access to essential software.

By efficiently managing the pre-onboarding phase, you can gain confidence new developers have everything they need to start strong on their first day. This positive approach helps them integrate into the team and understand the company's development processes.

Step 2. Team and culture onboarding

Introduce new software engineer to the team members

First, ensure the new developer meets their coworkers by personally introducing them to the team. Additionally, create a written version of the introduction that can be shared online to ensure everyone is aware of the new addition to the team.

Then encourage the new employee to introduce themselves and share interests. This starts an easy conversation, helping technical staff connect on a personal level.

Review each team member's responsibilities, ensuring the new developer knows who to contact for specific questions or problems when they start working.

Provide an overview of the channels and tools of team communication

Introduce the new developer to the team's communication channels, such as instant messaging platforms, email, and management tools. Familiarize them with collaboration tools like version control systems, task trackers, and documentation repositories.

Share information about the company culture

Every company has its own unique way of doing things, from dress codes to office team spirit and type of communication. Adapting to these nuances can be very complex for new employees. That's why developing a digital employee handbook is a good idea.

You can outline your company's basic rules and expectations and cover aspects like behavior, respectful communication, and virtual team bonding activities (like virtual beer meetings). It ensures that everyone is on the same page.

To fully integrate the new developer into the company culture, it is crucial to explain what appropriate values for your team are. That's why sharing the company's history, mission, and vision is necessary.

Step 3. Technical onboarding

Provide access to developer onboarding documentation

Documentation is key when you want to ensure team members can perform well. This includes user guides for commonly used tools, organizational charts, bug resolution strategies, workplace setup instructions, software tutorials, and step-by-step procedures.

Learn more about software documentation types in the scheme below:

The scheme shows software documentation types.

A new team member can get access to all information through internal services. Consider implementing a welcome ebook or software tutorial to improve the onboarding program.

Developer-specific documentation is equally critical. Select a workflow framework that aligns with the project and programming process, such as GitFlow, Feature Branch Workflow, or Trunk-Based Development. Integrate the new developer into this workflow as early as possible.

Be aware of GIT repository documentation. It should include a wiki detailing codebase usage, design principles, core manifestos, and relevant long-form content. Additionally, have a README file as a concise introduction to the project.

Adapt the developer with coding standards and best practices

A well-informed developer is a confident developer – an engineer who can precisely navigate the codebase and unlock its hidden potential. That's why we take into account the power of this step.

You should provide an overview of the project's structure, modules, and any relevant frameworks or libraries. By understanding the codebase, software engineers can identify key components and understand the details within the system.

Introduce version control systems and team workflows

As we alluded to earlier, during the technical onboarding, developers should be introduced to the version control system used by the team, such as Git, and the associated workflow. This includes understanding concepts like branching, merging, and pull requests. By embracing version control systems and a consistent workflow, developers can work collaboratively, ensure code integrity, and facilitate efficient code review processes.

Step 4. Training and skill development

Offer mentorship

To support new team members, a mentor comes in as someone new developers can rely on and do their jobs effectively from the very beginning.

Don't assign mentoring to the most senior engineer. This approach will lead to burnout for both. Mentoring is suitable for more junior developers, who can offer new employees leadership opportunities and allow them to put their knowledge into practice.

At Factor Dedicated Team, mentors integrate new developers into our actual workflow. We kickstart the process by assigning them a manageable task – rebuild dashboards, create new algorithms for matching features, and update or build new functionalities. These initial tasks are very well-defined to minimize confusion and frustration.

Here are some tips for mentors:

1. Bring social connections.

2. Foster a culture of constructive feedback.

3. Help them learn from mistakes, turning failures into learning opportunities.

4. Provide reading materials and resources.

5. Engage in regular pair programming exercises.

Set up one-on-one meetings

When the first few weeks have passed since the new developer joined your company, it's important to conduct 1-to-1 meetings. This helps to discuss the new job, as we all want a healthy and fruitful working relationship with a team member.

You can do the following:

1. Assess the quality and efficiency of the code lines of the software engineer, identifying areas for improvement.

2. Gauge new hires' overall satisfaction with the position.

3. Discuss their short-term and long-term goals within the company.

4. Explore the career ambitions of software developers and guiding opportunities.

5. Give them a platform to express any concerns or challenges they may face.

Pair programming

In the first month of developer onboarding, you should include pair programming, where two developers write code lines together. Some developers strongly dislike it, but studies have shown that pair programming promotes learning and knowledge sharing among team members.

According to research by the University of Utah, pair programming can lead to a 15% to 35% improvement in code quality and result in fewer bugs in the long run.

New hires see with their own eyes how code is written within your company. Senior developers provide them with real-time feedback on their coding techniques while they remain relevant.

Step 5. Setting goals and check-out performance

Establish clear goals and expectations

To succeed in this way, you can use some tips:

1. Start by clearly defining the new developer's job responsibilities and role expectations (their specific tasks, projects they will be working on, and their position within the team).

2. Identify the key outcomes and targets the organization wants to achieve and translate them into actionable goals for the developer.

3. Make goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Conduct regular check-ins

Regular two-way communication fosters an encouraging environment, allowing managers and new hires to discuss progress, challenges, and areas for improvement in the development process. These should be scheduled regularly, such as weekly or biweekly. During meetings, managers should enable developers to share their achievements, discuss any roadblocks, and seek advice.

Provide feedback as a two-way street

If feedback is timely and focused on outcomes, it acts as a catalyst for the growth of an engineer. You should discuss two significant aspects: where the new team member can improve in software development and areas where they have excelled. Remember, by acknowledging the developer's accomplishments, you foster motivation and encourage not only top-down but also bottom-up communication.

Contact our factor dedicated team for consultation on creating a developer onboarding plan

As talented software engineers are in high demand and job-hopping has become the norm, an effective onboarding process is no longer something extra – it's a necessity.

If you invest in onboarding new developers, you not only save resources and time. First of all, you bolster employee retention rates. Using this checklist, you can provide team members with the support they need to hit the ground running. The future of your software engineering team starts here.

Many growth-focused companies rely on a Factor Dedicated Team to help onboard new employees. To discuss your goals in further detail, contact us anytime!

FAQ

What are the 4 phases of onboarding?

The onboarding process for new team members consists of four key phases – pre-boarding, orientation, training, and integration. Orientation provides an overview of the company culture and its policies. Integration focuses on getting new employees comfortable and working with their team. Ongoing support ensures growth and successful onboarding through regular feedback.

What are the 5 stages of the onboarding process?

The employee onboarding process comprises five stages: pre-boarding, team and culture orientation, training, technical integration, and setting check-outs of performance. Pre-boarding is all about preparing for the new employee's arrival. Team and culture orientation provides an introduction to the company and its values. Technical integration focuses on building the required hard skills and knowledge. Training helps the new employee become familiar with their responsibilities because of the mentorship program and pair programming. The setting check-outs of performance assess their performance and progress.

How do I onboard a new developer to a project?

Onboarding a new developer involves several key steps. First, introduce them to the company's project management system, objectives, and timeline. Provide access to necessary tools, documentation, and code repositories. Assign them a mentor or buddy who can guide them and answer questions. Encourage new hires to participate in team meetings and discussions. Gradually assign them smaller tasks to build confidence. Finally, ensure you offer regular feedback and support throughout the onboarding process.

What is included in an onboarding checklist?

The onboarding checklist is a roadmap to ensure you know the important activities. It may include tasks such as completing paperwork and technical documentation, setting up necessary accounts and access, providing an introduction to the company's culture, conducting orientation and training sessions, assigning a mentor or buddy, introducing them to other team members, familiarizing them with the workspace and project management tools (like Asana or Trello), clarifying job expectations and responsibilities, and establishing communication channels.

What is engineering onboarding?

Engineering onboarding is the process of integrating new developers into the company smoothly. It involves introducing them to the team, setting up their technical environment, familiarizing them with projects, providing skill development, promoting collaboration and communication, and offering ongoing feedback.

How long does engineering onboarding take?

It can typically range from a few weeks to a few months. For example, a skill developer onboarding program usually takes 3-6 months. However, a more precise time frame can be determined by considering factors such as the size and structure of the engineering team, the project's complexity, and the new employee's level of experience. Cultural onboarding may need up to one year.