A new starter’s IT should be sorted before they arrive, not on the morning they turn up. That means a working laptop or PC loaded with the software they’ll actually use, a company email account already created, access to the shared files and systems their role needs (and nothing beyond that), a phone or extension if the job needs one, and someone briefing them on the basics, like multi factor authentication, before they’re left to get on with it. None of it is complicated. It just has to happen in the right order, and before the first day rather than during it.
It matters more than it might seem. Research from BambooHR found that 58 percent of new starters don’t have access to the tools they need on their first day, and 51 percent run into technical problems like a laptop that doesn’t work properly. For a small business, that’s not just an awkward first morning, it’s a new employee’s first real impression of how organised the company actually is, formed before they’ve even sat through their first meeting.
Why the first day sets the tone
New starters notice more in their first week than at almost any other point in the job. Someone who spends their first morning waiting for IT to sort out a login is quietly forming an opinion about how the whole business is run, not just its IT. It also affects them practically: a delayed start on proper access means a delayed start on being useful, which reflects on the new starter as much as on the business, through no fault of their own.
This ties into something we’ve written about separately: businesses that don’t have a clear, current IT policy tend to handle new starters inconsistently too, one person gets full access on day one because it’s easier, another waits two weeks for the same thing because whoever normally sorts it was on leave. A proper new starter process and a proper IT policy usually go hand in hand.
What needs to be ready, and who should own it
| Task | Should be ready by | Typically owned by |
|---|---|---|
| Device (laptop or PC) ordered, set up, and tested | At least a week before start date | IT support or whoever manages equipment |
| Company email account and login created | Before start date | IT support |
| Access to shared drives and systems, scoped to the role | Before start date | IT support, briefed by the line manager on what’s needed |
| Phone or extension set up (if the role needs one) | Before start date | IT support |
| Multi factor authentication set up and explained | First morning | IT support or line manager |
| Security basics briefing (passwords, phishing, reporting a problem) | First day or first week | Line manager, supported by IT support |
The mistakes that cause most of the delays
A few patterns come up again and again. Equipment gets ordered too late because the start date wasn’t communicated to whoever handles IT, so day one becomes a scramble. New starters get given far more access than the role actually needs, because it’s quicker to copy an existing account’s permissions than work out what’s genuinely required, this is the opposite of the least privilege approach we’ve written about before, and it’s a real security risk if that account is ever compromised. And a generic or shared login gets used “just for now,” which almost never gets properly replaced later.
A simple checklist before someone starts
Confirm the start date with IT support at least a week in advance, order and test the device with the software the role needs already installed, create the email account and any other logins in advance rather than on the day, set access permissions based on the actual role rather than copying someone else’s account, set up multi factor authentication so it’s ready to explain on the first morning, and have someone briefed to walk the new starter through the basics rather than leaving them to work it out.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should we set up a new starter’s IT?
At least a week, ideally more if a new device needs to be ordered. The account and access side can usually be done in a day or two, but hardware, especially anything that needs configuring beyond the basics, takes longer than most businesses expect.
Should a new starter get full access from day one?
No, not by default. Access should match what the role actually needs, which is usually narrower than whatever account happens to be easiest to copy. It’s straightforward to add more access later if it turns out to be needed, and much harder to work out what to remove after the fact.
What if we don’t have an IT department to handle this?
Most small businesses don’t, which is usually where an outsourced IT support provider earns its keep, treating new starter setup as a routine, repeatable process rather than something that gets figured out fresh each time someone joins.
If new starter IT setup is something that happens differently depending on who’s dealing with it that week, that’s usually a sign the process needs tightening up rather than the people involved. 127 Solutions supports growing businesses across Cheshire, Wirral, Chester and Liverpool with exactly this kind of day to day IT, and we’re happy to talk through what a proper onboarding process would look like for your team. Get in touch.
