Your First Hire template
First Employee Checklist (UK)
Published 3 August 2026 · Last reviewed 22 August 2026 · By Kayley Hart
What this template is for
Use this planning checklist to coordinate the role, cash budget, employer setup, documents and first ninety days before your first employee starts. It is a working organiser, not legal, tax or employment advice.
Use this template your way
Copy it into your own workspace, print it, save it as a PDF from your browser, or download a DOCX file to edit offline.
How to use this template
- Complete the role and cash sections before advertising, then use current official guidance for any statutory step.
- Give each item one owner and a date; do not assume a task is complete because it has been discussed.
- Use the completed checklist at the week-one, 30-day and 90-day reviews to confirm that the operating setup matches the role you hired for.
Reusable document
Working template
Replace the bracketed prompts with facts about your own team. Keep the completed version in the shared place where the relevant people can use it.
1. Role outcome and employment status
Define the recurring problem, the expected result and the proposed working relationship before choosing a job title or person.
Role outcome: [result] Recurring work covered: [work] Proposed status / working pattern: [employee, contractor or other — verify as needed]
2. Cash employment cost and reserve
Record the cash cost from your calculator and the cash reserve you intend to hold. Keep the non-cash ramp-up productivity gap separate from this funding decision.
Annual cash employment cost: [amount] Cash break-even revenue: [amount] Cash reserve held: [amount / months] Non-cash ramp-up productivity gap noted separately: [amount / assumption]
3. Employer and statutory checks
Use this as a tracker for current official checks, not as a substitute for them. Add the owner, date and source used for each item.
PAYE / payroll: [owner, status, source checked] Pension duties: [owner, status, source checked] Insurance and right-to-work checks: [owner, status, source checked]
4. Written documents and policies
List the documents that must be ready and the person responsible for confirming the correct, current version is used.
Written statement / contract: [owner and status] Key policies: [list] Data, confidentiality and equipment documents: [owner and status]
5. Day one and 30/60/90-day plan
Set the access, introductions, early outcomes and review points before the person arrives so the first week does not become improvised.
Day one ready: [access, equipment, welcome] First 30 days: [outcomes] 60 / 90-day reviews: [dates, evidence and owner]
Illustrative only
Filled example
This example shows the level of specificity to aim for. Replace it with your own names, limits, dates and evidence rather than copying the facts.
1. Role outcome and employment status
Role outcome: Customer-support requests are resolved consistently without daily founder triage. Recurring work covered: Inbox triage, standard refunds and FAQ maintenance. Proposed status / working pattern: Part-time employee, 24 hours per week; employment status to be checked against current guidance.
2. Cash employment cost and reserve
Annual cash employment cost: £32,000. Cash break-even revenue: £53,400 at a 60% margin. Cash reserve held: £16,000 / six months of selected running cost. Non-cash ramp-up productivity gap noted separately: £4,800 planning estimate for the first three months.
3. Employer and statutory checks
PAYE / payroll: Finance lead, provider selected, GOV.UK employer guidance checked 1 September. Pension duties: Finance lead, duties start date confirmed, Pensions Regulator guidance checked. Insurance and right-to-work checks: Operations lead, evidence stored before start date.
4. Written documents and policies
Written statement / contract: External HR adviser draft reviewed before offer. Key policies: Expenses, absence, data handling and disciplinary / grievance route. Data, confidentiality and equipment documents: Operations lead prepares the signed equipment and access record.
5. Day one and 30/60/90-day plan
Day one ready: Laptop, named accounts, welcome schedule and customer-support introduction. First 30 days: Handle standard inbox categories with daily support. 60 / 90-day reviews: 30 October and 29 November; review response quality, exceptions and role clarity with the manager.
Before you share it
Before making an offer, review the checklist with the person who will manage the employee and the person responsible for payroll or employment setup. Use current official sources for all statutory decisions.