You’ve just hired a new executive assistant (EA) and you expect them to be perfect from Day One. You’ve interviewed them thoroughly and checked their references. They may even have taken some assessments and are experts with every productivity tool used in your office. They know your industry and your customer segment. You are hoping they can even read your mind. What can go wrong?
A lot.
Getting started on the right foot from Day One is critical. And yet, Gallup reports that only 29% of new hires say they feel fully prepared and supported to excel in their role after their onboarding experience.
How To Develop Your Onboarding Process
Without the structure and support of an Onboarding Process, you risk losing your new EA quickly and negatively impacting their ability to immediately make a significant contribution to the success of your business.
Where do you start?
Prepare Before Your New EA Starts
Get organized. Gather and ensure your new EA will have:
- A place to sit
- A phone
- A computer
- An email account
- Basic supplies
Also, make sure they will have access to the productivity tools used within the company, such as:
- Calendar management software (e.g., Google Calendar, Calendly)
- Communication platforms (Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams)
- Document management systems (PandaDoc, Google Workspace)
- Project management tools (Trello, Monday, Asana)
- Grammar checkers (Grammarly)
The First Day
The Basics
It seems obvious, but you’d be surprised at how often employers don’t ensure the very basics are covered on an EA’s very first day.
- Make sure someone is there to greet your new EA when they arrive. Ideally, this will be their new manager, someone from HR or a key co-worker.
- Show them where they will sit and make sure the working phone, computer, and supplies you have ordered are there.
- Let them know where and how to get additional supplies and technology support if they need it.
- Have someone introduce them to their immediate team, and someone available to take them to lunch.
- Make introductions to other co-workers and key stakeholders.
Other Necessary Tools and Resources for the First Day
- Calendar access
- A company directory and contact list
- An email account
- System access setup, including access to all necessary tools.
- Meeting and communication protocols
- An organizational chart and identification of key stakeholders and contacts
- A structured overview of important tasks and a daily checklist.
Within the First Week
Within the first few days, make sure your EA also has:
- Important internal documents
- Company policies
- A detailed job description to be reviewed as soon as possible (see below)
- A presentation of company culture, vital systems, and executives’ specific needs.
- Software training, where necessary
Define Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations
Once your new EA is settled in and has all of the necessary equipment and access, review their job description with them and let them know what’s expected of them. By reviewing the written job description, you both have something to regularly refer to so you can easily monitor progress. Set up scheduled weekly meetings at least for the first month to review this progress.
In most cases, executive assistant duties will include:
- Handling correspondence
- Managing the executive’s daily calendar
- Scheduling meetings
- Preparing documents
- Making travel arrangements
- Coordinating internal and external communications
- Handling other administrative tasks
- Providing project support
- Ensuring the executive’s time is used efficiently
- Building relationships with key stakeholders
- Upholding company policies and procedures and maintaining professional standards and confidentiality.
Ongoing Training and Reviews
On an ongoing basis, the executive assistant should receive:
- Regular check-ins and performance reviews to ensure they have clear goals and understand expectations. This allows each of you to measure your success
- Comprehensive training on new company tools and procedures
- Access to other training tailored to meet the unique needs of the executive and their assistant. These can include workshops and online training platforms such as Udemy and LinkedIn Learning.
- Ongoing mentorship with the executive and relevant staff members.
The cost of a poor onboarding experience
A poor onboarding experience doesn’t just slow down productivity; it can quietly derail a great hire and damage your broader employee experience. When an executive assistant joins without clear expectations, the right tools, or a strong connection to their leader, even top talent can struggle to succeed. The cost? Wasted time, lost momentum, diminished engagement, and early turnover. Starting all over is expensive.
For EA and PA roles that sit close to leadership, the ripple effects can impact culture, communication, and team cohesion. A fractured onboarding experience doesn’t just hurt performance; it sends a message about how the company values its people. In today’s competitive market, onboarding is more than logistics – it’s a direct investment in retention, reputation, and long-term impact.
Onboarding Done Right
If you cover everything we have reviewed, how long should the onboarding and training period last? This will vary depending on the EA, the executive’s needs, and the company’s specific requirements. The standard onboarding period for an EA should be at least a few months, with the focus on the first month, but it depends on the role’s complexity and the person’s prior experience
By preparing in advance, welcoming your new EA on their first day, and providing them with all the equipment, tools, and access they need, you set your new EA up for success. Follow up with regular reviews of responsibilities and expectations, coupled with constructive feedback and guidance, so they can continue to learn and grow in their position and contribute to your success and the success of the organization. As their success increases, this will allow you to reward them with greater responsibility and pay rises in the future, as well as provide them with career advancement opportunities, if desirable for them and you.
Executive Assistant Hiring Made Easy With C-Suite Assistants
At C-Suite Assistants, we offer custom-tailored recruitment services and an extensive pre-vetted nationwide network of highly skilled executive assistants across the country.
Regardless of your location or industry, we’re here to connect you with the right executive assistant with the skills you require. Streamline your hiring process and find your new executive assistant effortlessly with C-Suite Assistants. Contact our hiring specialists today to get started.
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