Automate your employee onboarding and offboarding with these proven steps

In today’s hybrid and digital-first workplace, every employee transition—whether joining or leaving—starts with IT. How smoothly these transitions are managed affects far more than just access to SaaS tools. Productivity, security, compliance and employee satisfaction are all on the line. The message is clear: smart IT teams automate. Because every delay, missed permission, or leftover account can cost time, trust—or worse.

Still, many organizations cling to manual processes that are slow, inconsistent and full of hidden risks:

• 88% of data breaches are caused by human error (Stanford/Tessian)
• 1 in 4 companies takes over a week to fully revoke access for departing employees (IS Decisions)
• Companies that automate onboarding see a 50% faster time-to-productivity and a 42% drop in IT workload (Sapient Insights)

The message is clear: Smart IT teams automate. Because every delay, missed permission or leftover account can cost time, trust—or worse.

IT onboarding – how to make it easy (and effective)

IT onboarding refers to the structured process of providing new employees with the digital tools, system access and training they need to be productive from day one. It ensures that technical setups are handled efficiently and consistently—so new hires can start contributing without delay.

Successful IT onboarding sets the tone for the entire employee journey. Done right, it leads to productivity from day one—and long-term engagement.

Here’s how to get it right:

1. Preparation

Before the first day, make sure all systems, tools and permissions are set up. USU SaaS Management allows you to automate this setup by role, team or department—ensuring no detail is missed.

2. Welcome package

Provide a comprehensive onboarding kit with login credentials, IT policies, support contacts and key platform guides. Automate distribution to ensure timely delivery and consistency.

3. Training

Blend formal training with mentor support. A centralized view of apps and access helps mentors walk new hires through the exact tools they’ll use.

4. Access permissions

Grant access to all needed tools quickly and securely. With automated provisioning, permissions are aligned to the employee’s role and revoked automatically when they change roles or leave.

5. Check-ups

Onboarding is a process—not a moment. Schedule regular check-ins and monitor usage to make sure employees are confident and productive.

6. Support

Clear guidance on where to get help prevents early frustration. A strong IT support structure—backed by transparency—helps reduce tickets and builds trust.

70% of employees who had exceptional onboarding feel they have the "best possible job". (Glassdoor)

What is offboarding and why it matters

Offboarding is the structured process of disengaging an employee from your organization—whether due to resignation, termination, or internal changes. Also known as Exit Management, it’s just as important as onboarding.

But it’s often overlooked. And that creates major risks.

Why offboarding is critical

• Ensure IT security: 20% of companies have experienced a data breach tied to former employees. Delays in deprovisioning are a key reason why.
• Save time and money: Manual offboarding is resource-heavy. Automating steps saves hours and reduces overhead.
• Protect your brand: Even former employees are brand ambassadors. A respectful, professional exit process reinforces your company’s values.

IT offboarding checklist – what to do and how to automate it

Here’s how a tool like USU SaaS Management helps you handle offboarding with confidence:

1. Reclaim devices

Track all issued hardware during onboarding and verify returns. USU’s device inventory helps close the loop with clear documentation.

2. Terminate access to systems

Immediately revoke access to cloud services, email, VPN and collaboration tools. With USU, this is a single-click process—especially crucial if the separation isn’t amicable.

3. Eliminate shared access risks

Change shared passwords and replace group accounts with individual logins wherever possible. Centralized access control makes it easy to see and secure all accounts.

4. Deactivate SaaS accounts

Temporarily deactivate accounts while retaining important data. Reassign system ownership if the departing employee was a tool admin.

5. Set up mail routing

Redirect emails to designated successors and set auto-responders. Avoid missed communications and ensure continuity with clients and partners.

6. Manage SaaS spend

Track which credit cards are tied to which tools and users. USU identifies unused licenses and prevents paying for dormant or deactivated accounts.

7. Transfer app data

Ensure all relevant files, recordings and documentation are transferred securely to the successor. Archive and audit the transfer for future reference.

8. Delete accounts

Once data is transferred and licenses reassigned, delete the account. Many companies continue paying for inactive users—across 30+ apps per employee, that adds up fast.

 Why you need a structured exit strategy

Offboarding isn't just a formality—it's a compliance requirement, a security safeguard and a reputational risk zone. Without a consistent, documented and automated process, things fall through the cracks.

Final thought: transitions are strategic moments

Employee transitions are more than a series of operational tasks. They’re moments that define your organization’s culture, security posture and reputation. Every delayed setup or missed account deactivation is a small fracture in the employee experience—or a potential vulnerability.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

By automating and standardizing onboarding and offboarding with USU SaaS Management, you turn these moments into strengths. You give new hires confidence from day one. You part ways with professionalism and integrity. You protect data, reduce risk and save money.

And perhaps most importantly, you give IT teams the freedom to stop firefighting and start focusing on what really matters—innovation, strategy and building the future.

If you would like to learn more about our tool capabilities get in touch and book an appointment.