SHRM developed this guide using the same general-purpose AI tools it describes. The prompts are intended as starting points and may need to be adapted, reviewed, and validated for your specific use case.
AI can help you get more done with the HR work you already do, from drafting and summarizing to organizing information and generating ideas. But it does not know your organization, your people, your policies, or your obligations unless you provide that context. This prompt gives you a starting point, with space to add the unique information AI needs to support your work.
Prompt — Generate Role-Specific Onboarding Content
Replace everything in brackets before you run the prompt.
Create onboarding content for a new [TITLE] at [ORGANIZATION].
Source material:
[PASTE OR ATTACH: existing onboarding docs, policies, org
information, team descriptions]
Job description:
[PASTE]
First 90 days expectations:
[PASTE]
Produce:
- A WEEK ONE PLAN, day by day, with a named owner or role for each item and a realistic time estimate.
- A GLOSSARY of every internal acronym, system name, and piece of jargon in the source material, defined in plain language.
- A WHO TO KNOW list — roles this person will work with, what each is responsible for, and what they would typically need from them.
- FIVE QUESTIONS a new hire in this role would probably be embarrassed to ask, with the answers.
Rules:
- Use only the source material. Do not invent policies, systems, people, benefits, or processes.
- Where something important is clearly missing from the source, list it under "Gaps to fill" rather than filling it yourself.
- Write to the new hire, not about them.
- Do not schedule more than [X] hours of meetings in week one.
Write in plain, everyday language. Do not use jargon or invented terms; if a simpler word exists, use it.
Optional, if available: give the AI your organization's style guide, brand voice guide, or writing standards document alongside this prompt so the output matches how we write.
Check Before You Publish
Before you publish, review the AI-generated draft carefully. You are responsible for the final version.
- Check facts, figures, dates, requirements, and other details against the information you supplied or the original source.
- Paste in any legally required or compliance-sensitive language yourself. Do not let AI generate it.
- Confirm nothing was invented, assumed, or taken out of context.
- Verify that the final version reflects your organization, your audience, and the purpose of the work.
Use your judgement as an HR professional. AI can assist with the work, but you make the final call. Looking for more prompts? Explore the AI Prompts Guide for HR for more prompts and templates to support your HR work.
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