If you’re hiring an assistant, knowing how to onboard a virtual assistant or executive assistant is just as important as making the right hire. Done right, onboarding sets your assistant up for success and frees you to focus on higher-level work. Done poorly, it creates confusion, wasted time, and friction.
This guide walks through exactly how to onboard a virtual assistant or executive assistant. We’ll cover what to do before day one, how to structure the first few weeks, how to hand off tasks over time, and what tools and workflows will help them thrive.
If you’re searching, “How do I onboard a new assistant?” or “What’s the best assistant onboarding checklist?”—this is the resource you need.
Why onboarding your assistant well is essential
- It sets expectations early and clearly
- It saves you time and energy later
- It gives your assistant a solid foundation to make decisions and solve problems
Whether you’re working with a remote assistant across time zones or an in-office executive assistant, a strong onboarding plan is your best investment.
Assistant onboarding checklist by phase
Use this phased approach to make onboarding manageable and effective.
| Phase | Goals | Key Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Orientation & alignment | Tools access, team intros, early tasks, work style overview |
| Weeks 2–4 | Core task training | SOP sharing, feedback loops, shadowing, progressive responsibility |
| Month 2+ | Growth & ownership | Task handoffs, goal setting, continuous improvement |
Preboarding and week 1: get them set up
- Send a welcome packet with logins, tools, and basic guides
- Introduce them to your team and tools (like Slack, Asana, Notion, etc.)
- Assign small, low-risk tasks that reflect the real work they’ll do
- Share your personal work style: communication, preferences, expectations
- Schedule short daily or every-other-day check-ins
This is when they start to understand how you work and what success looks like.
Weeks 2–4: teach, test, and build habits
- Let them shadow meetings or workflows you normally do yourself
- Start documenting recurring tasks with SOPs they can follow (and improve)
- Provide feedback weekly and encourage them to share what they’re learning
- Expand their scope as confidence builds—calendar management, inbox sorting, research, etc.
Use tools like Loom to record how you complete tasks so they can refer back without needing to ask again.
Month 2 and beyond: hand off ownership
- Assign full ownership of certain tasks (with checkpoints, not micromanaging)
- Define long-term goals or KPIs for their role
- Schedule monthly 1:1s to review what’s working and what’s not
- Encourage process improvements and feedback from their side
By now, your assistant should feel confident, connected, and proactive.
AI + assistant integration: making hybrid teams work
If you’re combining a virtual assistant with AI tools like ChatGPT, here are best practices:
- Clarify who does what: assistant handles nuance and judgment, AI helps with drafts or data
- Use AI to document processes, summarize meetings, or create checklists
- Train your assistant to use AI safely and effectively, without relying on it blindly
Many leaders ask, “Can I onboard a virtual assistant and still use AI?” Yes—and when done right, the combination is powerful.
What can go wrong and how to fix it
| Problem | Symptom | Solution |
| Confusion | Assistant repeats questions | Clarify tasks with written SOPs |
| Missed deadlines | Poor handoff or unclear timeline | Use task managers with due dates |
| Overload | Assistant feels unsure or overwhelmed | Break work into smaller, well-defined steps |
Real-world onboarding tips
- Include outbound links to tools your assistant will use (like Notion, Loom, or Asana)
- Use images or screenshots of sample task flows, checklists, or dashboards
- Include alt text for images like “assistant onboarding process diagram” or “virtual assistant onboarding checklist”
- Encourage asynchronous communication, especially for remote onboarding
Focus keyphrase: onboard a virtual assistant
To meet WordPress SEO guidance, the focus keyphrase for this post is “onboard a virtual assistant”. It appears in the SEO title, meta description, intro paragraph, and throughout the post.
FAQs
How long should it take to onboard a virtual assistant?
Expect at least 30 days for a solid foundation and 90 days for full autonomy.
What’s the best onboarding process for a virtual assistant?
Use a phased approach with clear milestones, SOPs, and ongoing feedback. Start small, then scale.
What tools should I use for onboarding?
Use Notion or Google Docs for SOPs, Loom for screen recordings, and Slack or email for async updates.
Need help onboarding your assistant?
At Base, we help leaders not just find great assistants—we help you onboard a virtual assistant with clarity, confidence, and the right playbook. We can even help co-build your SOPs.
Learn more about working with Base or get in touch to talk about what kind of support will help you most.
