Hire Charm cadence

Hire Charm sets up a steady onboarding rhythm, whether your new hire’s in Silverfields or Oribi Gorge.

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Owner standup cues
Exception list
Follow-up notes

90-day onboarding rhythm, step by step

The Hire Charm schedule runs over a clear 90-day arc. Start on a Monday if you can, but it plays out neatly even after a Wednesday offer. You’ll kick off with a contract chat and a welcome walkthrough for every new face, think Sihle at Krugersdorp Windows, who needs to know where to find the fire exits and what counts as workwear. The momentum comes from weekly check-ins, a day-30 sitdown, and a day-90 milestone sign-off. All steps are logged using the first-90-days checklist.

Day 1: Contract orientation, welcome, workspace intro.
End of week 1: Team check-in (roles, daily lunch spot, taxi route chat).
Week 2: Review job basics, discuss first tasks.
Week 3: Confirm payroll details, check EMP201 info, log questions.
Day 30: Sitdown to check alignment, note wins and tricky bits.
Week 6: Skills check, training log (Barista cert, CIPC logging, etc).
Week 8: Midway review, adjust projects if needed.
Day 90: Milestone review, sign-off, contract reconfirmation.

For a Port Shepstone café assistant, the expectation is the same: meet, orientate, settle, review. Each Friday, tick off progress. At month-end, double-check SARS eFiling details, starter UIF, and bank info. At the end of 90 days, update the role description and check training gaps. This rhythm helps you avoid that slow drift where a hire never quite settles, still happens in too many small shops.

Who handles each onboarding moment?

In a team of three, like Marius’s kitchen company down the road from Silverfields, the owner takes the contract session and month-end review. A team lead or supervisor tracks weekly progress, making sure the new hire gets the small things, alarm code, lunch roster, even which supplier in Pretoria to call for overalls. HR takes payroll slots if you have one (in a twelve-person crew, often someone like Noluthando who’s the go-to for all payslips). Even where you’re wearing too many hats, set calendar reminders to hand off, or use handoff notes so nothing gets lost.

When load-shedding or holidays hit

In Port Shepstone, a week 2 check-in can get bumped by a 4-hour stage 6 blackout or that August school break. Don’t stress, just shift that week’s tasks to the next available slot, but always log the move on your onboarding checklist. If a public holiday lands midweek, roll progress sessions onto the next working day. For month-end tasks, like EMP201 runs or document signoffs, prioritise completion before the load-shedding window. It’s easy to forget to reschedule when its busy, so build a habit of catching up in your first Monday huddle.

Reviewing your cadence at 30 days

After the first month, sit down (with the new hire, if you can) and review what’s working. Did the person know where to find the coffee? Were there any bottlenecks logging into SARS eFiling or confusion about bank FICA docs? Note these in your 30-day review. If you find the pace feels rushed or too slow, adjust the rhythm and update your checklist for the next round. For extra hands-on ideas, see first 90 days without the scramble or check the onboarding 90 ritual. Improving your cadence now saves headache with your next hire, be they in Noordheuwel or Margate.

Supplier support and extra guidance

If you get stuck on the nitty-gritty (like B-BBEE affidavits, UIF forms or a contract tweak), drop an email to magic@bizmagic.co.za. For contract templates and Pretoria-based supplier contacts, see your main supplier hub or the full supplier list. You can also browse more cadence templates in the cadence library and get extra onboarding notes in resources.