Documents and checks before joining
Collect identity, address, qualification and experience documents through a self-service link, and verify degrees and previous employment for QA and QC roles, where regulatory history matters. Many plants also run a pre-employment medical for production staff, including an eyesight test for visual inspection work, before they enter production areas.
- B.Pharm, M.Pharm or M.Sc degree and marksheets
- Relieving letter and recent payslips from the last employer
- Pre-employment medical fitness report
- Eyesight test for visual inspection operators
- Bank details, PAN and nominee forms
- Driving licence for MRs who ride a two-wheeler
GMP induction, then SOP training
GMP induction covers the quality system, good documentation practice, data integrity, hygiene, gowning and deviation reporting. After that, each joiner is trained on the SOPs for their own tasks, with a trainer signing off. A joiner's name should not appear on a batch record or an analytical worksheet until those trainings are recorded. Plan the first two weeks as a training schedule, not a production roster, and tell the department head so no one is pulled onto a line early.
Onboarding a new medical representative
A new MR's first month covers product training on the company's brands and therapy areas, a joint field visit with the area manager, and a handover of the territory's doctor and chemist list from the previous MR or the manager. Samples, detailing aids and any tablet issued are recorded against the MR's name on day one, so the return at exit is simple. The first tour plan is made together with the area manager.
Probation and confirmation
Probation for plant officers and MRs commonly runs six months. For plant staff, confirmation looks at trainings completed, attendance and the supervisor's rating. For MRs it looks at call coverage, early sales and field discipline reported by the area manager. Decide on time: confirm with a letter, extend with a stated reason, or record non-confirmation. An MR left unconfirmed for months starts talking to competitors.
How to set it up in ZeniaHR
- Share the self-onboarding link or QR code, available in English, Hindi and Gujarati, so joiners fill details and upload documents.
- Configure the document checklist per role, adding medical fitness for production roles and a driving licence for MRs.
- Approve submissions to create employee records with department, designation, grade, location and reporting manager.
- Enrol each joiner in GMP induction and role SOP programs in Learning, marked mandatory, before any roster assignment.
- Use the work terms policy to fix probation length by employment type, with a manager review required before confirmation.
- Confirm through Probation & Confirmation so the confirmation letter is saved to the employee's documents.
Read more about onboarding in ZeniaHR.
Roles this applies to
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What happens in a pharma employee's first week?
The first week is mostly training. The joiner completes GMP induction on documentation, hygiene, gowning and data integrity, then begins training on the SOPs for their tasks with a trainer. Documents are verified and a medical check may be done for production roles. The joiner does not sign batch records until the required trainings are recorded.
Do pharma companies run a medical test before joining?
Many do, especially for production and packing roles. A pre-employment medical checks general fitness and, for visual inspection work, eyesight. The report is kept in the employee's documents, and some plants repeat checks at intervals for staff in production areas. Ask your QA team what your site procedures require.
How is a new medical representative onboarded?
A new MR gets product training on the company's brands, a joint field visit with the area manager and a handover of the territory's doctor and chemist list. Samples, detailing aids and any device issued are recorded against the MR's name. Probation, often six months, is reviewed on call coverage and early sales results.