Overview
New hires ask HR the same 30 questions for months. This Custom GPT lives in their first Slack channel, answers from an uploaded handbook, tracks their onboarding checklist against an Action (a Notion API call), and can book intro meetings via a Calendly link. The HR team's inbox thins out immediately.
How it works
- GPT builder with File Search on the handbook + policies.
- Actions: getOnboardingProgress(email) and bookIntro(name).
- System prompt: 'You are the onboarding companion. Always cite the handbook section when answering policy questions.'
- Shared with the workspace; new hires get a Slack link on day 1.
Benefits
- HR fields 60-80% fewer repetitive questions.
- New hires unblock themselves at 10pm on a Sunday.
- Consistent answers — no more contradictory advice by team.
Use cases
- Companies hiring 5+/month.
- Distributed teams across timezones.
- Small HR teams supporting fast-growing eng orgs.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1: Prepare the handbook file
One PDF or Markdown. Table of contents, clear section headings, no scanned images.
Step 2: Build the Actions
Notion API wrapper for the checklist, Calendly for intros. Auth via API key in Actions config.
Step 3: Write the system prompt
Emphasise citing sections. Add tone rules ('warm, brief, always link to the source doc').
Step 4: Add refusal boundaries
'For payroll/benefits/legal, respond: I can't help with that — please ping @hr.'
Step 5: Test with real questions
Have last month's new hires stress-test it before rollout.
Step 6: Iterate weekly
Log the questions it couldn't answer well. Update handbook, not just the prompt.
Example
New hire: 'What's the equipment reimbursement limit?'
GPT: 'Up to $500 for home office (Handbook §4.2). To claim, file in Rippling → Reimbursements. Want me to link the exact form?'