Onboarding

What Was Your Best Onboarding Experience? Are You Providing the Same for Your New Hires?

Think back to your greatest onboarding experience. Did you ever join a company and know on day one, “This is the place!”? Now, consider your role today—are you providing your new hires with that same level of experience when they join your team?

The First 90 Days: The Final Phase of the Interview

Many companies outline a 90-day probationary period in their offer letters, subtly signaling that the new hire must prove their worth. But how often do we think about setting up the employee for success during those crucial first three months?

As a hiring manager, have you helped your new hire build relationships within the team? Have you ensured they have the necessary resources to succeed? Are you holding regular 1:1 meetings to address any challenges they might face? Remember, the new hire is judging the company just as much as the company is judging them in those first few months. They’re asking themselves: Are the promises made to me being kept? Do I feel supported in my learning and initial work? Is this workplace and team welcoming?

I’ve seen situations where everything looked perfect on paper—defined KPIs, 30/60/90 day goals, an onboarding buddy, a team lunch on day one, and scheduled orientation sessions. But in practice, it fell apart. Goals listed in emails differed from those in the onboarding plan and in Confluence. When asked which goals were correct, the response was, “Oh, it doesn’t matter as long as we’re making progress each week.”

The onboarding buddy had no set plan or schedule, and during the team lunch, the manager turned their back to the new hire, leaving them out of the conversation entirely. The department KPIs were vague and unsupported by any clear plan or resources. And to top it off, the onboarding sessions focused excessively on NDAs, rather than welcoming the new hire or integrating them into the company culture.

The consequences? The new hire left after 30 days. Another team member who joined the same day lasted less than a week.

What Employees Are Really Looking For in the First 90 Days

In those first 90 days, employees are looking for a few key things:

1. Connection: They want to feel connected to their team, cross-functional partners, their manager, and the organization as a whole.
2. Organization: They need to see that the company is well-organized, with resources that are easy to find, clear direction from leadership, accountability, and SMART goals that clearly define expectations and why they matter.

The 44-Day Decision: A Make or Break Moment

According to BambooHR, companies have 44 days to turn a new hire into a long-term employee. Turnover has a significant impact on a company’s bottom line. You’ve already invested time and resources in finding and onboarding the right candidate—starting over is costly. Plus, it affects the team left behind, who might start to wonder, “Why did the new person leave so quickly? Should I be looking too?” Frequent turnover can also lead to a more siloed organization, where teams stop collaborating because they’re constantly getting new people up to speed. This loss of productivity and collaboration can have long-term financial repercussions.

Best Practices for an Employee-Centric Onboarding

To create an onboarding experience that sets your new hires up for success:

1. Day-One Readiness: Ensure your new hire can walk in and start working on day one. Have their computer set up, all software access granted, and security protocols in place.
2. Prepare the Team: Share some background on the new hire and your enthusiasm for them joining the team. This helps build rapport and sets the tone for a welcoming environment.
3. New Hire Swag: If you offer new hire swag—and I highly recommend you do—it helps build loyalty and connection to the company. Studies show that companies offering swag have less than half the turnover rate of those that don’t. While a sweatshirt alone won’t keep employees happy, it’s like wearing a team jersey—it builds a sense of belonging. Send it before day one or have it waiting at their workstation.
4. Communicate: Send a note or even a short video (15-20 seconds recorded on Loom) expressing your excitement about the new hire joining the team. Set expectations for the first day, including an invitation to lunch.
5. One-Stop Information: Ideally, send one email with everything your new hire needs to know for day one—parking, dress code, timeline, required paperwork, etc. Keeping it all in one email prevents them from having to search for important information.
6. Compliance with Diminimus Rules: If you offer the opportunity to complete paperwork and trainings before day one, it’s voluntary and they can choose to do it without being on the clock. However, if you require these tasks to be done before day one, you must pay the person for that time on their first check.

Wrapping Up: Are You Creating the Best Experience?

To close, think back to the onboarding experience you most enjoyed. Now, imagine what the ideal experience would be. If you’re not creating that experience for your team now, what’s holding you back?

If you’re ready to elevate your onboarding experience but aren’t sure where to start, let’s chat. I’d love to help you create a welcoming, effective onboarding process that sets your team up for success.