Enhancing Onboarding Experiences

Most HR teams think their onboarding is solid. → Laptop ready. → Paperwork completed. → First day meet and greet? Check. But here is the truth we see behind the curtain: Most teams skip the parts that matter most for long-term success. Here are two steps most teams forget during onboarding and what to do instead. 1. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 Telling someone your values is easy. Showing them how the team 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 works is the magic. New hires do not struggle with the handbook. They struggle with the unwritten rules. Give them real language instead of vague gestures. For example, instead of asking… "Do you use Slack?" Try saying… "Our team lives in Slack during business hours. We expect same day responses for most messages and a quicker reply if it is from your manager or during core hours." Other examples to spell out clearly: • How often leaders drop in for updates • When cameras are expected on • How people give feedback • When it is okay to block focus time • Preferred communication style (short pings or detailed notes) And pair them with a culture buddy. Someone who can answer real questions like "Is it normal to send a calendar note before messaging the VP?" That saves so much social anxiety and avoids awkward first month missteps. 2. 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 A job title is not direction. People want to know exactly how to succeed. → Get specific. → Paint the picture. Instead of saying… "You will lead onboarding." Try… "In your first 30 days, you will run onboarding for three new hires. Success looks like zero missed system access steps, plus a feedback survey score of 4.5 or higher." Then schedule a 30 day check in. Not to judge. To support. Ask questions like: "What has been clear so far?" "What has been confusing?" "Where do you need resources or examples?" And tell them one thing they are doing well. Everyone needs a confidence anchor early. Strong onboarding is not fancy. It is clear, human, and consistent. Which onboarding detail made the biggest difference for you in a new role? If this sparked ideas, share it with another HR pro building better onboarding. #OnboardingTips #HRLeadership #PeopleFirst ♻️ I appreciate 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 repost. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Click the "𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿" link below my name for weekly tips to elevate your career!

Onboarding in a new job is often a box-ticking exercise with no real thought put into it. A laptop, a few meetings, a pen, a ‘Welcome!’ email - that’s not onboarding. That’s admin. Yet, for too many companies, that’s where it starts and ends. 👉Real onboarding starts the moment someone accepts the job. That period between resigning and starting can be a weird limbo. Excitement mixed with uncertainty. A simple email outlining what to expect, a virtual office tour, a casual coffee with their new team… these things matter. 👉A proper onboarding makes all the difference. A clear 30-60-90 day plan with actual expectations and milestones - not just “shadow James for a few weeks and see how you go” and a few meeting with random stakeholders they know nothing about. 👉Onboarding should remove barriers, not create them. New hires shouldn’t feel like they have to get everything right the first time. A good onboarding process makes it easy to ask questions, again and again, without feeling like a burden. Clarity and confidence come from repetition, not from guessing. 👉Culture isn’t just a buzzword. You spent the entire hiring process talking about it, so why does it disappear once they start? Onboarding should immerse people in the company culture, not just mention it in an HR slide deck. 👉Why rush it? Most probation periods last 3-6 months. Onboarding should last just as long. The first week might cover the basics, but real success comes from continuous support, not a crash course. A great onboarding experience isn’t just a nice extra, it’s the difference between a disengaged hire and a high performer. Ever had an onboarding experience that set you up for success? (Or one that made you question your decision to join!?)

When I thought I’d done enough hiring, I missed one small but big thing, and it cost a great employee. Last quarter, I filled an important position in just 11 days. It felt like a win. But 6 months later, that person quit. And I realised, the mistake wasn’t in how fast we hired, but in how little we understood what truly motivated them. I did everything right, job description, skill match, reference check, offer letter. The candidate joined happily. They were talented and responsible. But what I never asked was: 👉 What will make you stay here beyond one year? During his exit talk, he said, I wanted more challenges, a clear path, and a stronger sense of belonging. That’s when it clicked, we hired for skills but didn’t show them the growth journey. Here’s what I should have done from day one: 1️⃣ Growth Plan: Explain what their 6, 12, and 18 months could look like, including new learning or team exposure. 2️⃣ Culture Talk: Share how our company lives its values daily and how they’ll be part of it. 3️⃣ Ownership Chance: Tell them what project they’ll own and how it will make a difference. Because employees don’t just quit jobs, they quit environments that don’t meet their expectations or values. Recent reports also say: Professionals now value purpose, growth, and belonging more than just salary. A good onboarding and role clarity are now key to retaining employees in the first year. So I changed my process, Now ask them: ✔ Why this role? Why now? during interviews. ✔ Share a short growth roadmap at the offer stage. ✔ Have a First 90 Days check-in on culture and impact. ✔ Explain, What success looks like in Year 1 and review it at month 6. Results: ✅ Fast hiring (under 20 days) ✅ Better offer acceptance and retention rate Key lessons for HRs and recruiters: 1️⃣ Start with why, understand what drives the candidate beyond the job title. 2️⃣ Talk about culture and belonging early, not after joining. 3️⃣ Show the path, people stay when they see how they’ll grow and make an impact. Simple frameworks: Why-Impact-Roadmap: Explain the reason, result, and path. Environment Check-In: Discuss clarity, culture, and growth before hiring. 90/180-Day Review: Set early goals and revisit them at 3 and 6 months. #careers #careeradvice #hr #linkedinnewsindia #linkedin

A beautiful marketing friend of mine, Nikita Crockett, shared something her workplace mentor said to her on her very first day: “you’re brand new here. You’ll only have fresh eyes for the next two weeks. Spend those x2 weeks telling us the good, the bad, and the ugly—we want to hear it all”. I haven’t stopped thinking about that. Because the truth is, the fresh eyes of a new hire are a gift. 👀 They see things the rest of us have stopped noticing. 👀 They bring perspectives from other workplaces. 👀 They haven’t yet adjusted to “the way we do things here”—for better or worse. I was so inspired by this that I’ve rolled it into my own onboarding process at TDP. Now, within their first two weeks, every new hire is asked: → What’s working well? → What’s not? → What feels clunky or unclear? The best thing about our company is our long-term retention. Some of my team have been here for years — and I’m so proud of that. But with long-term retention comes a risk: “We’ve always done it this way.” A lack of outside perspective. Blind spots we don’t even know we have. Inviting new hires to share their uncensored observations helps us spot those blind spots early. It helps us protect what’s great, and fix what’s not. And it ensures we’re never so set in our ways that we forget to grow. 💡 Sometimes the most valuable insight in your business comes from the person who’s only been there a week.

IN CONTINUATION OF MY EARLIER POST: ### **Creating a Conducive Environment for Giving and Receiving Feedback** In today's dynamic work environment, feedback is not just a necessity but a cornerstone for personal and organizational growth. However, the real challenge lies in creating a space where feedback is both welcomed and effectively utilized. Here are key strategies to cultivate such an environment 1. **Foster a Culture of Trust and Respect** Trust is the foundation of any feedback culture. Encourage open communication by - **Leading by Example:** Demonstrate openness to feedback, regardless of your position - **Encouraging Transparency:** Promote honest and respectful dialogue. Ensure that feedback is given with the intent of helping, not harming 2. **Train on Effective Feedback Techniques** Not everyone intuitively knows how to give or receive feedback. Provide training on - **Constructive Feedback Models:** Use models like SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) to structure feedback constructively - **Active Listening:** Teach employees to listen actively and empathetically without defensiveness 3. **Create Regular Feedback Opportunities** Feedback should be an ongoing process, not a once-a-year event. Implement - **Regular Check-ins:** Schedule frequent one-on-one meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and feedback - **Feedback Loops:** Encourage continuous feedback through tools like 360-degree feedback systems or suggestion boxes. 4. **Normalize Feedback as Part of Work Culture** Feedback should be seen as a regular part of work life. Normalize it by: - **Integrating Feedback into Processes:** - **Celebrating Feedback:** 5. **Ensure Psychological Safety** Employees should feel safe to give and receive feedback without fear of negative repercussions. Ensure this by: - **Maintaining Confidentiality:** Assure that feedback is treated with confidentiality and respect - **Creating a Safe Space:** Encourage open dialogues in a non-judgmental and supportive environment 6. **Act on Feedback** Show that feedback is valued by taking visible actions based on it. This can be achieved by: - **Implementing Changes:** Where feasible, implement suggestions and improvements that arise from feedback - **Closing the Loop:** Inform the feedback givers about what actions have been taken as a result of their input 7. **Recognize and Reward Effective Feedback** Acknowledge those who contribute to the feedback culture. Recognize: - **Constructive Feedback Providers:** Highlight employees who provide insightful and helpful feedback - **Feedback Implementers:** Celebrate those who successfully act on feedback and demonstrate improvement ### Conclusion Creating a conducive environment for feedback is a continuous process that requires commitment from all levels of the organization. By fostering trust, providing training, encouraging regular feedback, and acting on the insights received, organizations can build a resilient and growth-oriented culture

When I first started consulting with Fortune 500 companies, I noticed a recurring problem: we spend millions recruiting top talent, but almost nothing onboarding them. And it shows. Up to 20% of new hires leave within their first 45 days. Why? Because the first year is a vulnerable period—full of uncertainty, isolation, and the pressure to perform. The companies that get it right don’t just give a checklist on day one. They focus on three dimensions: 1️⃣ Organizational – Teaching new hires how things really work: the acronyms, the norms, the heroes and stories that define your culture. 2️⃣ Technical – Making clear what “good” looks like. Even the most experienced employees need clarity on accountabilities, decision rights, and short-term goals to feel competent and confident. 3️⃣ Social – Helping new hires build relationships. Connection is retention. When employees feel they belong and have allies, they stay and thrive. Invest in onboarding as a year-long journey, not a one-day orientation. The payoff? Higher productivity, stronger engagement, and employees who actually want to be there. Read the full article in Harvard Business Review: https://lnkd.in/gccxngZ #leadership #employeeexperience #onboarding #retention #culture #HBR

Across industries, whether in manufacturing, healthcare, technology, or finance the luxury of taking years to fully develop new talent has become a thing of the past. In today’s fast-paced, innovation-driven economy, organizations must ensure that new hires begin contributing meaningfully as quickly as possible. Accelerating this learning curve is no longer optional; it's a competitive necessity. However, recent research by the authors reveals that one critical enabler of rapid learning psychological safety is often missing precisely when it is most essential. Psychological safety, the shared belief that it is safe to take interpersonal risks, such as asking questions, admitting mistakes, or offering new ideas, plays a pivotal role in how quickly and effectively newcomers adapt. Without it, employees may withhold valuable input, avoid asking for help, and ultimately take longer to integrate and grow. Newcomers are especially vulnerable to environments lacking psychological safety. Unfamiliar with the norms, hesitant to challenge the status quo, and eager to make a good impression, they often suppress their natural curiosity and avoid behaviors that might draw attention. This silence delays learning and diminishes the fresh perspective that new hires can bring. The authors highlight this critical gap and offer practical, research-backed strategies to help leaders foster psychological safety from day one. By doing so, organizations can not only unlock faster learning and innovation but also retain the engagement and voice of their newest talent—precisely when it matters most. https://lnkd.in/egfpk3-U

You know that feeling when you start a new job… You were hired for your experience… yet you don’t even know where the bathroom is. You walk in confident - and suddenly feel like the new kid again: • Drowning in paperwork • Laptop… but no login • Desk… but no idea where anything is • A little lost, a little scared, a lot “I hope I don’t look clueless” That’s why onboarding matters. Not the “here’s your laptop, good luck” kind… …but the kind that says: “You belong here. We’re invested in your success.” When I became Head of Learning, the first thing I did was sit in our new hire experience — from orientation to training. I wanted to feel what our people felt. And then we rebuilt it. We recreated The Academy — a weeklong program where every new employee came to Chicago to learn the business, connect with people, and feel a true welcome into the culture. Years later… they still talk about it. Not because of the content - but because of how it made them feel: seen, supported, and set up to shine. A great onboarding program is more than a welcome email: 👉🏼 It connects new hires to purpose 👉🏼 It explains the culture and the “how we do things here” 👉🏼 It gives them confidence, clarity, and a community 👉🏼 It reduces the anxiety of being “the new one” 👉🏼 It accelerates their impact Because here’s the truth: Experience got them in the door. Onboarding helps them walk through it with confidence. So, leaders — if you own onboarding: Make it a hug. Make it a launchpad. Make it an invitation into belonging. Your new hires will remember how you welcomed them long after they forget the paperwork. 👉 What’s one thing your company does (or you’ve seen done) that makes new hires feel like they truly belong on Day 1? Because onboarding isn’t paperwork — it’s culture in action. It’s where #Leadership shows what it truly values, where #LearningAndDevelopment becomes support instead of stress, and where #OnboardingDoneRight turns nervous new hires into confident contributors. When we welcome people with clarity, care, and connection, we send a powerful message: You matter here. And that is the foundation of every great team.

I sent laptops to 7 remote hires. 5 quit within 90 days. Costly mistake.  Brutal lesson. I thought I was onboarding them. They felt abandoned. And the data proves I wasn’t alone: 🚫 63% of remote employees say onboarding was inadequate. 🚫 60% feel lost and disoriented after their first week. 🚫 Remote hires take 3-6 months longer to reach full productivity. A laptop in a box isn’t onboarding.  It’s a fast track to disengagement. So I rebuilt our process—and retention jumped 82%. Here’s exactly what worked: 🔥 The Buddy System ✔ Assign a mentor (daily check-ins for the first 2 weeks) ✔ Encourage “silly” questions—zero judgment ✔ Make support feel human, not bureaucratic 🔥 Connection Before Content ✔ Virtual coffee chats before training starts ✔ Executive welcome video on Day 1 ✔ Remote-friendly team social event in Week 1 🔥 Digestible Learning ✔ 90-minute training modules (no info overload!) ✔ Spread onboarding across 3 weeks, not 3 days ✔ Live discussions > passive video watching 🔥 Tech Readiness ✔ IT setup completed before Day 1 ✔ Test systems with the hire the day before ✔ Provide a digital “emergency contact” for tech issues 🔥 Culture Immersion ✔ Virtual office tour with real team stories ✔ Inside-joke dictionary (every company has one!) ✔ Daily connections between work tasks & company mission 🔥 Strategic Check-ins ✔ Week 1: "What surprised you?" ✔ Month 1: "Where do you need more clarity?" ✔ Quarter 1: "How can we better support your growth?” 🔥 Early Wins = Early Buy-In ✔ Assign a small, meaningful project in Week 1 ✔ Recognize their success publicly ✔ Show them how their work makes an impact Remote onboarding isn’t about dumping information. It’s about building confidence, connection, and commitment. Do this right, and your new hires won’t just stay. They’ll thrive. P.S. What’s one thing you wish you had in your first remote onboarding? ♻️ Repost this to help HR teams fix onboarding before it costs them top talent.

When I arrived at USPTO in 2018, I was greeted with something unforgettable: a welcome package, a personalized basket, a tour to meet every stakeholder, and even a team-wide pause for a warm “welcome party.” I had never felt so valued on day one. We took onboarding seriously. Every new hire had a “buddy” responsible for making sure these steps were covered before and during the first week: 1️⃣ Build a welcome basket using contributions from the team, our library, and donations. Bonus points for finding out the new employee’s interests and adding something personal. 2️⃣ Take the new employee on a tour to meet stakeholders, visit offices, and share lunch in the cafeteria to encourage quick socialization. 3️⃣ Coordinate a short, in-person welcoming party on the first day where everyone stopped to greet the newcomer. 4️⃣ Schedule longer introductory meetings during the first week with key stakeholders to build context and relationships. The impact went well beyond making people feel good. Research shows that personalized gestures such as welcome baskets increase trust and commitment. Structured socialization practices like tours and team welcomes reduce anxiety, build belonging, and accelerate role clarity. On top of that, buddy programs and early stakeholder meetings provide psychological safety and social capital. Furthermore, studies from Microsoft and Gartner found that employees with a buddy were more productive and more likely to stay, and other research has shown that early supportive interactions predict higher performance and long-term commitment. The results in our office spoke for themselves. We saw virtually zero turnover, had a waiting list of internal employees eager to join, and filled nearly every open position internally through promotions or cross-moves. The culture was so strong that even when I eventually accepted another opportunity, it took a significant offer and a month of persuasion to make me leave. To this day (and no disrespect to my other employers) it's one of those decisions I revisit often and say "what if." Making people feel truly welcomed is not fluff. It is a strategy that builds retention, engagement, and culture. So how is your organization welcoming its new employees? Let's here some great practices that we all can adapt. #EmployeeExperience #OnboardingMatters #CultureByDesign #RetentionStrategy #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement