Tips for Onboarding That Leave a Lasting Impression

In the 20+ recruiting audits I have completed of companies, I have found that more than 25% of recruits who sign offer letters never join. All that energy with nothing more than a finish-line disappointment. Yet if you ask a recruiting leader what their game plan is, once someone says yes, most have nothing. Recruiting doesn't stop when someone agrees to join your team—it’s just the beginning of solidifying their commitment. A formalized game plan ensures recruits feel welcomed, valued, and confident in their decision, reducing the risk of last-minute changes of heart. Here’s a step-by-step approach to create a game plan: 1) Immediate Engagement: Celebrate their decision with personalized outreach (e.g., a call or handwritten note). Have senior leadership send congratulatory messages to validate their choice. 2) Bridge the Gap with Continued Conversations: Schedule weekly check-ins to discuss their onboarding, answer questions, and keep excitement high. Involve current team members to introduce them to the culture and key connections inside the company. 3) Create a Sense of Belonging: Arrange a dinner or event involving their spouse or family to build deeper connections. Ship a personalized welcome kit with branded items and a personal note to their home. 4) Showcase the Culture: Invite them to attend a team meeting or shadow virtually so they can experience the culture firsthand. Provide access to training resources or tools to give them a head start. 5) Eliminate Doubt: Reiterate the unique value your organization offers that their current company cannot match. Role-play possible counter-offer scenarios and coach them on how to respond confidently. 6) Formalize the Onboarding Journey: Provide a clear timeline for their first 90 days, with milestones and support touchpoints. Assign a mentor or buddy to guide them through the transition. A structured plan ensures recruits transition smoothly, feel connected, and remain committed to your team. It transforms the "yes" into a day one success.

Stop “welcoming” new hires. Give them a win in 30 days instead. When I first hired 8 years back, I thought the best onboarding was all about making new hires feel at home. I was wrong. New hires actually struggle with: → Understanding the business and their role. → Aligning with company culture and expectations. → Getting that first “win” to build momentum. → Building relationships with colleagues. I’ve now completely changed our onboarding process. The only goal is to get new hires to their “first win” fast. Instead of generic training, we work backward from their first big achievement. Here’s the framework: Step 1: Define the “first win” (within 30 days) Every new hire gets a specific, meaningful milestone. 1. It should be important enough that not doing it has a business impact. 2. Something that pushes them but is achievable with team collaboration. 3. It should give them real insight into how we operate. Our new Demand Gen Marketer’s first win was securing Market Development Funds (MDF) from a partner. To do this, they had to: - Work with our internal team. - Engage with a partner manager. - Propose a campaign relevant to both companies. This wasn’t just a task (it was a meaningful contribution). Step 2: Provide context (without overloading them) Most onboarding programs drown new hires in endless presentations. We limit training to what they need for their first win. 1. A 45-minute deep dive on the company’s journey, priorities, and challenges. 2. Targeted learning on only what’s relevant for their milestone. 3. Hands-on guidance instead of passive training. For the Demand Gen hire, we focused on: - Who the partner manager was and their priorities. - How the partnership worked. - What MDF campaigns typically get approved. Step 3: Align them with our work culture Culture isn't learned in a handbook. It’s experienced. Every new hire is paired with a mentor to guide them through: → Quality Standards → What "good" looks like in our company. → Processes & Tools → How we work and collaborate. → Feedback Loops → How we review, iterate, and improve. The result? New hires achieve something meaningful within their first month. They feel pride, momentum, and confidence (not just onboarding fatigue). Great onboarding isn’t about information. It’s about impact. 💡 How do you set up new hires for success?

How to Create the Best Onboarding Experience Ever The last company I worked for completely nailed onboarding. Here's what they did: T-19 days: email from IT on when I should expect to receive my company swag, my computer, and other logistics T-18 days: email from my manager checking in and letting me know they were around if I had any questions T-3 days: email introducing me to my onboarding buddy (an employee that they paired me with) that helped me through my first few weeks T-2 days: email from manager with onboarding info and my schedule for Day 1 T-1 days: email from IT with info on how to login and configure my laptop All before I even started. — Day 1: * Logged into my computer and my calendar was pre-loaded with recurring team meetings, manager 1x1s, and meetups scheduled for the next 30 days * There was a company-wide welcome call where all the new hires were introduced. Each of us shared our favorite childhood movie * We had an IT setup call outlining everything we needed to complete * I had a meetup with my onboarding buddy * Someone from the HR team walked us through a “culture session” * I had my first manager 1x1 Days 2-9: a series of actually delightful meetings with important C-suite execs. The most memorable of which was with our CEO. He said: "Your 1st 30 days here, you have nothing to prove. You've already proven that you should be here because we have a very rigorous interview process. So for these first 30 days, try to meet as many people as possible, try to learn as much as you possibly can about the business, and don't worry about proving anything. And so that was just like the start of the onboarding." Day 10: "Graduation” in front of the entire company where managers showered new hires with compliments and accomplishments you’ve made in the first couple of weeks. You also get an email from your direct team and quotes from each of them thanking you for something that you've helped them with. — That was more than 2 years ago. But it stuck with me because it genuinely made me feel welcomed, supported, and excited to be part of the company. What great onboarding experiences have you gone through? For more HR tips, sign up for our newsletter in the comments.