Did you know that employees are 58% more likely to stay with a company for three years if they have a structured onboarding experience?
But in reality, only 43% of employees have an onboarding experience that consists of more than one day of orientation and a packet of information on benefits. For a new hire, that can be incredibly frustrating, demoralizing, and disorienting, a combination that can result in early turnover that hits budgets and team morale.
Knowing that, what steps can employers take to make it easier for new hires to hit the ground running—and stick around for the long haul? The good news is that effective onboarding does not have to be complicated or rigid. With the right structure and a human touch, your onboarding process for new employees can become a real advantage for your business. And as staffing experts, we’ve seen which practical onboarding best practices help new hires feel confident, connected, and productive faster. Think of this as your roadmap for new hire onboarding that supports your people and your business goals at the same time.
Why your onboarding process matters more than you think
First impressions carry a lot of weight. The first few days and weeks on the job shape how new employees see your company, their manager, and their future with you. A thoughtful employee onboarding process helps people feel welcome and prepared, while a disorganized one can leave them second-guessing their decision to join.
From a business standpoint, effective onboarding supports retention, productivity, and engagement. When employees understand their role and expectations early, they reach productivity sooner and make fewer mistakes along the way. Over time, that translates into lower turnover and stronger team performance. But on the flip side, common onboarding mistakes to avoid include unclear job expectations, lack of training, and treating onboarding as a one-day paperwork event. Many new hires remember feeling overwhelmed, underprepared, or unsure who to ask for help during their first week. Those feelings can linger if they are not addressed early, ultimately leading to resentment that grows over time.
Fortunately, tangible onboarding process improvement often comes down to a few focused changes. You do not need an elaborate program to create a successful onboarding program, just a clear plan and consistent follow-through.
Set crystal-clear expectations from day one
Clear expectations anchor the entire employee onboarding process. When onboarding new employees, leaving room for uncertainty ambiguity often results in employees who exhibit hesitation, second-guessing, or unnecessary mistakes. A strong start replaces that uncertainty with confidence.
What "clear expectations" actually means
Imagine a new operations coordinator starting on Monday. Instead of being told to “get familiar with the role,” their manager walks through the top three priorities for the first month, explains what a good week looks like, and shows how their work supports the broader team. That kind of clarity helps new hire onboarding feel purposeful from the start.
Clear expectations can also include reviewing role responsibilities, short-term priorities, and how success will be measured. Performance metrics, quality standards, and timelines should be discussed openly. Communication norms matter just as much, like whether questions are encouraged in real time or saved for check-ins, and which tools the team relies on most.
Company culture fits naturally into this conversation. For example, if collaboration is a core value, explain how that plays out during busy weeks or tight deadlines. These concrete examples support effective onboarding and help new hires understand how to operate day to day.
Mapping out the first day and first week
New employee orientation works best when people know exactly what to expect. Picture a first day that starts with a welcome, includes scheduled training blocks, and leaves space for informal getting-to-know-you chats with their new teammates. This type of structured approach helps to reduce first-day nerves and get new hires excited about the onboarding process.
Beyond the first day, many employers use a simple schedule that blends learning with light hands-on work for the first week. For example, a customer service hire might spend mornings reviewing the systems they’ll be using and afternoons shadowing calls run by others. Scheduling those first weeks out with a written onboarding timeline gives new hires something to reference, supporting onboarding process improvement and preventing information overload.
Define what success looks like early and often
Consider a marketing specialist joining a growing team. Instead of vague expectations, their manager outlines specific goals for the first 30, 60, and 90 days, such as completing campaign training, owning a small project, and presenting some key performance insights. These milestones give shape to the onboarding strategy and help the employee track progress.
Clear goals also make it easier for you to give feedback as the employer. When expectations are written down, conversations feel collaborative rather than corrective. This approach strengthens effective onboarding and builds trust early.
Keep the conversation going
Regular check-ins bring these goals to life. A short weekly meeting gives space to answer questions, adjust priorities, and celebrate wins. Early wins matter. Finishing a first project or handling a task independently reinforces confidence and momentum. These ongoing conversations help managers and employees stay aligned throughout the employee onboarding process and reduce misunderstandings later on.
Assign a mentor or buddy to support real connection
A buddy can make onboarding new employees feel less intimidating and more human. If you were a new warehouse associate starting during a busy season, you might quickly become overwhelmed. But having a buddy who explains unwritten rules, points out shortcuts, and checks in during breaks helps that employee settle in faster. These are real new hire buddy program benefits that formal training alone rarely delivers.
How to structure the buddy relationship
Strong buddy programs start with intention, and they should be distinct from the manager-employee relationship. Introduce the buddy on day one and explain their role clearly. For example, buddies can help with day-to-day questions, walk through routines, and make introductions, while managers focus on performance and development.
Many companies encourage buddies to schedule daily check-ins during the first week, then weekly touchpoints for the next month. This structure supports onboarding best practices without adding unnecessary complexity. Then, as the new hire gains confidence, the relationship can naturally taper off.
Equip new hires with the tools they need to do their job
Preparation sends a message before a single word is spoken. If a new employee arrives to find their laptop ready, system access active, and workspace set up, that shows them that they’re valuable and that their new employer is a supportive, caring one. Compare that to a new hire spending their first two days (or weeks…or months…) waiting for logins. The difference from an employee’s perspective is immediate and memorable.
All technology, equipment, and access should be arranged before the employee’s first day, as part of your company’s onboarding process. Training materials, templates, and role-specific documentation should be gathered together somewhere easy to find, ideally in a central location. This setup supports effective onboarding and reduces frustration.
Creating a comprehensive onboarding checklist
Making a designated onboarding checklist helps teams stay aligned and keeps any new hire from falling through the cracks. Your checklist might include IT setup, safety training, policy reviews, and introductions. Many employers refine these lists over time by asking new hires what they found helpful or confusing. That feedback loop supports onboarding process improvement and helps answer common questions like what should be included in employee onboarding and how long should employee onboarding take.
Make onboarding engaging and human
We’ve seen that when onboarding feels welcoming and human, retention tends to follow. And surprisingly, small gestures often carry the most weight. A simple welcome package or a piece of company swag gives new hires something to smile about. A team lunch, coffee break, or casual welcome event creates space for real conversation instead of awkward small talk in the hallway. Even a short, personal note from leadership can go a long way. It signals that the new hire is not just a name on a roster.
Office tours offer another easy win. Instead of pointing out only exits and restrooms, use the time to share stories. This is where the team gathers on busy days. This is the whiteboard where ideas turn into projects. These moments help new employees understand the culture they are stepping into, not just the building layout.
Structure still matters, but personality makes it memorable. (After all, no one shows up on day one hoping for eight straight hours of paperwork and a slide deck that never seems to end.) Interactive discussions, hands-on examples, and real scenarios tend to land better than a marathon of slides. Most people learn faster when they are part of the conversation rather than watching it unfold on a screen.
Measure what works and keep refining your approach
Even the most thoughtful onboarding process benefits from a regular check-in. New hire surveys at 30, 60, and 90 days offer honest insight while experiences are still fresh. Time-to-productivity metrics show how quickly people are finding their footing. Early retention numbers add another layer, highlighting whether new hires are sticking around once the initial excitement fades.
Managers play a role here too. Their feedback often reveals where new employees get stuck or where the process feels clunky. Periodic reviews of the onboarding process help catch small issues before they turn into bigger problems.
Think of this step as routine maintenance rather than a full overhaul. A few thoughtful tweaks over time can keep onboarding feeling current, supportive, and genuinely helpful.
Onboarding is an investment that pays off
A thoughtful employee onboarding process helps people feel prepared, supported, and confident. It strengthens retention, accelerates productivity, and sets the tone for long-term success. When onboarding new employees is done well, it benefits everyone involved.
At Spherion, we understand that hiring and onboarding go hand in hand. If you need help finding candidates who are ready to thrive in your onboarding process, let’s talk about your hiring needs at spherion.com/employers.