What Not to Do: 5 Onboarding Fumbles That Cost You Talent
Onboarding isn’t just a box to check — it’s a make-or-break moment for employee retention. In fact, a solid onboarding process can boost retention...
Onboarding isn’t just a box to check — it’s a make-or-break moment for employee retention. In fact, a solid onboarding process can boost retention by a whopping 82%. But to nail it, you’ve got to know what not to do. We went straight to the source, surveying employees to uncover their most cringeworthy onboarding experiences. The result? A hall-of-fame list of onboarding red flags and facepalm-worthy fumbles you’ll definitely want to avoid. Let’s get into it. 1. Nothing. At. All. We would’ve left this blank to make a statement if it didn’t look like we just forgot to finish the blog. If you’re reading this, you’re probably an HR leader, executive, or front-line manager who cares. You would be astounded at how many employees report the inexistence of onboarding at their companies. No onboarding box. No training. Nothing. Some companies don’t even try. One of our own employees said, “I don't mind hitting the ground running, but there wasn't any setup involved at my last job…just straight to work. I didn't even know about potential for onboarding until starting here.” 2. Lack of direction A common problem employees reported was a lack of direction. People talked about not knowing where to go, who was on what team, and even which manager to report to. One person said, “I met my teammate and sat with them for minimal training. I was pretty much left on my own to figure it out.” Doing the bare minimum is not much better than doing nothing at all. Leaving employees to sink or swim doesn’t set them up for success. 3. “Wait, you start today?” Another surprising one, we know. Sometimes no one remembers the new hire’s scheduled start date. We’ve heard about employees standing outside the door and not being let in. In one case in our survey, a food service employee mentioned being sent home on their first day of training when the company did not have the proper uniform ready for them. Whether it’s forgetting entirely or not having everything properly planned out, being ill-prepared for a first day leaves a bad first impression. 4. No lunch It may not sound like a big deal, but employees voiced their disappointment in not getting lunch on their first day. It has become quite a common practice to take a new hire out to lunch on day one. Lunch gives a warm welcome and combats the loneliness that comes with starting at a new place with strangers. Even if it’s just manager and employee, it’s great to get to know the employee. 5. Cheap items Everyone loves free stuff… but no one’s here for cheap, throwaway swag. Kicking off preboarding or onboarding with flimsy gifts that break by day two? Not exactly the vibe. If a company won’t spend a few extra bucks to make employees feel genuinely welcomed, what does that say about their future investment in them? Let’s not leave new hires questioning their life choices before they’ve even logged in. Since the thought of a branded umbrella snapping in the first gust of wind gives us actual nightmares, we couldn’t resist sharing a few kit ideas to help you shine. Consider it our little gift to your future rockstars — and to your own peace of mind.
