"Onboarding Mistakes That Drive New Hires Away"

The first 90 days of employment are when new hires decide whether they made a good decision or a terrible mistake.

Poor onboarding is the fastest way to lose someone you worked hard to recruit.

The “Thrown in the Deep End” Approach

Some managers believe new hires should figure things out themselves. “We’ll see what they’re made of.”

What actually happens: the new person feels unsupported, makes avoidable mistakes, and concludes this isn’t a company that invests in its people.

Challenge is good. Abandonment isn’t challenge—it’s negligence.

The Missing First Day

Nothing signals “we don’t care” louder than:

No desk or equipment ready. No one sure who they should talk to. Their manager “unexpectedly unavailable.” Having to hunt for basic information like wifi passwords.

The first day sets expectations for everything that follows. Botching it starts the relationship in a deficit.

The Information Dump

The opposite extreme is equally damaging: bombarding new hires with every policy, system, and process in their first week.

Humans can’t absorb that much at once. They’ll remember almost nothing and feel overwhelmed besides.

Better: prioritise ruthlessly. What do they need to know now? What can wait two weeks? What can wait a month?

No Clear Expectations

New hires want to succeed. But they can’t succeed if they don’t know what success looks like.

Within the first week, they should understand:

What are their priorities for the first 30/60/90 days? How will their performance be evaluated? What does “good” look like in this role? Who can they ask for help?

Vague expectations create anxiety. Clear expectations create focus.

The Isolation Problem

Starting a new job is socially awkward. New hires don’t know who to eat lunch with, who to ask questions of, or how team dynamics work.

Without deliberate introduction to colleagues, new hires stay isolated longer than necessary. This slows their integration and increases early departure risk.

Simple solution: assign a buddy (not their manager) whose job is to help them navigate the social landscape.

No Early Wins

New hires need to feel they’re contributing quickly—not dumped into the deep end, but given something meaningful they can accomplish.

Early wins build confidence and demonstrate competence. Waiting months before they can point to any accomplishment creates doubt and disengagement.

What small but real project can they own in week two?

Ignoring Their Ideas

New hires see things with fresh eyes. They notice inefficiencies, oddities, and opportunities that existing employees have become blind to.

When they raise these observations and get dismissed (“that’s just how we do things”), they learn their perspective isn’t valued.

This doesn’t mean implementing every new person’s suggestions. But taking them seriously—listening, explaining context, considering whether they might be right—validates their contribution.

The Feedback Vacuum

New hires are constantly wondering: “Am I doing okay?”

Without regular check-ins, they assume the worst. Anxiety builds. Small problems that could be course-corrected become ingrained habits.

Weekly one-on-ones in the first three months are essential. Not optional. These conversations prevent small issues from becoming reasons to leave.

Getting It Right

Good onboarding isn’t complicated:

Prepare before they arrive. Have equipment, access, and a plan ready. Structure the first week. Balance information with time to absorb it. Set clear expectations early. What should they achieve and how will they know? Connect them with people. Both formally (introduction meetings) and informally (social inclusion). Provide early wins. Real work that matters and can be accomplished quickly. Check in frequently. Weekly minimum for the first 90 days. Ask for feedback. “How’s the onboarding going? What could we do better?”

The investment pays off in faster productivity, higher engagement, and longer retention. The alternative is re-recruiting the position within a year.