Companies lose billions of dollars every year because of mistakes made during onboarding. Twenty percent of new workers leave within the first 45 days, and bad onboarding is one of the main reasons why. This makes it more important than ever to grasp the problems that come with onboarding new employees. This complete book shows the worst onboarding blunders that businesses make and gives you practical ways to improve your staff integration process.

Why onboarding mistakes are more important than ever

The problems that come with onboarding new employees cost more than just being annoying. Recent studies show that it costs between 6 and 9 months of an employee’s income to hire someone new. That means that the direct and indirect costs for a $50,000 job are between $75,000 and $100,000.

Even more worrying, only 12% of employees strongly feel that their company does a great job of onboarding new hires. The stakes have never been higher, since 64% of employees are likely to quit within their first year if they have a bad onboarding experience.

Structured onboarding programs help new hires become fully productive 34% faster than companies that don’t have them. The return on investment is clear: good onboarding is not a choice; it is necessary for a firm to stay alive.

Understanding the Problems with Employee Onboarding: The Causes

Before going into detail about specific faults, it’s important to know why onboarding problems happen in all fields:

Misalignment of cultures:

Many businesses see onboarding as a box to check off on an administrative list, not as a strategic process that affects corporate culture and employee engagement.

Limited resources:

HR departments typically don’t have the money, time, or staff to make onboarding experiences that are complete, which leads to processes that are rushed or not finished.

Gaps in technology:

Companies have a hard time giving their customers the same experience over and over again, especially in remote or hybrid settings, without the right onboarding software or digital tools.

When communication breaks down:

Departments don’t work together, which puts new hires in the middle of fights between IT, HR, facilities, and their direct bosses.

One-size-fits-all way of thinking:

Companies use general onboarding templates without taking into account the distinctive demands, experience levels, or learning styles of each function.

The 17 Most Important Mistakes in Onboarding and How to Fix Them

Beginning onboarding on the first day instead of before it

The error: 64% of workers say they didn’t get any preboarding experience. Companies don’t start integrating until the first day, which causes problems and missed chances.

Why it’s bad: New hires come in unprepared, stressed out, and unsure about their choice. First impressions are made quickly, and starting with confusion is an indication of a dysfunctional organization. According to research, 43% of new hires had to wait more than a week for the tools and access they need, which wastes a lot of time that could be spent working.

The answer is to start preboarding right after signing the contract. Send a welcome box that has:

• A look at the company’s culture and principles
• Bios of team members and an organizational chart
• Schedule for the first week with clear goals
• Paperwork that needs to be done in advance
• How to set up your technology
• Parking, dress code, and other important details
• Access to a knowledge base or onboarding portal

Make a systematic timetable that goes from signing to the start date, with regular check-ins to keep people interested and answer their queries. Before day one, give each new hire a buddy to help them get to know each other.

Not giving any structure, preparation, or organization

The mistake was to treat onboarding casually, without set protocols, written instructions, or clear ownership. When new employees get there, there is no workspace ready, equipment is missing, and coworkers don’t know they’re coming.

Why it’s bad: A lack of structure shows that the company doesn’t care about the new hire or act professionally. Even in casual work settings, employees need structure to feel safe and know what is expected of them. If you don’t stay organized during onboarding, things will get messy at work later on.

The answer is to create a full 90-day onboarding plan that includes:

• Plans for the first day, week, and month in detail
• Designated workstation with all the tools ready
• Access to IT systems set up ahead of time
• Welcome message to the team
• Planned meetings with important people
• Regular check-ins on days 1, 7, 30, 60, and 90
• Clear goals and ways to measure achievement

Use project management tools or special onboarding software to keep track of progress and make sure nothing gets missed. Clearly define who is responsible for each part of the onboarding process.

Making too much information instead of helping people learn over time

The mistake is trying to shoehorn corporate history, rules, processes, benefits information, technical training, and cultural norms into the first day or week. New employees get dozens of papers, hours of presentations, and so much material that they can’t possible remember it all.

Why it’s bad: The brain can only handle a little amount of information at a time. When you have too much information to process, it might make you anxious, make you forget things, and make you less interested. When students are overburdened, studies show that retention lowers a lot. Instead of being active participants, employees become passive recipients.

The answer is to use spaced learning for the first 90 days:

Week 1: Set up your workspace, meet your immediate team, get basic access to systems, and find fast wins that are particular to your function.

Weeks 2–4: Slowly convey the company’s culture, how to engage with other team members, and your role’s duties.

Month 2: Improve your technical skills, your interactions with people from other departments, and your awareness of the big picture.

Month 3: More advanced training, defining goals, and expectations for performance

Set up a digital knowledge base that lets employees get information when they need it instead of all at once. Instead of hour-long seminars, use microlearning modules that last 5 to 10 minutes. Include review times to help students remember important ideas.

Make a full FAQ paper that answers frequent questions concerning paydays, paid time off, working from home, expense reports, and daily tasks.

Not Making Clear Goals and Expectations

The mistake is letting new employees learn what success looks like by making mistakes. Not having clear KPIs, performance criteria, and job duties might make people feel confused and anxious.

Why it’s bad: Employees work in the dark when there are no clear expectations. They don’t know what to focus on, how to judge their success, or when they’re doing well. This causes people to work on the wrong things, get frustrated, and eventually lose interest.

The answer is to work together to make a success strategy for the next 30, 60, and 90 days in the first week:

Goals over the next 30 days: Learn and integrate

• Learn how to use the most important systems and tools
• Know how your team works and how to talk to them
• Finish all of the important training courses
• Get to know the people on your team right away.

Goals over the next 60 days: Move toward contribution

• Take charge of certain initiatives or tasks
• Show that you are good at important things
• Find ways to make things better
• Learn more about other areas of work

90-day goals: Create value on your own

• Meet or go above and beyond set KPIs
• Take charge of your main duties
• Help the team reach its goals
• Show that you fit in with the culture

Write down these expectations. Check in on a frequent basis to review and make changes. Make sure the new recruit knows not only what to do, but also why it matters and how it fits into the bigger picture of the company’s goals.

Ignoring the importance of cultural integration and passing on values

The mistake was only focusing on technical training and administrative responsibilities and not on organizational values, cultural norms, and unwritten regulations. Six months later, staff still can’t explain what the company’s objective is or how choices are made.

Why it’s bad: Culture shapes behavior and keeps people around. People who don’t share the company’s values or understand what is expected of them in the culture feel like they don’t belong. They don’t pick up on social cues, break unspoken rules, and have a hard time joining established teams.

The answer is to make culture a key part of your onboarding program:

• In the first week, tell the story of how the company got started, what its mission is, and what its vision is.
• Give real-life examples of what core principles look like in action.
• Emphasize cultural norms, such as how to talk to people, how to behave in meetings, and how to make decisions.
• Set up meetings with cultural bearers and personnel who have been with the company for a long time.
• Make it possible for them to take part in cultural events like all-hands meetings, team lunches, and celebrations.
• Give a culture mentor who shows how to act the way you want them to.
• Use real-life examples to explain how values affect choices.

Don’t only provide presentations to teach people about other cultures; have discussions as well. Have new employees think about how their own values are similar to the company’s values.

Not realizing how important mentorship and peer support are

The error: thinking that new employees can figure things out on their own or that bosses are the only ones who need to help. There is no mentor, buddy system, or peer guidance structure.

Why it’s bad: New employees have hundreds of inquiries that seem too little for their boss but are very important for getting around. They waste time looking for solutions, make mistakes they could have avoided, or stop asking for help altogether if they don’t have a peer resource.

The answer is to set up a systematic mentorship program:

Choose the ideal mentors: Pick team members that are friendly and knowledgeable and who:

• Know how things work in the organization and how politics work
• Have been there for at least a year
• Show that you can be patient and talk to others.
• Instead of being told to do it, volunteer for the job.

What are the duties of a mentor?

• Check-ins every day for the first week
• Coffee talks once a week for the first month
• Be ready to answer fast queries by email or chat.
• Introduce yourself to important individuals
• Give informal advice about culture
• Share tips on how to get around the organization from the inside.

Support the mentors by giving them training, cutting down on their other duties during active mentoring periods, and formally thanking them for their help.

Think about setting up a buddy system that is distinct from the reporting relationship so that new recruits can ask “stupid questions” and get honest feedback.

Waiting to start onboarding until the official start date

The mistake was not talking or becoming involved between signing the contract and the first day. The new employee goes through a black hole of quiet for weeks or perhaps months.

Why it’s bad: Candidates are still open to counteroffers or second thoughts throughout the notice period at their last employment. Being quiet makes people anxious and regretful about their purchases. Your soon-to-be employee might never show there because competitors can come in.

The answer is to stay involved during the preboarding period:

• Within 24 hours of acceptance, send an email welcoming them
• Give the onboarding buddy right away
• Give regular updates on what to expect
• Share news about the company, articles that are important, or updates about the crew.
• Send out branded freebies to get them excited.
• Do the first paperwork online
• Give new team members the chance to have virtual coffee discussions with one other.
• Send a greeting video from the team or the boss that is personalized.

Keep in touch once a week. Before the candidate even walks in the door, make them feel important and excited.

Not paying attention to training needs that are specific to a role

The mistake was giving only general compliance training (such sexual harassment, cybersecurity, and business policies) without teaching people the skills they need for their jobs. The same training is given to both a developer and a sales rep.

Why it’s bad: 41% of workers said they would leave if their employers didn’t give them chances to learn new skills. Generic onboarding doesn’t teach people the specific skills they need to do their job well. Time to productivity is too long.

The answer is to create onboarding tracks that are tailored to each role:

Jobs that require technical skills:

• Overviews of architecture and in-depth looks into technology stacks
• Setting up the development environment and going through the code base
• Pair programming sessions with more experienced developers
• Access to technical documents and best practices

For jobs in sales:

• Product demos and putting your product in a competitive position
• Workflows for CRM training and the sales process
• Following around salespeople who are good in their jobs
• Practice your pitch with comments

For jobs that require creativity:

• Templates for brand guidelines and creative briefs
• Training on design systems and tools
• Reviews of portfolios and talks about style
• Workflows for the creative process

Make onboarding materials specific to junior, mid-level, and senior roles. A new senior recruit needs less basic training and more strategic context.

Not giving feedback or checking in regularly

The mistake is that new employees work in a vacuum and don’t get regular feedback, coaching, or talks about their performance. Managers think that no news is good news, but employees are unsure if they are reaching expectations.

Why it’s bad: Employees can’t fix mistakes, build on their strengths, or learn new abilities without feedback. Little problems can turn into big performance concerns. Workers feel like they aren’t being heard, valued, or sure.

The answer is to set up a regular schedule for feedback:

Daily check-ins (first week): short talks of 15 minutes

• “How was your day?”
• “What questions did you have?”
• “How are things going?”
• “What is hard to understand?”

One-on-one meetings per week for the first month, lasting 30 to 60 minutes each.

• Moving closer to 30-day targets
• Things that get in the way and help that is needed
• Talk about how to improve your skills
• Building relationships

Check-ins every two weeks (months 2–3):

• Feedback on how well you did on certain assignments
• Change goals if necessary
• Talks about career growth
• Assessment of integration

90-day review: A full examination of performance

• Meeting onboarding goals
• Strengths and areas for growth
• Setting goals for the next three months
• Talk about the long-term professional path

Make sure your feedback is specific, timely, and a mix of praise and helpful advice.

Not measuring how well onboarding works

The mistake: Doing the same onboarding program every year without getting feedback, collecting data, or measuring results. There are no surveys, metrics, or systematic evaluations.

Why it’s bad: You can’t make things better if you don’t measure them. You can’t see what’s working and what’s not without data. You keep making the same mistakes and missing chances to make things better.

The answer is to keep an eye on important onboarding metrics:

Quantitative measures:

• Days till a new hire achieves performance standards (time to productivity)
• Retention rates for 30, 60, and 90 days
• Retention rates for the first year
• Rates of completion for onboarding
• How long it takes to finish a training module
• Scores for manager satisfaction
• Performance ratings for new hires after 90 days

Qualitative measures:

• Surveys of new hires’ happiness at 7, 30, and 90 days
• Feedback that isn’t limited to strengths and weaknesses
• Insights from exit interviews with those who left early
• Manager feedback on the quality of onboarding help

Keep using this data to make changes. Try out various methods, see what works, and make it bigger.

Using job descriptions that aren’t clear and make people think things that aren’t true

The mistake: trying too hard to get candidates by making the job, company culture, or opportunity sound too good to be true. When new hires find out that the employment isn’t what they were promised, they go through reality shock.

Why it’s bad: When expectations aren’t met, people quickly become disillusioned and leave. People feel cheated and lose faith. What looks like a great way to hire people turns out to be a costly failure in onboarding.

The answer is to be completely honest in job descriptions and interviews:

• Clearly explain daily duties
• Give realistic timelines for progress
• Talk about the real problems the role has to deal with
• Give an honest picture of culture
• Set reasonable expectations for pay
• Recognize the parts of the business that still need work

During the interview process, provide candidates realistic job previews so they may see the actual work environment, meet possible coworkers, and understand how things usually go at work.

Make sure that recruiters and hiring managers are on the same page when it comes to message. When recruiters oversell to meet hiring goals, they typically lie.

Making Bad First Impressions Because You Didn’t Prepare

The mistake: The new hire shows there to discover no desk, no computer, and no one waiting for them. The person in charge of hiring is in meetings all day. Access to IT isn’t set up. The crew was never told about the new person.

Why it’s bad: First impressions linger a long time and are hard to change. Starting with chaos shows that you don’t know what you’re doing and don’t care. The new hire wonders if they made the proper choice and starts their job with a bad attitude.

The answer is to get ready very carefully before day one:

Checklist for getting your workspace ready:

• Assigned desk/office and clean
• Get your computer, phone, and other devices ready.
• Configured and tested all software access
• Ordered business cards (if needed)
• Stocked up on office materials
• Get your parking pass or access badge ready.
• Gift for new employees or company stuff on desk

Getting the team ready:

• Email sent to the department to announce
• Invitations to meetings on the first day of the month
• Set up a team lunch or coffee conversation
• Manager’s schedule is open for important face-to-face interaction.

IT coordination:

• Email account is active
• System permissions have been given
• Set up VPN access
• Licenses for the necessary software have been assigned

Use a pre-boarding list that has clear owners and due dates. Check to see whether it’s done 48 hours before the commencement date.

Not taking into account differences in culture, generation, and person

The mistake: Using the same onboarding process for everyone without taking into account their different backgrounds, learning styles, generations, or cultural points of view.

Why it’s bad: A 25-year-old fresh graduate and a 45-year-old executive who is moving industries have quite different demands. Not paying attention to these differences can lead to disengagement, confusion, and missed chances to customize.

The answer is to make the onboarding process more personal:

Things to think about for each generation:

• Gen Z: Focus on technology, making a difference in society, learning new things, and balancing work and life.
• Millennials: Pay attention to purpose, tools for working together, how often you get feedback, and how to grow in your job.
• Gen X: Stress independence, productivity, and how abilities can be used in real life
• Boomers: Value experience, explain why change is needed, and make sure everyone gets the training they need.

Things to think about in terms of culture:

• Give help with translation when it’s needed
• Respect the diverse ways people talk to each other (direct vs. indirect)
• Recognize holidays and cultural traditions
• Use language that includes everyone in all documents.
• Give out materials for cultural competence

Changes to how people learn:

• For visual learners: flowcharts, diagrams, films, and infographics
• Auditory learners: conversations, podcasts, and spoken instructions
• Kinesthetic learners: doing things with their hands, following someone around at work, and doing interactive exercises
• Reading and writing learners: written instructions, documentation, and chances to take notes

During the preboarding process, ask new hires about their preferences and make changes as needed.

Making onboarding a one-day or one-week event

The mistake: thinking that onboarding is over after the first week of orientation. There aren’t any planned activities for assistance, learning, or integration after the first few days.

Why it’s bad: Real integration takes months, not days. Studies indicate time and time again that long-term, thorough onboarding programs greatly boost retention and performance. After the first week, cutting support leaves staff to sink or swim.

The answer is to create a 90-day (at least) onboarding journey:

Week 1: Basics

• Getting to know the basics
• Important training
• Integration of the team right away
• Completion of administration

Weeks 2–4: Building skills

• Training for certain roles gets deeper
• Connections between more teams
• First actual work assignments
• Start of regular feedback

Months 2–3: Growth and integration

• More freedom
• Working together across departments
• Improving advanced skills
• Strengthening culture

After 90 days: ongoing growth

• Check-ins every three months during the first year
• Opportunities to keep learning
• Talks about career paths
• Mentorship changes across time

For complicated roles, some companies have onboarding last 6 to 12 months. The most important thing is to keep giving organized support long after the first week.

Not coordinating between departments

The problem is that HR, IT, facilities, and hiring managers all work in separate areas. Nobody knows what other people are doing. People neglect important milestones because they think someone else is taking care of them.

Why it’s bad: New hires are hurt by how the company works. They have to wait longer to get things, don’t have the right equipment, get conflicting information, and get angry. Lack of coordination is a hallmark of bad internal processes.

The answer is to form a cross-functional onboarding team:

• Set up a central project manager or owner for onboarding
• Use onboarding software or shared dashboards that everyone can see.
• Make sure that each department knows what it is responsible for.
• Set up standard timelines with triggers and dependencies.
• Set up automated routines that let the next responsible parties know.
• For complicated or executive hiring, hold regular meetings to coordinate.
• Make sure there are ways for problems to get worse.

Use technology to let people talk to each other. Platforms like Workday, BambooHR, or specialist onboarding applications can automatically coordinate between departments.

Too much reliance on automation without human contact

The problem is that you send out automated emails, chatbots, and digital modules all the time without any real human interaction. New employees get 15 automated messages but don’t talk to their boss in person until day 10.

Why it’s bad: Onboarding is all about getting to know people and fitting in with the culture. Automation that is pure feels cold, businesslike, and not human. Employees need meaningful connections with other people to feel respected and engaged.

The answer is to find a balance between automation and a personal touch:

Use automation for:

• Reminders for administrative tasks
• Sending out documents
• Delivery of training modules
• Keeping track of compliance
• Sharing information
• Setting up a calendar

Put human interaction first for:

• Conversations that are welcome
• Passing on culture
• Coaching and feedback
• Building relationships
• Questions and finding solutions
• Support for feelings

Make sure that new employees meet with their management in person (or by video) on their first day. Even if most of the content is sent digitally, make sure you meet in person regularly.

Don’t use automation to replace human interaction; use it to free up time for more meaningful interactions.

Assuming that onboarding will go well without help afterward

The mistake: thinking the job was done after 90 days. There is no re-onboarding for employees who show signs of being disengaged, no refresher training, and no ongoing integration help.

Why it’s bad: Even with a good onboarding program, some workers still fall between the cracks. Some people ran into problems months later. Without help after onboarding, early warning indicators are overlooked.

The answer is to set up continuing support systems:

Check-ins for the first year:

• Reviews of performance every three months
• Six-month in-depth review
• Full evaluation once a year

Triggers for re-onboarding:

• Performance drops
• Red flags in the engagement survey
• Reports of manager concerns
• Changes in roles or promotions
• Come back from a long leave

Learning all the time:

• Opportunities to improve your skills on a regular basis
• Lunch-and-learn meetings
• Changes to the mentorship program
• Options for cross-training

Resources for support:

• A information foundation that is always available
• Networks of peer assistance
• HR’s open-door policy
• Groups of employees who help each other

To keep the momentum going and show appreciation, think of having “onboarding anniversary” parties every 30, 60, and 90 days and beyond.

Problems with onboarding in remote and hybrid settings

The move to remote and hybrid work has made onboarding new employees harder in some ways that need special solutions:

Problems with Remote Onboarding

Problem 1: Getting to know each other without being in the same room. Solution: Set up virtual coffee conversations, use video for all meetings during the first month, make separate Slack channels for new hires, and plan virtual team-building events.

Challenge 2: Setting up a home office and dealing with tech problems Solution: Send equipment ahead of time, give a home office stipend, do an IT check before the first day, and set up a virtual tech support hotline

Challenge 3: Sharing corporate culture in virtual settings. Solution: Make movies of the company culture, give virtual office tours, share “day in the life” videos from different roles, and keep video use high.

Challenge 4: Feeling alone and disconnected Solution: Have more frequent check-ins, set up virtual water cooler channels, link new remote workers with engaged remote mentors, and if possible, bring new hires to the office during their first week.

Problems with Hybrid Onboarding

Problem 1: Different experiences between working in the office and working from home. Solution: Make sure everyone has the same access to information and people, no matter where they are, keep digital-first practices, and record all essential meetings.

Challenge 2: Unclear expectations about being in the office Solution: Make a clear hybrid policy, tell employees which days they must be in the office and which ones they don’t have to be, and explain why they need to be in the office.

Challenge 3: Not learning on the go. Solution: Set up scheduled shadowing time, make clear platforms for sharing knowledge, and write down “tribal” knowledge.

Using Technology to Overcome Problems with Onboarding

Modern onboarding software can help with a lot of the problems that come up when new employees start working:

Important Features of Onboarding Technology

Automating workflows:

• Assigning and keeping track of tasks automatically
• Notifications based on triggers
• Keeping track of progress
• Documents for compliance

Managing content:

• Centralized place to store knowledge
• Libraries of videos
• Modules for learning at your own speed
• Resources that can be accessed on mobile devices

Tools for communication:

• Messaging that works together
• Scheduled touchpoints
• Getting feedback
• Giving out surveys

Analytics and reporting:

• Rates of completion
• Metrics for time to productivity
• Scores of satisfaction
• Finding the bottleneck

Ability to integrate:

• Connection to HRIS
• Systems for payroll
• Systems for managing learning
• Platforms for calendars and email

BambooHR, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Greenhouse, and specific onboarding products like Enboarder, Click Boarding, and Sapling are some of the most popular ones.

Your Action Plan for Making the Best Onboarding Program

Are you ready to change the way you onboard new employees? Use this implementation roadmap:

1: Assessment (Weeks 1–2)

• Audit the present onboarding process by writing out every step, finding gaps and pain spots
• Get input from stakeholders: Talk to new hires, managers, the HR team, and the IT department.
• Look at metrics: Look at data on retention, time to productivity, and satisfaction scores.
• Find out what the greatest companies in your field do and how your competitors do it.
• Set specific KPIs for improvement to define success measures.

2: Design (Weeks 3–6)

• Make onboarding journey maps that show the best experience from the offer until 90 days later.
• Create content: Make training modules, documents, and other materials.
• Assign ownership: Make it clear who owns each part.
• Design ways to get feedback: make surveys and check-in rules
• Set up the IT infrastructure: Choose and set up onboarding software
• Make templates: Make checklists and templates that may be used again and over again.

3: Pilot (Weeks 7–10)

• Choose a pilot group: Start with one department or type of role.
• Start the new program: closely watch the revised onboarding as it happens
• Get feedback: Get detailed feedback from everyone who took part
• Find problems: Write down what works and what doesn’t
• Iterate quickly: Make changes quickly depending on what you learn

4: Scale (Weeks 11–16)

• Roll out broadly: Add more departments to the list
• Train facilitators: Make sure supervisors and mentors know what they need to do
• Keep a tight eye on things: Keep an eye on metrics and get feedback all the time.
• Celebrate wins by telling others about your successes and good results.
• Continuous improvement: Make a promise to keep making things better

5: Keep progressing (Ongoing)

• Regular reviews: Every three months, we look at how well the onboarding process is working.
• Keep things interesting: Change the materials to reflect changes in the company.
• Keep people interested: Make sure stakeholders care about quality.
• Measure ROI: Link improvements to the onboarding process to business results
• Stay up to date: Change with the times and meet the needs of your employees.

Why fixing onboarding mistakes is good for business

Putting money into improving onboarding pays off in a big way:

Better retention: Companies with good onboarding report an 82% increase in retention. Better onboarding might save a company with 100 employees and a 20% annual turnover $750,000 or more each year.

Gains in productivity: New hires become productive 34% faster, which means thousands of extra hours of work. For jobs worth $100,000 a year, each new recruit adds more than $34,000 in value.

Benefits of engagement: Employees that are very engaged are 87% less likely to quit. Onboarding is the first step to engagement.

Improving the employer brand: Good onboarding experiences lead to recommendations and good evaluations, which lowers the cost of hiring new people in the future.

Less work for managers: Streamlined onboarding lets managers focus on strategic tasks instead of putting out fires with new hire problems.

In conclusion

To avoid these 17 important onboarding blunders, you need to be intentional, invest, and stay committed. Companies who do a great job of onboarding see it not as a chore but as a way to get ahead of the competition.

Every onboarding problem is a chance to get better. You can turn new hire integration from a cost center into a value driver by putting in place established processes, measuring results, getting feedback, and making changes all the time.

Begin with the blunders that are creating the greatest trouble in your company. Make small changes that add up. Check the findings. Celebrate your progress. Your onboarding program will become a great tool for keeping employees, making them more productive, and getting them involved over time.

The question isn’t whether you can afford to rectify your onboarding blunders; it’s whether you can afford not to. For many companies, the typical cost of turnover is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Every improvement pays for itself several times over.

Start today. Look over your present onboarding process, find the greatest holes, and promise to fix them in a planned way. Your future workers and your bottom line will be happy.

Common Questions About Mistakes Made During Onboarding

What are the most typical mistakes people make when they start a new job?

The most common mistakes when onboarding new employees are starting too late (on day one instead of during preboarding), not having any structure or organization, giving new hires too much information, not making expectations clear, not integrating new hires into the culture, not assigning mentors, and treating onboarding as a one-day event instead of a 90-day journey.

How long should the onboarding process for new employees take?

Onboarding should continue at least 90 days, but many companies extend it to 6 to 12 months for tasks that are more complicated. The first week is all about the basics, the next two to four weeks are all about building skills, the next two to three months are all about integration and growth, and the rest of the time is all about ongoing development and support.

How much does bad onboarding cost?

Companies lose billions of dollars in turnover and productivity when they don’t do a good job of onboarding new employees. It costs 6 to 9 months of an employee’s pay to replace them. That’s between $75,000 and $100,000 for a job that pays $50,000. Also, when onboarding is not done well, 20% of new recruits depart within 45 days, which adds to these expenditures across the whole company.

How might remote onboarding be made better?

Shipping equipment before the start date, scheduling regular video check-ins, assigning engaged remote mentors, creating virtual socialization opportunities, bringing new hires to the office during their first week if possible, keeping digital-first processes, and increasing communication frequency to fight isolation are all ways to make remote onboarding better.

What should you keep track of to see how well onboarding is working?

Key onboarding indicators are time to productivity, retention rates after 30, 60, and 90 days, retention rates after the first year, completion rates for onboarding, satisfaction scores for new hires (at 7, 30, and 90 days), satisfaction ratings for managers, completion times for training, and performance ratings after 90 days.

Why do people who just started working depart within the first 90 days?

Most new hires leave within 90 days because of bad onboarding experiences, such as not knowing what to expect, not getting enough support, not fitting in with the culture, feeling unappreciated, not getting enough training, being given too much information, and the position not being what was promised during recruitment.

What should managers do to help new employees get started?

Managers should be involved in onboarding by being there and available on the first day, checking in regularly, giving specific feedback, working with new employees to create success plans, introducing them to important people, answering questions, and acting as a cultural guide while balancing support with appropriate challenges.

How can the onboarding process be different for each employee?

You can make onboarding more customized by taking into account things like age, culture, learning style, level of experience, and job needs. This includes giving knowledge in different media (visual, aural, and kinesthetic), changing the pace based on what the learner has done before, following cultural norms, and making training tracks that are particular to each position.

What technology do you need for contemporary onboarding?

HRIS/onboarding platforms (BambooHR, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors), learning management systems, video conferencing tools, knowledge bases, survey platforms, workflow automation software, communication tools (Slack, Teams), and analytics dashboards for tracking metrics are all important onboarding technologies.

How can small businesses with less resources make onboarding better?

Small businesses can make onboarding better by making simple checklists and templates, assigning peer mentors from within the team, using free or low-cost tools like Google Workspace, Trello, and Zoom, focusing on high-impact activities like manager check-ins and cultural integration, documenting processes as they grow, and treating each new hire as a chance to improve the process.