A Guide to Onboarding New Hires (For First-Time Managers)

Despite evidence that good onboarding matters, most managers and organizations don’t get it right. A recent survey found that only 52% of new hires feel satisfied with their onboarding experience, with 32% finding it confusing and 22% disorganized. A poor onboarding experience can leave employees feeling uncomfortable, confused, and dejected. It could also make your employees less engaged at work. Reports show that disengaged employees cost businesses the equivalent of 18% of their salary. Addressing these gaps is vital for first-time managers to retain their teammates and maintain productivity.

• Prepare them for the role. Start by preparing a detailed job description including any specific tasks, responsibilities, and expectations you have for your new employee within the first three months. Next, put together performance metrics that align with the job description. These metrics should be measurable, relevant, and achievable. Design a training schedule that progressively helps your new hire understand their responsibilities and achieve their goals. Finally, check in with your new employee frequently to assess their progress, address any challenges, and provide support as needed.
• Help them integrate. Fostering a sense of belonging is a critical aspect of this integration. Organize in-person or virtual activities that range from games to virtual workshops, all aimed at promoting interaction and engagement among team members. Designate a member of the team to be the go-to mentor or “buddy” for your new hire. This mentor can also provide guidance, answer questions, and offer support, making the new hire feel welcomed and valued.
• Re-onboard when necessary. As a first-time manager, it’s crucial to recognize the signs of ineffective onboarding so you can address an employee’s needs before it’s too late. Red flags include your employee underperforming or seeming disinterested and disengaged, or asking too many questions and seeming confused.

Starting a new job is like jumping into a swimming pool. A refreshing and invigorating dive can make for a memorable experience, but a belly flop can cause a lot of pain and embarrassment. Whether employees dive gracefully into a new job, or belly flop into their role, can depend on their onboarding.

Gleb Tsipursky was lauded as “Office Whisperer” and “Hybrid Expert” by The New York Times for helping leaders use hybrid work to improve retention and productivity while cutting costs. He serves as the CEO of the future-of-work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts. He wrote seven best-selling books, including Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams. His expertise comes from over 20 years of consulting for Fortune 500 companies from Aflac to Xerox, and over 15 years in academia as a behavioral scientist at UNC-Chapel Hill and Ohio State.

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