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Onboarding Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make

 

Getting onboarding wrong is expensive – and not just in the obvious ways.

Recruiting a new hire isn’t cheap. Various estimates put the cost at up to six months’ salary by the time you factor in recruitment, admin, and training. Then there’s the six months (or more) before they actually start adding value. And if they quit because they don’t feel valued? That’s time and money down the drain.

This is why getting onboarding right is crucial. The term itself has overtaken ‘induction’ in recent years – probably because it sounds more welcoming and inclusive. But changing the label doesn’t change the reality: a bad onboarding experience can leave new employees disengaged, frustrated, and already looking for the exit.

 

Think Like a New Starter

 

Starting a new job is nerve-wracking. There’s the anxiety of proving yourself, the pressure of learning the ropes, and the ever-present fear of getting things wrong. A good onboarding process isn’t just about ticking HR boxes – it’s about helping someone feel settled, confident, and genuinely wanted in their new role.

 

What Does Good Onboarding Look Like?

 

It’s not just a tour of the office, a quick hello to colleagues, and a stack of policies to read. Good onboarding gives new employees the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed. Done well, it helps them integrate into the company culture, boosts productivity, and increases the chances of them staying long-term. Done badly, it leaves them feeling lost, overwhelmed, and checking job boards within weeks.

So where do businesses go wrong?

 

Throwing Too Much at Them (or Not Enough)

 

There’s a fine line between useful information and information overload. Bombarding new hires with everything at once – without clear guidance – makes it harder for them to absorb what they actually need. The result? They feel inadequate, the company looks disorganised, and nobody benefits.

The fix? Clarity. Make expectations, goals, and resources crystal clear. Regular check-ins help too – not just in week one but over the first few months. And remember: no one is expected to learn everything on day one. A phased approach works far better.

 

Ignoring Company Culture

 

A company’s culture isn’t just words on a website – it’s what people experience day to day. Yet too many businesses fail to explain what they stand for, how they operate, and what success actually looks like beyond the job description. The result? New hires feel disconnected and struggle to fit in.

Instead, onboarding should include stories, examples, and real conversations about what it’s like to work there. Who are the key people? What behaviours are valued? What are the unwritten rules? If you don’t make this clear, don’t be surprised if new hires don’t ‘get’ the culture – or worse, feel like they don’t belong.

 

Leaving Them to Sink or Swim

 

Too often, managers are ‘too busy’ to properly onboard new staff, leaving them floundering. There’s nothing worse than feeling like an afterthought in your first week.

The fix? Structure. Give them tasks to work on, meaningful training, and a go-to person for support. Whether it’s a mentor, buddy, or just a manager who actually makes time for them, having someone to guide them through those first few weeks makes a huge difference.

 

Ignoring Their Skills and Experience

 

Onboarding isn’t just about teaching ‘the company way’ – it’s also about recognising what the new hire brings to the table. Too often, businesses box people into rigid processes instead of asking, ‘How would you approach this?’

The fix? Ask questions. What skills do they have? What do they enjoy doing? How do they learn best? Tailor onboarding to their strengths, and don’t be afraid to let them challenge the status quo. You hired them for a reason – let them contribute from day one.

 

Making a Bad First Impression

 

The first day sets the tone. Yet too many companies leave new hires in limbo with no desk, no equipment, and no clue what they’re supposed to be doing.

Want to make them feel valued? Have everything ready. IT equipment, login details, even a welcome pack – small things make a big difference. I once started a PAYE job where everything was sorted on day one – IT, phone, uniform, the lot. It made me feel invested in before I’d even started. Compare that to jobs where you spend your first week chasing basic access – the contrast is huge.

 

And my big one, not providing the right information

 

It is reckoned that the average worker spends 19% of their time (nearly a day a week) looking for information.  How much more might that be for a new starter if you don’t have the right procedures in place?

 

How to Get It Right

 

If you want to avoid these pitfalls, here’s what you should do:

• Start before day one. A welcome email, an intro to the team, even a bit of pre-reading – it all helps.
• Assign a buddy or mentor. Having a go-to person makes onboarding far less intimidating.
• Recognise their skills. If you treat onboarding as a one-way street, you’re missing out.
• Set clear expectations. Don’t leave new hires guessing what success looks like.
• Keep communication open. Regular check-ins, honest feedback, and the chance to ask questions are essential.
• Invest in training. Onboarding shouldn’t stop after the first week – it’s an ongoing process.
• Ensure your Knowledge and Information Management is up to the job. Have the right access to the information they are likely to need.
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HR’s Role in Onboarding

 

HR should be a key player in onboarding – but not in a ‘policy over people’ way. Too often, HR teams become detached from the reality of what new employees actually experience. The best HR teams work closely with managers to create onboarding plans that actually work – and they listen to feedback to improve the process.

 

Onboarding and Retention

 

Good onboarding isn’t just about making new hires feel welcome – it’s about keeping them. Employees who have a great onboarding experience are more engaged, more productive, and more likely to stick around. Bad onboarding, on the other hand, is a fast track to high turnover.

The takeaway? If you’re serious about hiring great people – and keeping them – you can’t afford to wing it. Get onboarding right, and you’ll build a stronger, more committed team. Get it wrong, and you’ll be hiring for the same role again before you know it.