6 Onboarding Secrets to Boost Retention From Day One

Let’s be real: onboarding is one of the most overlooked (and underrated) parts of building a high-performing team.

You put in all this time finding the right person. The interviews, the offer, the excitement of a “yes.” And then what? A generic welcome email, a rushed IT setup, and a checklist of forms to fill out? That’s not onboarding - that’s admin. 

The reality is, most people decide in the first few weeks if they are going to stay long-term or keep one foot out the door. In fact, studies show that nearly 1 in 5 employees leave within the first 45 days. And it’s not usually about pay or performance - it’s about how they felt walking in on Day One. 

Because the first few days on a new team are about building confidence, clarity, and connection within the team and within the company. But many companies focus more on learning new systems and getting them to work than focusing on someone’s ability to succeed. 

Here’s the best part: you don’t need a massive HR budget or a fancy tech set-up to create a wow-worthy onboarding experience. You just need a few high-impact strategies that focus on what really matters. 

In this post, I’m sharing 6 onboarding secrets that will help you boost retention from day one and make a new hire feel like they made the right choice in joining your company. 

Secret 1: Pre-Board for Momentum

Hiring does not end with a signed offer. If you wait until Day One to start onboarding, you are already behind.

That awkward silence between “you’re hired” and “welcome to the team” is where anxiety creeps in - and momentum stalls. Pre-boarding is your opportunity to build trust, excitement, and clarity before the first login or office tour even happens. 

What is Pre-boarding? 

Pre-boarding is everything that happens after the offer is accepted but before the first official day. When you nail this strategic part of the process, you:

• Eliminate the “Did they forget about me?” feeling

• Give your new hire something to look forward to

• Reduce first-day jitters by answering the unspoken questions

It’s the difference between a new hire showing up feeling like a stranger.. Versus showing up already feeling part of the team.

How to Do It Right (Step-by-Step)

1. Send a Personal, Timely Welcome Message

Within 24 hours of the offer being accepted, send a warm email that’s actually human.

From: Hiring Manager or team lead

Tone: Friendly, excited, not stiff

Content: 

• “We’re thrilled you are joining us!”

• “Here’s what to expect between now and your first day”

• Contact info in case they have questions

Pro Tip: Include a short welcome video recorded on Zoom or on your iphone - something simple and face-to-camera. It instantly humanizes your team and builds rapport before they even start. 

2. Create a “Before You Start” Onboarding Kit

Make it easy for them to prepare - without overwhelming them. 

What to include:

• First-day agenda with timings, meeting links, and names

• IT setup instructions (with links, if remote)

• What to wear (especially if it’s a hybrid or unique work environment)

• FAQ-style breakdown of tools/platforms they will be using

• Bios of key team members or org chart

Even a simple PDF page goes a long way here. 

3. Get the Equipment & Tech Ready Early

It sounds basic, but there’s nothing worse than spending Day One chasing logins or waiting for a laptop. 

If remote: ship equipment at least 3-5 days in advance, with tracking

If on-site: confirm devices are set up, pre-loaded, and tested

Include clear login instructions, links to tools (Slack, Teams, email, internal systems), and who to call if something goes sideways. 

4. Introduce the Team Before Day One

This doesn’t need to be a big production. Try:

• A group Slack message or email thread with casual intros

• A shared “Get to Know Us” doc or video of team members answering fun questions

• A buddy pairing or a coffee chat invite for the week before they start

This helps them walk in knowing names and faces - not just roles and titles.

5. Keep the Momentum Going

Between the time the offer is signed and the first day, check in once or twice. Not with heavy updates - just touchpoints. 

Suggested cadence:

• One message right after signing

• One message 2-3 days before start day confirming logistics

• Optional: fun pre-start surprise (like a welcome package or handwritten card)

Even just sending a “We’re counting down the days!” message helps the new hire feel remembered and valued. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

🚫 Waiting until Day One to send anything

🚫 Making it all about admin

🚫 Forgetting the human part of the transition

🚫 Dumping all materials at once with no context

Bottom Line

Pre-boarding is game changing for your onboarding process. 

When you take the time to engage new hires before Day One, you reduce friction, build loyalty, and set them up to succeed faster. You are not just preparing them for a job; you are welcoming them into a team - and that distinction matters more than ever. 

Secret 2: Create a Branded, Purpose-Driven First Day

First impressions matter - but in onboarding, they last. If Day One feels disorganized, generic, or disconnected from your company’s purpose, you have already started to lose them. 

The best Day One experiences are focused on setting them up to succeed in their role and more importantly, to connect with the team. They introduce your new hire not just to what you do, but why you do it, how you show up as a team, and what kind of culture they’ve stepped into. 

In short: Day One should feel like walking into your brand, not just your office. 

How to Make Day One Intentional & Memorable

1. Start with Energy (Not Paperwork)

There’s nothing more deflating than showing up excited for your first day and being handed a stack of forms or sent a 27-link onboarding portal.

Yes, admin matters. But front-load the energy - not the HR checklist.

Kickoff Ideas:

• A personal welcome call or video message from their manager

• A “Good Morning & Welcome!” team huddle or coffee chat

• A short kickoff video that shares the company’s origin story or founder’s mission. 

Make your first interaction about people and not about policy.

2. Set the Cultural Tone Early

The best onboarding experiences are branded both emotionally and culturally as well as visually. Ask yourself: How do we want people to feel by the end of their first day?

Then reverse-engineer the agenda to match that feeling.

Here’s what that can look like:

If your culture is high-performance: 

Start with a story from leadership about how your company wins, what excellence looks like, and how the  new hire will contribute to that.

If your culture is values-driven:

Host a “Living Our Values” discussion with real stories from current team members (not just posters on a wall). Invite a few people to share moments where your values came to life in action.

If your culture is people-first and warm:

Start the day with a team breakfast or “coffee & chat” welcome circle. Invite people to share fun facts or offer advice they wish they knew on their first day. 

Make this more than just a huge production. Make it meaningful and on-brand.

3. Share the “Why” Behind the Work

Even if your business is complex, your purpose shouldn’t be. 

New hires should walk away from Day One knowing:

• Why the company exists

• What you’re building toward

• Who your customers are (and why they matter)

• How their role connects to the bigger picture

Pro Tip: Create a “Welcome to the Mission” deck or short doc that walks through the origin story, customer impact, company goals, and key wins. Make it more human than corporate. 

Bonus points if you invite a long-term team member or executive to walk them through it live.

4. Keep It Light, Organized, and Human

Don’t cram the day. People are nervous, absorbing tons of info, and likely a little tired by lunch. 

Tips to make the agenda flow:

• Keep training modules short (30 mins max)

• Break up sessions with personal intros, breaks, or walks (if in-person)

• Leave space for unstructured time to process, reflect, and ask questions

• Give a printed or digital Day One itinerary so they are not guessing what’s next

And always warp the day with a personal 1:1 with their manager to check in on how they’re feeling. 

Optional Rituals That Make it Special 

Rituals create emotional stickiness. They don’t need to be fancy - just consistent and meaningful.

Ideas:

• First-day team shoutout in Slack or at a huddle

• “Welcome Wall” with their name/photo/message from team

• “First day photo” with a sign, company shirt, or welcome gift

• Personalized welcome card on their desk or in their inbox

• Founder or CEO story time over lunch (in-person or Zoom)

It’s those tiny moments that signal: You matter here. We’re glad you are here. Let’s do great work together. 

Bottom Line

You only get one Day One. Don’t waste it on disconnected tasks or cold logistics. 

Instead, treat it like a brand launch. Make it clear, human, and aligned with the heartbeat of your company. If you do it right, your new hire will walk away thinking, “I picked the right place.”

Secret 3: Personalize the Experience

The truth is that cookie-cutter onboarding does not cut it anymore. 

New hires want to feel seen, not just welcomed. They want to know that they matter as individuals and not feel like numbers on a spreadsheet.

When you personalize onboarding, you accelerate connection, performance, and loyalty. Why? Because you are meeting people where they are and not forcing them into a one-size-fits-all ramp-up model that may not reflect how they learn, build trust, or succeed. 

Let’s break down how to bring personalization into your onboarding process in a smart, scalable way. 

1. Use Personality & Workstyle Tools to Understand How They Tick

Before Day One, send a simple intro survey or workstyle assessment to get a sense of your new hire’s preferences. This does not have to be overly formal, just 5-10 questions max. 

Sample Questions:

• How do you like to receive feedback?

• What energizes you at work?

• Do you prefer learning by doing, reading, or shadowing? 

• Are you more introverted or extroverted?

• What is your preferred communication style (email, Teams, 1:1s, text)?

• Anything you’d love your manager or team to know about how you work best? 

If your company uses a tool like Predictive Index, CliftonStrengths, or Kolbe, now is the time to incorporate it. These tools are great for unlocking details about how someone thinks, leads, problem-solves, and collaborates. 

Pro Tip: Add personality snapshots to internal “Hello Cards” or team bios so colleagues know how to best communicate and collaborate from day one. 

2. Tailor Training to Their Strengths & Starting Point

Not everyone needs the same onboarding modules. Some new hires may need a deep dive into systems; others may just need logins and a few practice runs. Some might crave lots of structured guidance, while others prefer to jump in and ask questions as they go. 

What this looks like in practice:

• Sales hire with industry experience? Skip the intro-to-sales 101 module.

• Marketing hire who is visual? Use look videos, whiteboards, or diagrams. 

• Ops hire who is hand-on? Give them sandbox tasks early to build muscle memory. 

Don’t overwhelm them with what they already know - focus on building momentum by teaching what matters most to them first. 

3. Match Them With the Right Mentor or Buddy

Mentor pairings can make or break the onboarding experience. A great mentor or buddy is not only a great culture ambassador but also someone who helps your new hire understand how to work here, not just what to do. 

How to choose a good match:

• Personality & communication style fit (introvert with introvert? High-energy with high-energy?)

• Similar team or function, but not necessarily the same manager

• Someone who embodies your values and has the patience to support  

Set expectations: buddies are not responsible for their training, they’re just there to answer questions, offer insights, and make space for the “stuff no one writes down.”

Encourage weekly touchpoints for the first 4-6 weeks, even if just for 15-30 minutes. 

4. Recognize Learning Styles Early

People absorb information differently. Some want visuals, others need checklists. Some want to know the why behind every step; others want to get their hands dirty and figure it out.

Offer options when you can:

• Training videos and live walk-throughs

• Written SOPS and real-time demos

• Shadowing sessions and self-guided tasks

Encourage managers to ask:

“What is your preferred way to learn something news?”

and then adapt accordingly. It shows you are paying attention - and that alone builds trust.

Bonus: Personalize the Little Touches

These are not make or break.. but they are memorable. 

Thoughtful extras:

• A welcome message that references their background or why they were hired

• A favourite snack or treat at their desk (if you know it!)

• A playlist of team-favourite songs to get pumped for the week

• A “Welcome to [Your Company Name]” card signed by the team with notes of advice, encouragement, or inside jokes. 

It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to be them.

Bottom Line

Personalization is about doing the right things with intention. 

When you treat people like individuals instead of transactions, they respond with loyalty, trust, and a willingness to contribute faster and more fully. A personalized onboarding experience tells your new hire, “We don’t just want you to fit in - we want you to thrive.”

Secret 4: Building Connection Early and Often

No matter how confident or experienced someone is, starting a new job can feel like the first day of school. New faces. New tools. New norms. And a silent, underlying fear: “Will I fit in?”

Connection is the antidote.

The faster you help a new hire build real human relationships, the faster they will feel like a valued part of the team. 

And here’s the good news: You do not need fancy onboarding software or a huge People team to make it happen. You just need intention, structure, and a few meaningful touchpoints early on. 

1. Assign a Buddy (and Make It Count)

A strong onboarding buddy is literally one of your strongest retention power tools. It gives your new hire a work friend who they can go to to answer the real questions:

• “What’s the unspoken rule about meetings here?”

• “Do I need to CC everyone or just my manager?”

• “Is it normal for Slack to go quiet after 4pm?”

How to make the buddy system effective:

• Assign someone before Day One and make a warm intro in the welcome email.

• Choose buddies who are enthusiastic, patient, and naturally supportive - not just the most senior.

• Give them a simple framework: check in twice a week for the first month, share helpful “insider” tips, and be available for quick chats or walkthroughs if needed. 

Pro Tip: Add a light structure - like a buddy checklist or suggested talking points - so both sides know how to make the most of the relationship. 

2. Schedule Strategic 1:1s Within the First Week

Don’t wait weeks to introduce your new hire to key people. Create early facetime with teammates, cross-functional partners, and leadership. 

Suggested stakeholder meetings:

• Direct manager (of course - multiple times!)

• Peers on their immediate team

• Cross-functional partners they will regularly collaborate with

• A skip-level leader for visibility and welcome

These don’t need to be hour-long deep dives. Even 20-30 minutes can create early rapport and context. 

Send out a lightweight 1:1 schedule in advance so your new hire walks in feeling prepared, or add them to the Onboarding schedule. 

3. Build Casual Touchpoints That Foster Real Human Connection

Some of the most meaningful connections happen outside of formal meetings. When you intentionally build in moments for casual conversation and shared experiences, you help new hires feel like they’re part of the team. 

Here are a few ways to create space for genuine interaction:

• Host a “Getting to Know You” coffee chat with the team - keep it relaxed and friendly, and let everyone share something fun about themselves. 

• Set up a Welcome Channel in Slack or Teams where teammates can post greetings, fun facts, or personal intro videos. 

• Offer a recurring “Ask Me Anything” drop-in during the first month. It gives new hires a no-pressure space to ask questions they might not feel comfortable raising in a group setting. 

When you create room for small, human moments, you build trust, ease, and a stronger sense of belonging - all critical for long-term retention. 

4. Celebrate Micro-Moments That Build Culture

Culture shines through in everyday interactions - the small, intentional gestures that help people feel included, supported, and part of something bigger. 

A teammate inviting a new hire to lunch. 

A manager checking in after their first meeting.

A buddy who walks them through how to navigate a difficult conversation.

Here are a few simple ways to weave culture into the new hires experience:

• Celebrate small wins in their first week (“First task complete!”)

• Share a quick story about a company value in action.

• End the week with a team shoutout or GIF-off.

These tiny moments create lasting impressions. They tell your new hire: “You belong here.”

Bottom Line

Great onboarding is about making people feel like they are part of something bigger than just their job description. 

By building connection early and often, you:

• Reduce first-week anxiety

• Speed up trust and collaboration

• Create loyalty that lasts long beyond the honeymoon phase

Remember: people don’t leave companies - they leave when they don’t feel connected. Make sure that never happens on your watch. 

Secret 5: Provide Clear Expectations & Goals

Few things create early confidence like knowing exactly what success looks like.

When a new hire starts a role, they are not just wondering what to do - they are wondering if they are doing it right. Without clear benchmarks, even your most capable hires will waste energy second-guessing themselves. 

On the flip side, when expectations are transparent, measurable, and connected to purpose, new hires shift from surviving to thriving - and fast. 

All you need to do when setting expectations is provide clarity, context, and consistency. 

1. Set the Foundation with a 30/60/90 - Day Plan

A strong 30/60/90 plan helps your new hire anchor their first few months in clarity and confidence. It’s a game plan for learning, doing, and growing. 

What to include:

• 30 Days: Understand core tools, shadow meetings, build key relationships

• 60 Days: Own small projects, contribute to team discussions, share insights

• 90 Days: Drive initiatives, make improvements, and reflect on learnings

Pro Tip: Take a moment to walk them through the plan inviting input, comments and questions. Make adjustments depending on their background, and co-create a timeline that feels achievable. 

2. Define What “Great” Looks Like

Generic expectations like “get up to speed” or “take initiative” aren’t helpful. People need clarity. They want to know:

• What does “great performance” actually mean here?

• How will I be evaluated?

• What should I prioritize?

Examples of tangible goals:

• “Draft and deliver your first client recap email by Week 2”

• “Present 3 learnings from customer support shadowing by Day 30”

• “Launch your first internal project by Week 6, with feedback from your mentor”

Pro Tip: Set expectations around impact. Frame goals in terms of how they move the needle for the team or business. This helps new hires connect their role to a bigger purpose and make smarter, more confident decisions from the start. 

3. Connect the Dots Between Daily Tasks and Company Goals

It’s one thing to know what to do - it’s another to understand why it matters. 

When new hires see how their work ladders up to bigger business goals, they feel purpose-driven from Day One. That sense of meaning fuels engagement, ownership, and pride. 

Try saying:

“This report helps us forecast better so our inventory stays lean.”

“Your customer notes improve our Net Promoter Score, which drives growth.”

“That fix saves our engineering team 4 hours a week. You just created leverage.”

Pro Tip: Encourage managers to share real stories where small tasks led to big results. Make the impact visible and personal.

4. Make Check-Ins Strategic, Not Just Social

Don’t wait for your first formal review to talk about performance. Use weekly 1:1s to revisit the 30/60/90 plan, check progress, and adjust expectations.

Try these questions:

• “What is feeling clear vs. murky so far?”

• “Where do you want more ownership?”

• “What blockers can I help remove?”

Bonus: Celebrate early wins out loud. Recognize moments of progress - not just finished results.

Bottom Line

High-performing teams are built on aligned expectations, consistent feedback, and shared goals. 

By giving new hires a clear roadmap:

• You reduce ambiguity

• You build confidence from Day One

• You accelerate productivity with purpose

Clarity is what leadership is all about. Set your people up to win, and they will.

Secret 6: Collect Feedback and Iterate Fast

You wouldn’t launch a product without user testing - so why launch an onboarding experience without asking the “user” how it’s going?

Most companies treat onboarding as a one-and-done checklist. But the best companies treat it like a product: they build it, test it, learn from it, and continuously improve it.

New hires are your most valuable source of insight into what is working - and what is failing. Why? Because they are seeing everything with fresh eyes. What feels intuitive to you might be confusing to them. What feels welcoming to you might feel overwhelming for them. 

When you create intentional feedback loops in onboarding, you send two powerful messages:

1. Your opinion matters.

2. We’re building this experience for humans

1. Ask Early, Ask Often

Don’t wait until the 90-day review to ask how onboarding went. By then, it’s too late to course-correct. Instead, check in while it’s happening. 

Tactics for real-time insight:

• End of Week 1: Send a short pulse survey (5-7 questions) asking how supported they feel, what was clear/confusing, and what they wish had gone differently. 

• End of Month 1: Follow up with a deeper reflection - what’s been most helpful? What gaps are they noticing?

• Manager Check-Ins: Encourage direct managers to ask feedback questions live:

  • “What’s been most surprising so far?”

  • “Is there anything you still feel unclear about?”

Keep it short, low-lift, and comfortable to answer. Use anonymous forms or open DMs depending on your teams’ comfort level.

2. Actually Do Something With It

Feedback is only powerful if you act on it - and tell people you did.

How to close the loop:

• Update a confusing process? Let the next new hire know, “Thanks to recent feedback, we’ve improved this.”

• Reframe your onboarding deck? Give credit (even privately) to the person whose insights sparked it.

• Adjust buddy pairings or Slack etiquette tips? Share the “why” in a quick team notes. 

Pro Tip: Track themes over time. If multiple new hires mention the same pain point, it’s a signal to make a change. 

3. Create a Living Onboarding System

Onboarding should be a living experience, one that grows with your company and evolves with every new person who joins. The best onboarding programs are responsive and shift based on what your team needs today, not just what worked a year ago. That’s why feedback is such a great tool for continuously improving the process. 

Consider:

• Quarterly reviews of onboarding materials and flow

• A rotating “onboarding improvement” squad (especially useful in fast-growing teams)

• Building onboarding into your company’s continuous improvement rituals 

Bottom Line

Progress over perfection. When you treat onboarding like a feedback-driven product, you create an experience that gets sharper, clearer, and more human with every new hire. 

And most importantly? You make your new people feel hard right from the start. 

Final Thought

Onboarding is your company’s first, best chance to lead. Done well, it sets the tone for everything that follows. From how someone feels walking in on Day One to how confident they are by Week Four, onboarding shapes their belief in your culture, your leadership, and their future with you. 

Now’s the time to audit your onboarding program. What’s working? What feels flat? What can be reimagined or elevated this quarter to make your new hires feel excited, supported, and set up for success?

Because first impressions matter, especially in today’s talent landscape where people have more choice, more mobility, and higher expectations. Make your first impression count.