5 onboarding mistakes and how to avoid them
We all want to give our new employees the best start possible, and those first few weeks – and months – are crucial.
Onboarding is much more than creating a good first impression, says Nerissa Chaux, Co-Founder at outsourcing firm, Filta.
It’s about laying the foundations for a strong, lasting and productive working relationship.
“If you have someone cemented in your business, who understands your business goals and objectives – and who understands their value to the business and culture and is rewarded accordingly – they want to come to work, they treat the business as if it’s their own,” she says.
When onboarding goes wrong, Chaux says, you’re leaving your business at risk financially and competitively.
"Every company puts time, energy, and budget into finding the right people - because the right hire drives the right results,"
“A deliberate, well-structured onboarding program accelerates ramp-up, helps new starters connect with the culture, and equips them to deliver."
There are many reasons why you should onboard, but the how is where things can go wrong.
Here are five key onboarding mistakes to avoid.
Treating onboarding as training
One of the most common mistakes people make, says Tracey Montgomery, General Manager at Pure Source Recruitment, is confusing training and onboarding.
“Onboarding is a broader process that is designed to integrate a new employee into an organisation, especially with relation to expected behaviours, team culture, values,” says Montgomery. “It isn’t just about the logistics of where the coffee machine is.”
“Training is more specific and relative to the skills and knowledge a new starter needs to do be able to perform their job.”
While these two functions naturally overlap and work in collaboration, Montgomery believes onboarding should be treated separately to training, as though they are two different functions.
Forgetting the ‘human’ element
The practical side is necessary: from explaining where the coffee machine is to the organisational structure of the business. But the key to onboarding success, Montgomery says, is in relationship development.
“A lot of people think onboarding is about logistics – safety processes, office layout, where to park – all these points are important but only a very small part of onboarding,” says Montgomery.
“In my view, onboarding should mostly be about the human element. Once again, ensuring new starters feel connected and engaged from day one. This builds trust and employee engagement starts here.”
Be wary of putting the new recruit in a meeting room for three days and having different people present them with information. Instead, spend the time taking new employees to meet colleagues, team leaders, suppliers or other key stakeholders to develop those relationships early.
Incorporating a social gathering during a new recruit’s first week – even if it is just for a sandwich in the coffee shop. It helps them understand the motivations of the team and its culture, so they can start to find where they fit and what ideas they can bring.
Chaux suggests giving every new starter a clear point person (not necessarily from their team) to act as a navigator for the first month, someone who knows how things actually get done and can shortcut the “who do I ask?” loop.
“In a hybrid or work-from-home setting, replace the info dump with context: short video intros from teammates, and a one-page “how we work” primer that spells out response-time norms, meeting cadence, in-office rhythms and how decisions are made,” suggests Chaux.
Add two small rituals that cut through: a same-week coffee (virtual or in person) with their point person, and a “first-fortnight map” listing ten people to meet, three Slack/Teams channels to join, and two early wins to aim for. It’s simple, it’s human, and it gets new hires contributing without turning week one into a lecture tour.
Not taking enough time
Onboarding isn’t something that ends on day one. A good process, says Chaux, starts the moment an employee signs their contract and continues well into their first three to six months.
She suggests a quick call or video chat the week before they start to walk them through small but important details, whether they’ll need to bring equipment home, how team meetings are run, or what time zones the wider team operates in. That early contact helps calm first-day nerves and shows new hires that they’re already part of a well-organised, thoughtful team.
As Chaux points out, you don’t know what your new hire’s current employer is doing to try to keep them. Setting up a good relationship with your new employee before they start can ensure you don’t lose a good employee before they’ve even begun.
“I heard a story about someone who started on a Monday to find their manager was away sick, and no one in the company even knew who they were or what they were there for,” Chaux says. “They didn’t even know their name so they sent them home – can you imagine how that person was feeling?”
Wilson says job seekers often have two or three opportunities in the pipeline when they accept a role. So, if you don’t take the time to ensure they’re settled in and excited to be part of your company, you could find they’re lured away by another job offer.
Not checking in regularly
Montgomery says onboarding should be the manager’s responsibility. Too often people assume everything is making sense and don’t bother to ask the new recruit what else they need to know.
“A great onboarding program can fall apart if it doesn’t include regular check-ins from management. In doing so, you continue to build the trust and employees feel valued as well, as it demonstrates that their experience matters,” explains Montgomery.
“It reinforces everything you are trying to achieve around establishing expectations and it creates a culture of collaboration and communication.”
How this can be achieved largely depends on the size of the company and geographic situation, but some examples include – scheduled on one catch ups, off site coffee catch ups, team morning teas or mentor/buddy arrangements.
Chaux says you should check-in with your new employee regularly: at minimum, 30, 60 and 90 days. That way, you both can flag any potential issues early on, recalibrate if needed and set new goals for the next review.
Talking to them about a career development plan can show that you’ve invested in them as a person and believe they have a solid future with your company.
It's also a good opportunity to get a fresh perspective on the company and if there are any suggestions for how you can improve things.
Everyone should be given the same onboarding treatment, Chaux says, no matter their role. “Everyone should feel they have a purpose and a place and be kept aware of the business goals. Everyone should understand where the company is headed,” she says.
Forgetting the first impression
Making sure your new team member has the space and equipment they need to do their job is an obvious step, but it’s often overlooked.
Chaux tells the story of a man who turned up to work for a senior position to find no business cards had yet been ordered for him.
“It doesn’t look professional and it doesn’t reflect well on the organisation,” says Chaux.
As a contrast, Chaux says the promotions company that left a bunch of flowers waiting on the desk of their new employee found that small gesture was still being talked about years later.
“Little things matter,” she says.
Andrew Jewell is the Principal Lawyer at Jewell Hancock Employment Lawyers, a firm specialising in employment law.
He says during dispute resolution, the employee’s first impressions are often raised.
Legally, he says it’s very important to clearly define what the role requires, and make sure the employee has enough training to fulfill those requirements.
If you don’t get them integrated before their probation period is up, you might find they decide to take another job offer – and legally they have the right to walk out on you with a maximum of a week’s notice.
“I’ve been told it takes about three months before an employee is really profitable, so to have them walk away because you didn’t go through the process properly sets the business back a long way,” says Jewell.
“We hear a lot of things during a claim such as ‘I didn’t have somewhere to sit on my first day’ or ‘the role wasn’t what I expected’.
“If you onboard properly you can avoid these disputes at the back end.”
Avoiding these five common mistakes can help you get onboarding right. By treating onboarding as its own process – separate from training – you’ll give it the time and attention it needs. Make sure to cover the basics, and include a human element to create a true sense of welcome and connection. Lastly, check in regularly across the first few weeks and months. This way, you’ll be laying the groundwork for a positive and lasting experience for your new employee.