Saw a report that 40% of new hires leave within a year if their first week is bad

I found this in a study from a big HR group. It made me think a lot about how we onboard people at my job. Has anyone changed their company's first week plan because of something like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_betty3mo ago

Honestly that stat is terrifying but it checks out. My last job threw a laptop at me and called it onboarding. They wonder why turnover is so high. A good first week should make people feel welcome and show them how their work matters. Anything less is just setting money on fire.

kelly9681mo ago

A laptop without any context or guidance is pretty much standard in a lot of industries these days. People expect to hit the ground running and figure things out on their own, not get hand held like children. The turnover problem might actually be more about hiring the wrong people who can't adapt rather than the onboarding itself. Some of the best workers I've seen just jumped in, asked questions as they went, and learned faster than any structured program could teach them. A tough first week can actually filter out folks who aren't really committed, which saves the company money in the long run. If you need a welcome party and a map to feel valued, maybe the job just isn't a good fit.

lane.angela3mo ago

They gave you a laptop and that was the whole onboarding? That's actually insane. No wonder people quit so fast.