Why onboarding is the MOST important part of recruitment…

First impressions are a two-way process

Everyone focuses on how candidates present themselves during interviews. But what about how you present your company on day one?

If their first week is disorganised, rushed, or full of “oh sorry, we should’ve given you that already,” they’ll assume:

• the business is chaotic
• their success isn’t a priority
• they’ll need to fend for themselves

And honestly? That’s not the vibe.

A structured, thoughtful onboarding says:

“We value you, we’ve prepared for you, and we want you to succeed.”

New hires are ready to impress – don’t let that go to waste!

Nobody is more eager, excited, or ready to impress than a brand-new recruit. They wake up early. They’re fully caffeinated. They’ve ironed their clothes. They’re buzzing.

That energy is gold… but it has an expiry date.

If their first days are filled with:

• waiting for logins
• unclear instructions
• awkwardly wandering around looking for the loo
• no idea who does what
• no defined targets or expectations

…that spark fizzles fast. And once it’s gone, it’s very hard to reignite.

Good onboarding harnesses that excitement and channels it into confidence, clarity and early wins.

Performance starts with understanding

Too many companies assume people will “pick things up as they go.”

Spoiler alert: they won’t. And even if they do, they’ll probably learn the wrong things, in the wrong order, from the wrong person.

Onboarding should answer questions like:

• What does success look like in the first 30/60/90 days?
• Who do they go to for what?
• What’s the tone of voice, the culture, the standards?
• What are the biggest priorities?

If someone spends the first month guessing, they’ll spend the second month fixing mistakes, and the third month wondering if this was the right job for them.

Clear onboarding removes uncertainty and lets people actually perform.

Onboarding dramatically reduces turnover (And therefore, recruitment costs!)

A scary but accurate fact:

Most new hires decide whether they’ll stay long-term within their first six weeks.

Not based on salary.
Not based on job title.
Not based on perks.

But based on how supported and equipped they feel early on.

Good onboarding =

• higher engagement
• faster performance
• stronger loyalty
• fewer expensive hiring cycles
• stronger reputation in the market

It’s not fluffy; it’s financially smart.

If you don’t plan onboarding before you begin recruiting, you are already behind.

Here’s the big truth bomb:

You shouldn’t be recruiting unless you already know exactly how the new hire’s first few weeks will look.

Why?
Because recruiting without planning onboarding is like:

• booking a holiday without checking the hotel
• buying a puppy but forgetting you need food and a lead
• setting off on a 100 mile trip when your petrol light is on

You’d never prepare the beginning of the journey without preparing for the next steps.
Recruitment and onboarding should be designed as one continuous experience, not two separate processes.

To sum up… Onboarding isn’t admin, it’s strategy!

If your attraction strategy brings talent through the door, your onboarding strategy is what keeps them from walking back out.

Done well, it:

• transforms performance
• strengthens culture
• reduces turnover
• boosts morale
• protects your investment
• and gives every new hire the very best chance to succeed

So, before you post that job advert, ask yourself:

“Are we ready to onboard this person properly?”

Because if the answer is no…then the hiring process hasn’t even started yet.