04-Jan-2025 Tone at the Top

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?? Beyond the Offer Letter: Smart Leaders, Smarter Onboarding, Better Retention

Onboarding doesn’t start on an employee’s first day.

It starts the moment they sign that offer letter. Too often, organizations assume the real work begins when someone steps foot in the office. That’s a missed opportunity. I firmly believe that the path to high retention and stellar performance starts long before that first handshake or Zoom wave.

Our job, as leaders, is to set the tone from the top—inviting our new hires into a culture that’s welcoming, supportive, and primed for success.

It’s no secret that early turnover is a genuine threat. According to studies by Jobvite, BambooHR, and the Work Institute, up to 30% of new hires walk away within their first 90 days.

The significant reasons are poor onboarding experiences, unclear expectations, or a mismatch between a candidate’s vision of the role and the reality they encounter. The good news is that most of this is within our control. Committing to a thoughtful, people-centric onboarding process can drastically reduce early turnover and cultivate a workplace that nurtures talent.

Let’s start with the fundamentals.

Day Zero

When new hires sign on, beyond a branded swag bag—send resources that deepen their understanding of our company’s culture, mission, and the work they’ll be doing.

Whether it’s a whitepaper on our industry’s latest innovation or an article celebrating a recent success story, these reading materials spark curiosity and excitement. Introduce them early to our “wins,” highlighting the value we bring to our customers. Nothing builds enthusiasm faster than real-world impact: “Here’s how our product changed a client’s life. Here’s how our support team turned a disgruntled user into a raving fan.”

Simultaneously, make personal introductions to key team members. A welcoming note from someone they’ll closely collaborate with can ease first-day anxiety. When these connections happen before their start date, they arrive with familiar names and faces in mind—new hires feel less like outsiders and more like part of the family.

Beyond these core steps, here are some creative ideas:

“Meet the Team” Video Messages Encourage each team member to record a short video introducing themselves, sharing their role, a fun fact, and a quick welcome. Seeing colleagues’ faces and hearing their genuine excitement helps ease those first-day jitters. Compile these into one video or a short series and send them to the new hire before they start.

Virtual ‘Desk Setup’ Contest In the hybrid or remote work age, we rarely see each other’s workspaces beyond the small rectangle on a video call. To make this fun, host a desk setup contest. Everyone, including the new hire, can submit pictures of their home office or personal workstation. Offer a small prize for the most creative. This will spark camaraderie and inject a sense of play into onboarding.

Company Value in Action Mini-Stories Ask a handful of employees to share a brief anecdote about a time they witnessed our values tangibly come to life—maybe it was how a team member went above and beyond to solve a customer’s problem or how a problematic project brought out the best in cross-functional collaboration. Compile these “Values in Action” stories into a simple PDF, letting new hires see our culture at work.

Curated Music Playlists or Podcast Recommendations A shared playlist can be a surprisingly effective way to break down barriers. Invite employees to add their favorite work tunes or inspiring podcast episodes. This will fuel productivity and offer a window into everyone’s tastes and interests.

Welcome to [Company Name] Cheat Sheet Let’s face it: we all use acronyms, jargon, and inside jokes. Provide a cheat sheet that demystifies these terms. No one wants to feel left out when they hear a term like “CBX review” for the tenth time and still have no idea what it means.

You’ve added a new contributor to the corporate success plan.

Why does it matter?

Remember, in a fast-growing organization—especially a startup—the people you hire today will shape the culture tomorrow.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times: “Look around. Within 300 days, more new faces will be in this room than familiar ones.” Our choices now set the tone for how our culture will scale when fresh talent arrives. If we don’t embed our core values in every new hire’s experience, we risk diluting the very qualities that made us successful in the first place.

It’s worth reiterating that people don’t leave companies; they leave managers. Avoid being the manager who pushes people away. Provide a structured onboarding plan, be transparent about job expectations, reinforce cultural norms, and show genuine care from day one. Early turnover is expensive—financially and culturally. We want to protect our investment in top talent and ensure they feel a sense of belonging.

That Day One Unboxing

Ultimately, onboarding is more than a checklist; it’s an invitation into our shared story.

It means the day your new talent arrives or starts from their home office sets the tone. Hospitality companies will tell you it’s the first and last ten minutes. Have their workstation, computer, and company access set up?

Excitement builds when your hands touch the sleek, precisely folded packaging. As you gently lift the lid, the subtle sound of crisp, high-quality paper releasing its hold sets the stage for what’s inside. A delicate scent—perhaps fresh leather, polished wood, or the soft floral notes of a thoughtfully placed sachet—rises, engaging your senses.

You know what I mean if you’ve experienced or watched an unboxing. The layers unfold like a well-orchestrated performance, each revealing another glimpse of what’s to come.

A handwritten note adds a human touch, while the careful arrangement of components invites exploration. The final reveal is a masterpiece of craftsmanship gleaming under the light, waiting to be held, admired, and used.

From start to finish, the unboxing is more than just opening a package—it’s an arrival, a moment of connection between you and the brand, turning a simple delivery into an unforgettable memory.

By starting the process the moment the offer letter is signed and continuing long after those critical first 90 days, we create a solid foundation for new hires to thrive. As CEO, I’m committed to leading that charge. When we get this right, our teams will feel it, our customers will benefit, and our culture will stay strong—no matter how large we grow.

?Reflections

What does your company’s onboarding process honestly communicate about your culture?

Are new hires stepping into an environment that fosters belonging and purpose—or are they left to navigate ambiguity independently?

If early turnover is costly, what is one immediate change you can make to improve retention from Day Zero?

Consider sourcing ideas from the team.

How does your leadership style shape a new hire’s experience in their first 90 days?

Are you actively setting the tone for engagement and growth or unintentionally reinforcing barriers that push talent away?

?? Take a moment to reflect, and let’s elevate how we onboard.?

Onward.

?

About me

When someone in the board room drops the proverbial “I know a guy…” – that’s my cue because I’m that guy.

For 30 years, I’ve enabled companies in multiple industries to drive success by uncovering new revenue opportunities, increasing market share, reducing costs, and intensifying efficiency, creating $1 billion dollars in revenue.

How? By stating the hard truths, isolating the underlying problems, and executing data-driven, specific solutions to tackle these challenges.

Also

With five million air miles and as an executive in global corporations, I bring broad cultural insights to organizations. I serve as Vice Chair of Verity’s Supervisory Committee and have five terms as a corporate and non-profit board director.

I’m an end-of-life doula serving people and their circle of care in their final days.

Want to take the conversation deeper? Contact me here: ??