The work involved in hiring a new employee does not end when the offer is accepted. How a business brings a new hire into the organisation — the process known as onboarding — has a significant impact on how quickly that person becomes productive, how well they understand the role, and whether they remain beyond the early months. Many founders underinvest in onboarding relative to its commercial importance.
Onboarding is the structured process of integrating a new employee into the organisation — providing them with the information, tools, training, and relationships they need to become effective. It typically covers practical elements such as setting up equipment and system access, compliance requirements such as right to work checks and contract signing, introduction to the team and business, role-specific training, and regular check-ins during probation.
Poor onboarding is one of the most common causes of early attrition — new hires who feel unsupported or unclear about their role are more likely to leave, at significant cost. Even a simple, well-organised plan covering the first few weeks improves retention and time-to-productivity. Our guide to onboarding for UK founders covers what to include and how to make the experience work for small teams.