Consider this scenario: following an extensive interview process spanning weeks, maybe even months, you’ve selected the perfect candidate to join your team. Congratulations! With an offer letter signed and background checks cleared, it’s natural to want to shift your focus to other responsibilities now that your new hire ‘box’ has officially been ‘checked’ off. 

Recruiting and hiring good talent involves a lot of time, energy, and resources from your company. Not to mention, it can be expensive. “Recruiting, hiring, and onboarding a new employee is pricey, with hard costs ranging from $7,500 to $28,000 per new hire” – Bamboo HR. To ensure you’re not backfilling this position in a couple months, what should happen next?

Although it may seem that the recruiting and hiring process is finished once an offer letter has been signed, it’s really just the beginning. Making a career change is a big decision, so it is crucial to stay hands-on and continue to court your newly hired employee in these early stages of employment. 

In fact, a recent study proved these first impressions during the employee onboarding process can often make or break the long-term retention of employees. “70% of new hires decide whether a job is the right fit within the first month—including 29% who know within the first week.” – Bamboo HR. A smooth onboarding and training program helps attain early job satisfaction, which in turn helps maintain long-term retention of talent. Everyone wins!

At Kester Search Group, we’ve had the pleasure of placing countless candidates into new positions and assisting with the transition from one job to the next. When reflecting on conversations with candidates, as well as with recruiters at Kester Search Group, there seem to be a few common themes about why a candidate might choose to leave a new job early on.

1. Insufficient training and/or support: a lack of training and/or support from managers and colleagues can leave new employees feeling overwhelmed. Checking-in with a new employee as they give their 2-week notice, finalize their onboarding paperwork, and embark on training helps keep them engaged and excited.
2. Counter/competing offers: in a competitive candidate pool, it’s bound to happen. Remaining actively engaged and providing continuous support during the onboarding process can help instill confidence and a sense of belonging in new hires, which in turn helps reduce the likelihood of them considering alternative or competing offers.
3. Misaligned expectations: often we hear from candidates they are told one thing during the interview process, but their roles and responsibilities change quickly upon starting a new job. Misalignment between promised and actual job duties can quickly lead to employee dissatisfaction and as a result, cause for looking elsewhere.

While securing a new hire may feel like the end of the hiring journey, it’s merely the beginning.  Nurturing new hires beyond the initial offer is crucial for the long-term success of the employee, which in turn positively impacts the team. Although not everything is within your control, by investing in a supportive onboarding process and remaining engaged with new employees, you can boost your likelihood of a win-win scenario for your new hire and company as a whole.