Guide
Set clear expectations in the first week
Make sure a new hire knows exactly what success looks like, right from the start.
Explain how their role connects to the business
Understanding why the work matters, not just what it is, helps a new hire make better judgment calls when a situation isn't explicitly covered.
Be explicit about how you communicate
Which tool for what, how quickly you expect replies, when to ask versus when to decide. Assumed norms are a common source of early friction.
Clarify what 'done' looks like for their tasks
Vague standards lead to under- or over-delivering. Be specific about the level of detail and quality expected.
Invite questions explicitly, more than once
New hires often hesitate to ask, worried about looking unprepared. Repeating that questions are welcome, genuinely, makes it more likely they actually ask.
That’s the whole thing.
Keep going
What to read next
- 01
Onboarding New Hires
Build a 30/60/90 day onboarding plan
Give new hires a clear roadmap for their first three months instead of leaving them to figure it out.
- 02
Onboarding New Hires
Prepare everything before their first day
Make sure a new hire's first day feels organised, not chaotic and improvised.
- 03
Onboarding New Hires
Avoid the onboarding mistakes that cost you good hires
Sidestep the most common ways a promising new hire quietly disengages in the first few months.