Expert Opinion: You’ve Hired Them – Now Don’t Lose Them

Grassroots Recruitment onboarding and induction

Grassroots Recruitment’s Caroline Patten explains what great induction and onboarding processes should look like when a new hire starts at your business.

Hiring into a small team is always a big move. Whether you’ve been recruiting for weeks or finally found someone after months of trying, that moment when they accept the offer feels like the hard part’s over…. But it’s what happens next that really counts!

I’ve been working with a couple of new clients recently who’d really struggled with long hiring cycles and, once we’d helped them track down that the perfect candidate, definitely breathed a sigh of relief. Once the offer paperwork was signed, it was back to business as usual, and I had to put in a call to explain the importance of not treating onboarding as an afterthought!

As a dedicated recruitment partner, I pride myself on adding value to the hiring process to make sure that great placements lead to positive long-term employment outcomes. In this case, that meant providing hands-on support to ensure the employers understood that a 5-minute pre-start phone call or a 1-day standard induction wouldn’t cut it for a candidate who’s been highly sought after and had a big build up to their eventual appointment.

In today’s candidate market, it’s not surprising to note that up to 33% of new hires start looking elsewhere within their first six months — and in small businesses, that early exit has a ripple effect. It knocks confidence, puts pressure back on the team, and makes hiring again even harder.

Over the years, we’ve supported clients across sales, technical and engineering recruitment — and while the roles vary, the pattern is always the same: those who invest time into the first 90 days build stronger, more engaged teams. It’s not just about making a good first impression — it’s about setting people up to stay, perform, and grow.

So, here’s some of the best practice we’ve observed from great employers with low attrition rates and values-driven cultures who seem to consistently get it right:

Before Day One

In small teams, where culture and communication matter so much, the way you stay in touch during the notice period makes all the difference. It’s surprisingly common for weeks to go by between offer and start date with no contact at all. But that’s where doubt creeps in — especially if they’re leaving a secure role or fielding other offers.

What works well:

A short “What to Expect” email with arrival time, location, dress code and first-day plan
An informal intro to the team — via WhatsApp, Slack or email
A quick check-in call with their manager the week before

This might sound small, but we’ve seen candidates walk away from offers purely because another employer stayed in touch and made them feel more wanted.

Week One

You don’t need balloons or a branded hoodie — but you do need to show you were expecting them. We hear lots of stories from candidates who turned up to find no laptop ready, no one quite sure where they were supposed to sit and a full day spent just talking through the staff handbook. It’s not uncommon — and it’s almost always unintentional — but it sets the tone.

You might already have a checklist for IT setup and compliance paperwork — but what about a plan for how to help them integrate with their team, understand how decisions are made in the business or your approach to customers? What about introducing them to your values in practice, not just on a slide? Make sure you’ve planned beyond day one and have a great first week to introduce them to your business, projects, customers and colleagues.

(And if your induction process would normally end here, you definitely need to read on!)

Weeks 2–4

At this point, new starters are keen to prove themselves — but they’re still learning the ropes. This is where many drop off, especially if expectations haven’t been properly communicated.

You might already be doing: ? A one-week check-in ? On-the-job training

But have you considered: ? Giving them a clear, visible 30-60-90 day plan ? Assigning a small project they can own and deliver ? Blocking 15–20 minutes weekly with their line manager for quick, informal feedback

These things take minutes — but they give clarity, build confidence, and flag issues before they escalate.

Month 2

By now, they’ve (hopefully) found their feet — so this is the time to start embedding them more deeply into the business.

Ways to do this:

Involve them in cross-functional meetings or decision-making
Ask for their feedback on how onboarding has felt so far
Give them visibility of what’s coming up and where they fit into bigger plans

One IT software company we work with asks new hires to present a short “30-day reflection” that they present to the whole team — what they’ve learned, where they’ve struggled, and what they’d do differently. It builds confidence and opens the door to two-way feedback. It also gives them a great chance to reflect on anything they’ve missed and recognises how they’ve been supported by managers and colleagues!

Month 3:

By the 90-day mark, most new hires will have formed a pretty clear view about whether they see themselves staying with you long term. And whether you’re planning a formal probation review or not, this is the ideal point to pause, reflect and recommit.

The best reviews we’ve seen at this stage aren’t just about ticking off tasks — they’re about growth. What have they achieved so far? What are they proud of? What do they want to work on next? It’s also a great opportunity to share feedback from others in the team, celebrate early wins, and talk about what’s coming up.

Summary

In small businesses, onboarding doesn’t need to be complicated — but it does need to be considered. The best approaches we’ve seen aren’t necessarily flashy or formal, but they are consistent, intentional, and tailored to how that business really works.