6 Onboarding Activities that Actually Boost Retention

Whether you’re an executive or an entry-level hire, everyone gets the first-day jitters in a new environment. But when the onboarding is lackluster, those jitters never go away.

Fortunately for employers, the flip side is also true. According to SHRM, new hires who had effective onboarding were 58% more likely to stay with the company for three years. With a helping hand and well-structured onboarding, new employees can fit right in. 

Set new hires up for long-term success with these essential onboarding tips designed to help boost retention, productivity, and engagement.

6 onboarding activities to make the right impression with new hires

With less than half of employees clear on what’s expected of them on the job, it’s time for human resources teams to axe the ambiguity and create an onboarding experience employees love. 

These six activities are a great place to start.

1. Create a new hire welcome kit

With a little bit of prep, hiring managers can ensure that new employees are engaged and motivated right out of the gate. But according to Gallup, only 12% of employees strongly agree that their organization does a great job onboarding new employees.

The result is increased attrition and high turnover rates. According to one survey, nearly a quarter of new hires who quit shortly after their first day said they wanted “clear guidelines to what responsibilities were.” The same survey found that 73% of employees said they want to see a review of the company’s policies, such as dress code, paid time-off, and other procedures, during the first week on the job.

A new hire packet sets the tone for the employees’ experience with your company. Think of it as a way of saying, “We’ve got our stuff together”.

Here are some items to include in your new hire packet:

• Welcome letter
• Offer letter
• Job description and responsibilities
• Any other contracts or forms required (W-4, I-9, etc.)
• Employee information forms
• Emergency contact form
• Payroll forms
• Benefits information
• Employee handbook, company policies, etc.
• Office map and company directory
• Any confidentiality and non-compete agreements
• Any required uniforms or supplies
• Other FAQs
• Relevant login info

Check out a few other key tips for distributing these materials to new hires:

• Send materials ahead of the employees' start date so they don’t spend their first day in the office with their head in a stack of paperwork.​​ Your new hire’s first day should be about getting to know their colleagues and learning the ropes of the actual job.
• Paperwork is tedious. Make sure the employee is paid for filling this out, even if they do it at home. 
• Don’t assume new employees have printer access; either print forms out for them or go eco-friendly by sending digital forms they can fill out and sign electronically.
• Give them a tick-able onboarding checklist so they can check off what they’ve completed, get a little serotonin kick, and stay on track.

2. Send swag

A little swag goes a long way, especially for employees working from home. According to a recent Quality Logo Products study of 5,000 workers, employees who receive promotional products stay with their companies an average of 1.5 years longer than those who don’t. Swag bags are especially important for Gen Z workers, who are the most likely to feel underappreciated when they don’t receive company merch.

This goes to show that branded swag isn’t just a throwaway freebie – it’s a strategic investment in your workforce. And one that’s also great for retention. Data shows that sending company swag can significantly boost morale, with 83% of employee respondents saying they felt closer to companies who sent them corporate gifts.

While wearable swag like sweatshirts, jackets, and t-shirts are always a good option, the best branded gifts are things employees can use while working. Think branded mugs, office supplies, noise-cancelling headphones, snacks, power banks, gift cards, office accessories, or even a lumbar pad for an office chair.

Companies like Google knock it out of the park with ultra-useful gifts like a 4K monitor, branded backpack, and even a brand-new smartphone.

But even if you don’t have the budget for big-ticket items, you can still make employees feel appreciated with these quick tips:

• Ask the new hire about any accessibility needs you might be able to meet with swag.
• If they’re working from home, send them supplies they might need, like a company laptop and external monitor, or even business cards.

Many remote employees worry (rightly) about video surveillance. You can assuage their fears with a company-branded camera cover.

3. Assign a buddy

One fun way to ease in new hires? Pair them up with an onboarding buddy. 🤝🏻

“[Assigning a mentor or buddy] is crucial as it accelerates acclimation, provides personalized guidance on team processes and fosters a sense of belonging,” the data & analytics lead at ADP, Sivanagaraju Gadiparthi, tells Forbes. “Having a go-to person for questions helps the new hire quickly become productive and engaged, reducing the learning curve in a technical environment.”

Designated onboarding buddies help new colleagues feel more included, and new hires with an onboarding buddy are 23% more satisfied with their overall experience after the first week than those without one. After 90 days, this figure increases to 36%.

Onboarding buddies give new team members someone to go to with questions besides their supervisor. The buddy can give them a tour, introduce them to other employees, answer questions, explain unwritten rules and company culture, and let the new hire shadow them while they work.

Need help pairing people up? Follow these quick tips:

• The buddy should be a more experienced staff member, but should hold a similar role to the new hire (or be only slightly higher up on the chain). They should not be a manager or direct supervisor to the new employee.
• Ask the new employee what gender buddy they’d be most comfortable with, or if they’d like a multilingual buddy.
• Make sure the buddy is a strong performer who will set a good example.
• If your new hire works remotely rather than in-person, you can assign a virtual buddy.

4. Schedule an entry interview

Instead of waiting until the exit interview to find out what went wrong, why not start off on the right foot and find out what an employee wants and needs in order to feel supported?

Because it’s not just good for business – new hires love it too. 85% of people who have experienced an entry interview enjoyed it, 65% found it helpful, and 26% called it “reassuring.”

But how do entry interviews work? Here’s how organizational psychologist Adam Grant and his team explained the process to HBR readers:

“In the first week on the job, managers sit down with their new hires and ask them about their favorite projects they’ve done, the moments when they’ve felt most energized at work, the times when they’ve found themselves totally immersed in a state of flow, and the passions they have outside their jobs. Armed with that knowledge, managers can build engaging roles from the start,” they noted.

Wondering what to ask? Grant recommends these three entry interview questions:

1. What do you want to gain from your new role?
2. What can you contribute to the company?
3. How do you like to receive feedback and recognition?

5. Host a social event

Research shows that college-educated Americans make more close friends at work or school than anywhere else. And according to SHRM, 76% of employees with a close friend at work are more likely to stay with the organization.

To transform new hires into loyal employees, create opportunities for building relationships on and off the job. But keep in mind, whether employees seize those opportunities is totally up to them.

Get the ball rolling with easy options like team lunches, low-stakes icebreakers, or in-office trivia with different departments. When planning larger-scale activities, make sure you’re not unintentionally excluding or pressuring anyone:

“[T]alk to the people on your team to find out what they’d enjoy; make it truly voluntary and do not penalize people who opt out; watch for activities that seem to be segregated along problematic lines (such as gender or disability),” Alison Green, former chief of a nonprofit staff, writes for Inc.

Green advises planners to be mindful of the burden work events might place on busy employees and warns that not everyone is comfortable pushing back. If an employee routinely opts out of office events, make sure there aren’t any barriers preventing their participation.

Need more onboarding ideas for easy team-building events everyone can appreciate? Keep these tips in mind when planning:

• Whatever you do, make sure it has food. 78% of employees prefer free food to a company happy hour.
• If you do throw a happy hour, offer alcohol-free options. Keep in mind, sober curiosity is big with younger generations.
• Keep organized activities accessible and optional. Don’t make them high-pressure or super-competitive and always arrange for accommodations – especially if the event occurs outside of the workspace.

6. Ask for feedback

Wondering how you can improve your onboarding program? Check in with your employees!

Create a feedback-friendly work environment by sending out a new-hire survey a few weeks into the job. This can help you figure out what is and isn’t working in your onboarding process while making new employees feel valued, which can lead to better retention.

A written survey (ideally anonymous) or a small focus group with multiple hires will likely elicit more honest responses than a one-on-one interview. 

Here are a few sample questions you can try out:

1. Do you understand your job responsibilities?
2. Do you have the tools and resources you need to do your job?
3. Was your first-week training clear and helpful?
4. Do you feel welcomed by your team members and manager?
5. How can we improve the onboarding process for future hires?

Make a powerful first impression with Breezy

Great employee onboarding builds great teams. If you’re ready to scrap the cheesy scavenger hunts and make a real difference on long-term employee engagement, start strong by making performance management part of the conversation from day one. When feedback flows freely and expectations are clear, new hires feel like they’re a real part of the team.

Ready to revamp your employee onboarding experience? Visit the Hire Learning blog for expert tips, or take Breezy Perform for a spin. Sign up today and get effortless goal setting, easy progress tracking, and built-in 1:1 prompts to keep new hires engaged from the start.