Supporting New Hires In A Flexible Work Environment

𝟑 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐣𝐨𝐛, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐲. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝. My client had spent months recruiting for this position. They'd interviewed dozens of candidates and negotiated the perfect package. Everyone was thrilled when he finally accepted. Then HR took over the onboarding. On day 1, they walked him to his work area and left. No introductions to the team No supervisor meeting Not even a basic contact list for when he had questions. For three days, he worked in complete isolation. He didn't know anyone's name Had no idea who to report to Completely disconnected from the company that just hired him The only reason he stayed? Pure luck. The owner happened to visit, saw what was happening, and immediately went into damage control mode. Introduced and connected him with the team Apologized for the complete failure of their onboarding process That technician is still there today, but it was almost a disaster. You can spend months finding the perfect person. But if you abandon them in Week 1, you'll lose them before they've even started. The fix isn't complicated, but it does require intention: 💯 Schedule proper introductions with key team members 💯 Create a simple contact sheet with names and roles 💯 Plan at least one team lunch or coffee 💯 Set clear expectations for their first 30 days Your new hire’s first week shapes how they see your company. They're not just learning their job, they're deciding if they made the right choice. Make those first days count. Your recruiting efforts depend on it.

Every struggling new hire carries “baggage” from their last job. They just need a reset, not a rejection. A new hire once froze in a meeting when I asked for their thoughts. Later, he admitted, "In my last job, only managers spoke. I wasn’t sure if I should." That’s when I realized you’re not just hiring a person. You’re hiring their past workplace norms too. I now use a 3-phase framework to spot, reset, and reinforce workplace norms early. Phase 1: Surface the hidden sensitivities New hires won’t tell you what’s confusing. They’ll just hesitate. I try to uncover what they assume is “normal.” I look for clues: 🔍 Do they wait for permission instead of taking initiative? 🔍 Do they avoid pushing back in discussions? 🔍 Are they hesitant to ask for feedback? You can do this with an easy expectation reset exercise in onboarding: 1. "At your last job, how did decisions get made?" 2. "How was feedback typically given?" 3. "What was considered ‘overstepping’?" Their answers reveal hidden mismatches between their old playbook and your culture. Phase 2: Reset & align Don’t assume new hires will "figure it out". Make things explicit. I set clear norms: 1. Here, we challenge ideas openly, regardless of role. 2. We give real-time feedback—don’t wait for formal reviews. 3. Speed matters more than waiting for perfection. For this, use “Culture in Action” moments. → Instead of just telling them, model it in real time. → If they hesitate to push back, directly invite them to challenge something. → If they overthink feedback, normalize quick iteration—not perfection. Phase 3: Reinforce through real work Old habits don’t vanish. They resurface under stress. The real test is how they act when things get tough. Create intentional pressure moments: 1. Put them in decision-making roles early. 2. Assign them a project where feedback loops are fast. 3. Push them to own a meeting or initiative. Post-action debriefs help here: “I noticed you held back in that discussion—what was going through your mind?” This helps them reflect & adjust quickly, instead of carrying misaligned habits forward. Most onboarding processes focus on training skills. But resetting unspoken norms is just as critical (if not more). A struggling new hire isn’t always a bad fit. Sometimes, they’re just following the wrong playbook. What’s a past habit you had to unlearn in a new job?

You have new hires starting on Monday, when is the last time they heard from you? Those two weeks between leaving their current team and joining yours is filled with mixed emotions. On one hand, they’re eager to start their new adventure with you but they’re not yet a part of the team. On the other hand, they no longer belong to their current team. They’re in limbo. What can you do? As their new leader, you need to reach out. Don’t leave it up to recruiting. Make them feel a part of the team before they even start. 1. Call them a week before they start and share your excitement for them to join the team. 2. Share what day one will look like and who they will interact with. Bonus: include a photo(s) of who they’ll meet that day. 3. Get their lunch order. Whether you’re in office or not, day one lunches are one less thing they have to plan for when nerves are high. 4. Let them know who will be a part of their journey aside from you. Give them a culture buddy AND a mentor. They are not the same, do not treat them as such. 5. Provide your personal number. I have watched so many new hires have tech issues and not be able to start on time. Or run into traffic issues and run late. Give them the ability to reach out to you outside of email. Being late on your first day is every new hire’s worst nightmare ☠️That phone number is a small but helpful gesture. What would you add to the hiring manager’s pre boarding checklist? #onboarding #talentacquisition #hiringmanagers #preboarding #engagement #newhires