A pal of mine in the People & Talent industry, Dom (Dominic) Joyce shared a post on LinkedIn entitled Must Be Able To Hit The Ground Running - like the majority of Dom’s content, he talks to the truth of a subject. I popped a comment on the post, and I think this chimed with other humans, as it got a bit of traction (for me, anyway).
This post got me thinking…
…why, if this is a popular opinion, does nobody say anything about it?
I’ve had tons of conversations with folks who’ve joined companies where the on-boarding has been nothing more than, “…here’s your laptop and logins, welcome!”. I think this is likely amplified in startup and scale-up businesses, where your ability to be a self-starter or navigate the ambiguity, is a badge of honour.
I tend to reflect on the amount of time that could be wasted as this self starter chases requests for information, schedules meetings with fellow colleagues to extract insights, and generally runs around the many systems and software, trying to understand how to simply operate in their role - to be clear, being productive is ultimately a secondary priority, when you don’t know how to operate on a day-to-day basis.
Founders & Leaders: Beware the knowledge gap
In very stark terms, the consequences of a shitty on-boarding are:
wasted productivity
eroded confidence
a lack of psychological safety
Who wants that in their first 1-2 weeks in a new job!??!
Signposting back to the comment I made (in the post) about mutual accountability for on-boarding, here’s how you can mitigate against the worst outcomes and a resignation at the end of the first month.
Productivity through clarity
A structured onboarding process ensures that new hires understand their role - it’s really that simple - just, because they read the job spec, came through the interview process, and accepted the job - they still need to know their priorities and tools from day one.
Why? - Because clarity accelerates productivity.
Without it, employees waste time deciphering expectations, navigating unspoken cultural norms, or reinventing workflows that already exist.
When both the company and the employee take ownership of the onboarding process, the focus shifts to progress. Employees know where to direct their energy, and the Leader, team and company benefit from faster, more effective contributions from the new employee.
Psychological safety as a foundation
No one thrives when they feel they’re set up to fail.
A chaotic onboarding process sends an implicit message: “You’re on your own.” This breeds stress, self-doubt, and reluctance to ask for help — none of which foster innovation or collaboration.
Conversely, a robust onboarding experience creates psychological safety. It signals: We’ve invested in your success, and you can count on us. This, in turn, empowers employees to ask questions, seek feedback, and contribute without fear of judgment.
Motivation through feedback
Feedback loops are the (not so) secret ingredients of effective onboarding.
Honest, actionable feedback ensures new hires understand what’s working and where they can improve.
Equally important, Leaders must seek feedback on the process itself. What’s confusing? What’s missing? What could be better?
This dialogue not only motivates employees but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement. After all, a strong start is only the beginning; growth depends on ongoing collaboration and communication.
The Takeaway
The phrase “hit the ground running” needs a complete rethink, because it’s f**king nonsense.
If you want to perpetuate toxic expectation, undermine trust and set people up for failure - keep leading with the “..they are smart, they’ll figure it out” approach. Net result? - Higher attrition, lower employee satisfaction scores, and a deflated culture.
Instead, embrace onboarding as a shared responsibility and mutual contract of respect, investment and understanding - show you care!
Simply put, when onboarding prioritises productivity, psychological safety, and mutual accountability, the result is a motivated new employee ready to contribute.
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