What’s scarier than turnover? Poor first impressions.

Want Seven Years? Commit to a Wicked Good First Seven Days

There is research showing that the first impression a new employee gets during the first seven days on the job determines whether he or she will stay for the long term. Many employers concentrate their “first impression” efforts on the job interview or offer stage, knowing they don’t want to frighten away a good candidate. But the real first impression begins once a new hire accepts the job - during onboarding.

Handled well, this stage reassures new hires they made the right choice. Handled poorly, it sparks second thoughts and even brews early turnover. In fact:

•  Companies with strong onboarding improve retention by up to 82%.

•  New hires with a great onboarding experience are 69% more likely to stay three years or longer.

•  Automation in onboarding can lead to a 16% boost in retention.
  
  (Source: Paycor, Devlin Peck, UserGuiding, HR Cloud)

Invisible Doesn’t Mean Creepy – Automation is the Secret Formula

We live in a world where the window of time to make a good impression keeps getting shorter, and many interactions are expected to happen automatically. While you might think this is counter-productive to offering that personal touch for a positive first impression, consider this:

• Day One is overwhelming. It’s a nightmare imagining all the information a hiring manager needs to prepare and communicate, and the new employee on overload trying to absorb it on the first day. What if a system automatically sent as much of that ahead as possible?

  • Forms

  • Account setup

  • Company history

• Waiting to start is a cauldron of discomfort. Working out notice can be a no-man’s-land where you’re either ignored or begged to stay on. What if a system automatically checked in periodically with the new hire?

  • Sending welcome messages

  • Providing treats like benefits information

  • Sending key dates, training, or job-related information to review

• The first week is head-spinning. What if you had automated reminders, surveys, nudges, and schedules so that nothing was missed in training and came back to haunt you?

  This kind of consistency means a smooth, predictable welcome — allowing managers to focus on personal connection and the new employee to carve out a spot that feels like your own.

A Spellbinding Combo of Human and Automation

Intentional communication boosts retention by making both the client and employee feel supported and giving both an outlet for questions and concerns that might have felt like tombstones otherwise for people who are new to each other.

•  A Little Whisper in the Ear. At Personnel Partners, we lay solid groundwork for a positive impression with every candidate because they arrive at the client with our personal recommendation and context from our staffing experts. If a position is offered and accepted, the new hire completes an orientation in our office so they know what to expect before reporting to the client’s site. The new employee is confident, prepared, and ready to contribute – the client just needs to turn on the glow.
  

•  A Tap on the Shoulder at All the Right Times. Using both an industry-leading automation system and industry-leading internal staff, we’ve designed a carefully curated schedule of reminders and touchpoints at key times in the new hire journey to support both employee and client. This includes tricks like a:

  •  Day One check-in with both parties to confirm everything started smoothly.

  •  10-day follow-up survey to ensure both sides are satisfied.

  • Regular touchpoint via text or email at eerily perfect times so small concerns never become big problems and no one is taken for granted.
    

Job Seekers: Don’t Think of it as a Magic Act (or maybe it is, actually…)

If you’re a job seeker, don’t think of systems running in the background as being impersonal. Instead, see if you feel the difference:

•  You don’t arrive “cold.” You’ve already been oriented and know what’s expected.

•  You’re not left wondering who to contact — someone reaches out to you on a clear, reliable schedule.

•  Your first days are smoother, so you don’t go home second-guessing your decision.
  
  That confidence is critical. Studies show that 70% of new hires decide within the first month whether they’ll stay long-term. No one takes a new job hoping to leave it again right away.

Automation + People = The Perfect Potion to Create Retention

Automation provides efficiency and consistency, and job seekers know that is possible in today’s world. We can help set you up to win at the human element. Together, that’s the kind of first impression that will keep the nightmares away!