6 Onboarding Mistakes You Should Stop Making

Is your onboarding process setting new hires up to thrive—or just survive? 

The onboarding process for new employees is more than paperwork and tours—it’s your chance to show new hires they made the right choice. Get it wrong, and you plant doubts. Get it right, and you build loyalty from day one.  

Mistake 1: You are Burying New Hires Under the Paperwork 

Imagine your first day on the job, and you spend it filling out forms to get permission to even exist in the office. Trust me, anyone would have a doubt popped in their minds, “Eh, maybe this job isn’t for me.”  

So, how to let your new hires breathe and be excited about the new journey ahead?  

"The most effective method out of earlier researchers also is if you can create social networks for the employee. Yeah, any role in today's environment requires you to network. Yeah, requires you to work as a team member and to connect with people.”  -Vivek Jain in the CHRO Mindset Podcast 

Mistake 2: You Are Not Introducing Them to the Real Deal 

Now, let’s talk about what really matters. Sure, you can give them a run-through of the company’s history—everyone loves a good introduction to the company’s achievements and milestones- but no one remembers the mission statement after day 1.  

They remember if they understood their role, felt supported, and knew exactly how their efforts would help the team win.  

"Onboarding is much more beyond sending a fancy box costing ₹2000 or ₹3000. It's not just about day one; it's about aligning the first day to the next 90 days and beyond."- Vivek Jain in the CHRO Mindset Podcast 

Mistake 3: You Are Making the Tech Work Look So Stressful 

Okay, we get it—tech is everything, including the onboarding process for new employees. But if your new hires must wrestle with endless passwords, clunky software, and a system that looks like it was built in the ‘90s, you’ve just set them up for a permanent headache.  

"The tech is still evolving...the use of machine learning and neural networks in terms of customizing the induction program to the individual is what is the future that is coming fast to us."- Vivek Jain in the CHRO Mindset Podcast 

Mistake 4: You Are Not Incorporating Them with the Company’s Culture 

Culture eats strategy for breakfast. Want to build engagement, motivation, and long-term loyalty? Show them the company culture from their first day. If your onboarding process doesn’t show how your team collaborates, shares ideas, and tackles challenges together, you’re just another office with beige walls.  

"Many companies focus on flashy onboarding events like fancy hotel inductions, but these often fail to engage employees long-term. True onboarding is about embedding the employee into the organization's culture and processes." - Vivek Jain in the CHRO Mindset Podcast 

Mistake 5: You Are Not Checking Up on Them Regularly  

No one likes to feel like they’re alone on this journey. Getting a check-in after the first week—or better yet, after a few days—goes a long way. It shows your new hires that they’re being supported, not just dropped into a “sink or swim” situation during the onboarding new employee process.  

"Are you fitting into the job? Are you facing any challenges? Is there any gap between what you thought before joining versus what you're experiencing right now?" - Vivek Jain in the CHRO Mindset Podcast 

Mistake 6: You Are Not Officially Closing Up the Onboarding Process 

How many times do companies officially close the onboarding of the new employee process? Employees usually must assume they are over it after some time.  

They’ve been onboarded, they’re trained, they’re integrating—but did you welcome them onto the team? If you don’t have a process to check in and officially close the onboarding process experience, you’re doing it wrong.  

"It surprises me how much effort people put to get those two days and three days in place, and then there's a pitfall that the person experiences when they go back into the field."- Vivek Jain in the CHRO Mindset Podcast 

To get every insight on the first 90 Days of Employee Onboarding, tune into The CHRO Mindset Podcast: HR Thought Leadership Podcast: The CHRO Mindset Revolution