Effective Onboarding: Feedback and Support for New Hires
Navigating the intricacies of providing effective feedback and support to new hires can be a game-changer for any organization. Insights from a Talent Acquisition Manager and a Senior Recruitment Consultant reveal strategies that are both practical and impactful. This article presents ten powerful insights, starting with implementing a structured onboarding plan and concluding with encouraging reverse onboarding from day one. Discover the full spectrum of expert advice to elevate your onboarding process.
- Implement a Structured Onboarding Plan
- Create an Accountability Buddy System
- Use the SBI Feedback Model
- Adopt a Mentorship and 30-60-90 Day Plan
- Rotate Buddies Every Three Weeks
- Provide Multiple Forms of Ongoing Training
- Combine Open Communication with Regular Criticism
- Balance Feedback with Positives and Negatives
- Use a Structured Check-In Process
- Encourage Reverse Onboarding from Day One
Implement a Structured Onboarding Plan
My approach to supporting new hires during their first few months is centered on regular, structured communication and fostering a sense of belonging. One effective method I’ve used is implementing a structured onboarding plan that includes regular check-ins-weekly in the first month and biweekly thereafter. These check-ins provide a safe space for new hires to ask questions, share feedback, and voice concerns while also allowing managers to provide constructive feedback and set clear expectations.
I also encourage assigning a buddy or mentor to each new hire, which helps them navigate the company culture and build relationships early on. This combination of regular communication and peer support ensures new employees feel both supported and empowered, setting them up for long-term success.
Margaret Buj
Interview Coach and Talent Acquisition Manager, Mixmax
Create an Accountability Buddy System
One of the best ways we’ve found to provide feedback to new hires during those first few months on the job is by creating a buddy system (we called these “accountabila-buddies.”). Basically, every new hire would be paired with a current employee who would be their liaison during the first 3 months. The buddy would act as the go-between for the manager and the new employee, sharing feedback and providing guidance.
The first months on the job are a highly sensitive time for most employees. Most new hires are nervous, so they have a hard time giving and accepting feedback, especially from their manager. The buddy system helped ease this nervousness and resulted in better communication and better onboarding overall.
Bogdan Zlatkov
Lead Instructor for HR & Hiring, Growth Hack Your Career
Use the SBI Feedback Model
What I consistently do when working with new hires during their first few months is provide clear, actionable feedback using the “SBI” model. This means I focus on the situation, the specific behavior, and the impact of that behavior. This method ensures the feedback is precise and easy to understand, which helps new team members grow without feeling overwhelmed.
Let me give you an example. If a new hire wires a switchboard but misses a step in labeling circuits, I would first describe the situation. I might say, “When you were setting up the switchboard earlier today.” Then, I would move on to the behavior, explaining, “You forgot to label the circuits as you connected them.” I would then outline the impact, such as, “This will make troubleshooting much harder for anyone who works on it later.” By structuring feedback this way, it keeps things factual and avoids making it personal. The goal is to help them see exactly where they can improve without feeling like they are being criticized unfairly.
Daniel Vasilevski
Director & Owner, Bright Force Electrical
Adopt a Mentorship and 30-60-90 Day Plan
We approach feedback and support for new hires with a mentorship model, pairing them with a more experienced team member who can guide them through their first few months. This mentor acts as a go-to person for questions, provides regular check-ins, and helps the new hire navigate the company culture. The mentorship ensures that feedback is constructive, specific, and actionable, allowing the new hire to grow at a comfortable pace.
One effective method we use is the “30-60-90 Day” plan, where we set clear, achievable goals for the first three months. We have regular check-ins at each milestone to provide feedback on their progress, discuss any challenges they might be facing, and make necessary adjustments. This approach not only builds confidence but also allows new hires to feel supported and motivated, helping them integrate smoothly into the team and thrive in their new role.
Shehar Yar
CEO, Software House
Rotate Buddies Every Three Weeks
At our company, we use a buddy system to help new hires settle in, but we do it a bit differently. Instead of having just one buddy, a new person gets a new buddy every three weeks for the first two months. Each buddy has different skills and works in a different area, so it helps the new hire learn about the company faster and see how everything works. This approach works really well. Meeting different people helps new hires feel more comfortable, get to know the company better, and figure out who to go to for help with different things. It makes the first few months more interesting and less overwhelming.
Piotr Zabula
CEO, Cropink.com
Provide Multiple Forms of Ongoing Training
Something we do that I find very effective is to provide multiple forms of ongoing training and support to accommodate employees with various learning styles and preferences.
New employees have regular (weekly or biweekly) one-on-one meetings with their direct manager during their first six months, which is an opportunity for them to get direct feedback on their performance so far, ask any questions that have come up during their work, and identify areas where they still need to develop further.
Along with this, new hires are partnered with a more experienced team member during this same initial 6-month span. This individual serves as their go-to source for answers to everyday issues or questions, and can also provide them with peer-to-peer feedback that can help them better navigate the workplace culture. I find this beneficial because some new hires feel uncomfortable going to their boss with questions, so having an experienced colleague they can ask instead is valuable.
Finally, we make a range of self-serve learning materials available for everyone on the team. This includes the handbook and training documents/videos from their onboarding, as well as additional guides, resource lists, checklists, and video walk-throughs for key systems and processes in our business.
Between these three options, new hires have multiple places they can turn when they have questions, and that makes it more likely that every employee will have the support they need, whatever their learning style.
David Case
President, Advastar
Combine Open Communication with Regular Criticism
My strategy for assisting recruits centers on open communication combined with regular, helpful criticism. Establishing a buddy system, in which each new hire is matched with an experienced coworker, is one efficient strategy. This facilitates the move into the job by giving someone to turn to for advice, inquiries, and unofficial criticism.
During the first two months, I also plan frequent check-ins to talk about progress, resolve issues, and recognize accomplishments. I highlight my skills during these sessions while making practical recommendations for development. Confidence and development are fostered by a collaborative tone, clear expectations, and encouragement.
Building trust and inclusivity also involves encouraging new hires to voice their opinions and ask questions. New hires are guaranteed to feel appreciated and prepared for success in their position thanks to this organized yet adaptable support system.
Patrick Regan
Senior Recruitment Consultant, Enlighten Supply Pool
Balance Feedback with Positives and Negatives
Feedback needs to be balanced and constructive—it cannot lean all positive or all negative, as the learner will not achieve substantial growth from that. Where there are more positives than negatives that is a welcome thing and deserves to be celebrated between learner and company, but there is always something small that can be reiterated upon, learned, or improved upon.
Furthermore, when feedback lacks perspective of what is being done well by the employee, it can make them feel underappreciated, unseen, and not valued. A careful and thoughtful construction of both sides of the story needs to be woven. Usually, this is best done with some thought, perhaps even a rubric or “grading metric,” and not done impulsively.
Julie Ann Howlett
Edtech Professional & Instructional Designer, Julie Ann H Digital
Use a Structured Check-In Process
As an e-commerce company active since 2019 that transitioned to a fully remote workforce in the past two years, providing feedback and support to new hires during their first few months has been vital to our growth.
One effective strategy we use is a structured check-in process. For the first two weeks after training, we hold daily 30-minute calls to discuss any concerns or questions from either side. After that, we reduce the frequency to every other day for the following two weeks. Once the new hire is more settled, we shift to ongoing weekly check-ins to maintain open communication and ensure they’re happy with how things are progressing.
I strongly believe poor communication from employers is the leading cause of dissatisfaction among employees. By prioritizing regular, open conversations, we give both parties the best chance to build a successful working relationship and foster a positive company culture.
David Mathews
Company Director, Fitstraps UK
Encourage Reverse Onboarding from Day One
A method I find effective is a reverse onboarding approach, where new hires are actually encouraged to teach the rest of the team something they are good at from day one. This could be anything from a tool they’ve used previously to a specific process that might be relevant in our SEO work. The point isn’t about impressing anyone with their knowledge but fostering a culture where we value fresh perspectives and new skills. During these early months, I also emphasize documenting processes and creating a knowledge base that not only helps them but also future new hires. It builds ownership and confidence in their role while reinforcing the value of clear communication.
Paul DeMott
Chief Technology Officer, Helium SEO
Submit Your Answer
Would you like to submit an alternate answer to the question, “What’s your approach to providing feedback and support to new hires during their first few months on the job? Share one effective method.”