Supporting (and retaining) your newest employees | Great Workplaces

Listen to this article

Graduation season brings a new wave of talent into the workforce. Here in Rochester, that means welcoming bright-eyed and motivated graduates from some of the best colleges and universities in the country. But as we bring these early-career employees on board, it’s easy to overlook just how much support they’ll need to succeed.

After all, they’re not just learning their jobs. They’re learning how to work, how to communicate and how to navigate professional expectations for the first time.

It’s worth noting, too, that many of today’s newest employees spent their high school and college years — a critical time of development — during the pandemic. Some missed out on in-person collaboration, some on professional communication, but all lost out on the pre-pandemic rhythm of the workplace. We’ve found a new rhythm, but there’s a gap among new employees that employers can’t afford to ignore. It’s not a lack of ability; it’s a lack of exposure.

The workplace skills that we once assumed — clear communication, professional etiquette, understanding hierarchy, managing expectations — might not come so naturally to this next generation. This isn’t a criticism, but rather a truth that leaders need to recognize before building any sort of onboarding strategy. And yes, we need a strategy.

The first six months

Research shows that as many as one in five employees leave their jobs within the first 45 days, and nearly one-third start hunting for a new job within six months. On top of that, most employees decide whether they’ll stay long-term with a company within that same window. Needless to say, the first six months are a critical time for new employees.

But if that’s the case, why do some organizations treat onboarding as a one-week orientation? How do leaders expect these new employees to retain everything that’s been dropped in their lap over the course of five overwhelming days? It’s that kind of welcoming that drives people out.

There’s a business case to be made, as well: Replacing an employee can cost six to nine months of their salary. And when more than half of employees who leave cite a poor onboarding experience as a contributing factor, it becomes that much harder for business owners to ignore.

Habits to break

The problem business owners have is that it’s easy to fall into the same patterns. Failing to adapt is where so many go wrong, so start by recognizing the problems in your approach. For example, don’t assume people will just figure it out. Without structure, early-career employees don’t feel empowered, which leads to them ultimately feeling lost.

Also, don’t rely on implied expectations. We may think we’re being clear, but often, we’ll hold certain expectations that aren’t immediately apparent. The same goes for the path forward, especially in smaller organizations. Just because these employees are new doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking about the future. If they don’t see what’s next, they’re prone to assuming that growth can only come from leaving.

It’s a matter of clarity. Without it, your new talent will quickly become former talent.

Habits to form

Great places to work retain early-career talent by taking a more intentional approach — one that builds confidence, capability and connection from day one.

For starters, they extend onboarding beyond the first week. When done right, the process answers more than “What do you do?” It answers bigger questions, like:

• What does success look like here?
• How do we communicate?
• What are the unwritten rules?

I always prefer scheduling regular check-ins with a supervisor or peer mentor. These meetings can take any shape you or your employees want, just as long as they’re creating structure. From there, good habits are easier to form.

Make expectations clear

How are new employees supposed to know what “good” looks like? Yes, they need to show initiative, but without properly defined expectations, there’s no way for them to know whether they’re hitting or missing the mark.

Here’s the flipside to that coin: Let’s say an employee takes on a new responsibility after six months and immediately expects a raise or promotion. While ambition should be encouraged, it needs to be grounded in a broader understanding of performance, consistency and long-term contribution.

It’s up to us to clearly define what the role requires, what exceeding expectations actually looks like and how growth is earned over time. Going above and beyond once is great, but sustained performance? Reliability? These are the qualities that truly set someone apart. And we need to make that obvious.

Prioritize early, consistent feedback

Everyone needs feedback, especially early-career employees. Otherwise, they’re left guessing if they’re doing their work right, if they’re meeting expectations or even if they’re on the right track. That’s why regular check-ins are so important.

With real-time guidance, you can create alignment and build confidence in your new employees. As long as the feedback is consistent and constructive, employees can improve much faster and feel more supported.

Show a future

Just because they’re at the very beginning of their careers doesn’t mean your new employees aren’t thinking about what’s to come. For many small and mid-sized companies in which upward mobility is limited, that might seem like a problem. But growth doesn’t have to mean a new title. It comes in all kinds of forms.

Learning new skills, gaining exposure to different parts of the business, taking on new challenges that go beyond their current role — no matter how you define it, there’s more to career growth than a guaranteed promotion. The sooner you teach your new employees this, the better equipped they’ll be for a promising career.

I should mention that all of this is a shared responsibility. Business leaders need to set their employees (new and existing alike) up for success, but they too can play an important role in their own development. I’d argue the most successful individuals don’t just wait for direction — they engage with it.

Get your early-career employees to embrace their curiosity. Encourage them to ask questions early and often, and to be proactive in seeking feedback. Inspire them to find ways to bring value that goes beyond their job description. If they can consistently deliver while taking ownership of their learning, that’s when they’ll find real growth.

But new graduates don’t always see the growth potential here in Rochester. Instead, they run off to bigger cities in the hopes of finding better opportunities. I admire their passion, and local business owners should admire it, too. That’s why it’s so important for leaders to make our companies — to make our hometown — as enticing as they can be.

Here’s the bottom line: We need to build an experience these early-career professionals want to stay for. Yes, everything’s changed. The workplace, the workforce, employee expectations — everything’s different than it was six years ago. That’s why we need to invest time and resources into nurturing our people. When they feel supported from the start, they don’t just perform better. They stay longer, grow faster and contribute in ways that strengthen the entire organization. And if every business in Rochester makes that kind of effort, they’ll quickly see they’re doing more than creating a great place to work. They’re helping make Rochester a great place to live.

Lauren Dixon is board chair of Dixon Schwabl + Co., a marketing communications firm, which has been honored as a Best Place to Work.