Onboarding • 7 MIN READ
3 Proven Ways to Improve Your Onboarding Process Right Now
MAR 30, 2026
You do not need a complete overhaul to improve your onboarding. These three changes have the biggest impact for the least effort.
Change 1: assign a structured buddy
Research from Microsoft found that new hires who met with their onboarding buddy at least eight times in the first 90 days were more productive than those who met fewer times, even when all other factors were equivalent. The buddy's role is not to be a friend; it is to be a cultural interpreter, a social connector, and a safe source of the questions new hires are too embarrassed to ask their manager. Structure the buddy relationship: provide a conversation guide with suggested topics for each of the first eight meetings so buddies know what to cover.
Change 2: build a 30-60-90 day plan in week one
A 30-60-90 day plan, created jointly by the manager and the new hire, provides clarity on what success looks like at each milestone and gives the new hire a sense of agency over their own integration. The plan for day 30 should focus on learning and relationship-building; day 60 on initial contribution and feedback; day 90 on consistent delivery and a development conversation. Review the plan at each milestone and adjust as the new hire's understanding of the role evolves. This is the single highest-impact change most managers can make to their onboarding practice.
Change 3: survey at 30 days and act fast
A five-question survey at 30 days, followed by visible action on the results within two weeks, sends a powerful signal to new hires: their feedback matters and is acted on. Questions should cover access and equipment, role clarity, quality of manager support, social integration, and overall experience. Share the aggregated results with the relevant managers and require them to acknowledge one specific change they will make for the next cohort. This feedback loop, consistently maintained, compounds over time into a continuously improving onboarding experience.
