How to Improve Your New Hire Retention Rate 

Finding and keeping great talent is one of the biggest levers companies have to drive performance. New hire retention is essential to running a successful business—but it isn’t always as easy as it seems. According to Insight Global’s 2025 Employee Sentiment Report, 22% of workers have left a job within their first 90 days, most often due to poor training or disorganized onboarding. 

Investing in early employee experience strengthens performance, morale, and culture. Below are nine evidence‑backed ways to increase employee retention and build a workforce that stays longer, feels connected, and performs better. 

Identifying causes of new hire turnover 

Before jumping into solutions, start by identifying what’s driving early exits inside your organization. Insight Global’s research shows that 60% of workers who left in their first 90 days cited disorganized or insufficient training as the primary reason.  

Your hiring and HR teams should consider: 

• Where do our hires come from? 
• Who is leaving, and when? 
• What reasons do they give? 
• Where are the friction points in our hiring and onboarding journeys? 
• How consistently are we asking for and implementing feedback? 

Being intentional about diagnosing root causes allows you to make changes with the highest return. 

1. Align job seeker expectations from day one 

Misaligned expectations are one of the fastest paths to early turnover. Clear, transparent job descriptions help candidates understand what success looks like and whether the role aligns with their goals. 

The 2025 Employee Sentiment Report shows only 35% of workers feel engaged at work, underscoring how critical it is to attract candidates who connect with your mission, values, and work environment from the start.  

Be explicit about: 

• Responsibilities 
• Required skills 
• Compensation and benefits 
• Growth paths 
• Expectations around office presence (95% of new job postings now require some in‑person work) 

2. Begin with a warm welcome 

The new hire experience begins the moment an offer is accepted. Small gestures—welcome notes, check‑in calls, early access to onboarding materials—affirm your investment in the employee. 

Because 4 in 5 workers say they’d stay longer in a role with better onboarding, early engagement before day one sets the tone for belonging and reduces first‑day anxiety.  

3. Streamline and optimize onboarding and new employee training 

Onboarding goes past paperwork—it’s about providing new hires with culture, clarity, and connection. Employees take 6–7 months to feel comfortable in a new role, which means onboarding must extend beyond the first week.  

Strong onboarding programs: 

• Provide structured learning 
• Include managers at every step 
• Foster relationship building 
• Clarify expectations and success measures 
• Give new hires the tools they need (78% say they lack at least one essential tool to succeed)  

Organizations with exceptional onboarding see significantly higher engagement, and engaged employees are 12 times less likely to leave within 12 months.  

4. Connect new hires to your company culture 

A strong culture is one of the most powerful retention drivers—workers are eight times more likely to feel engaged in a strong workplace culture.  

Help new hires integrate by: 

• Explaining team dynamics and cultural norms 
• Establishing early connections with peers 
• Showing how their work ties to company purpose 
• Providing a clear vision of growth potential 

Intentional culture‑building helps new hires understand their place in the organization and envision a long‑term future with you. 

5. Reward and acknowledge your new hires 

Even with a strong onboarding process, your new hire is getting oriented, developing relationships, and assessing the new position for the first several months. Remember to check in with your new hires regularly for at least the first six months, requesting their feedback and acknowledging their progress. 

Your approach to this can vary with different employees since some are more comfortable with attention than others. Some workers may appreciate tangible rewards like gift cards, a public shout-out, or swag. Others may appreciate some one-on-one time to discuss their progress and ask questions. 

6. Launch mentorship programs 

Mentorship programs help new hires integrate into the company’s culture. Mentors extend the onboarding process and give employees access to support, guidance, and connection. 

In a remote work environment, mentors can be a lifeline for new hires to learn the ropes. The benefits go both ways. Mentors often learn from their mentees as well. 

If you launch a new mentorship program, include new hires and other employees. People at all stages of their careers can benefit from a strong mentor-mentee relationship. 

7. Offer flexibility 

In addition to compensation and benefits, employees appreciate the ability to adapt their schedule around family and other obligations. For example, 58 percent of parents say that flexible work schedules are a source of “fulfillment and relief.” 

Flexible work arrangements impact retention. Studies show that employees who can work remotely stay longer at their jobs than others with similar experience and compensation. 

8. Help managers be outstanding leaders 

High new hire retention is often tied to good management. A negative company culture increases employee stress and reduces productivity. A leader may be a top producer and even a great person but not meet the needs of their team. 

Investing in the growth and development of your managers creates a ripple effect throughout your company. Employees with effective leadership are more likely to feel valued, motivated, and engaged. Giving managers the ongoing training and support they need to be outstanding leaders will boost the retention of new hires and existing talent. 

9. Systematize feedback at every step of the hiring process 

It’s easier to make improvements when you know what isn’t working. Systematic feedback at every step of the hiring process gives you insight into your strengths and areas for improvement. 

You can systemize feedback by: 

• Implementing onboarding, engagement, and exit surveys 
• Setting up avenues for employees to share ideas and ask questions 
• Holding regular meetings to give employees a voice 

Employees who feel heard and know their input is valued feel appreciated and engaged. Regular feedback offers layered benefits. It can help you improve your hiring, onboarding, and management processes. It also increases productivity and reduces turnover by boosting morale. 

Engaged workers drive business success 

Your effort to increase your new hire retention rate will ripple through your organization in impactful positive changes. When companies invest in people, they see better performance, stronger cultures, and improved retention. 

At Insight Global, we help organizations build environments where people thrive. Connect with us to learn strategies for onboarding, engagement, and culture.