10 Onboarding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

You’ve spent weeks shortlisting resumes, conducting interviews, and negotiating offers. You’ve finally found the right person for the job. But here’s the footnote — what happens next can make or break that new hire’s journey with your organisation.
We often focus so much on hiring the right talent that we forget one critical piece of the puzzle: onboarding. The first 90 days of any new employee’s life in an organisation are crucial I where both the employee and the employer are still figuring each other out.
Unfortunately, this is also where many companies, especially growing organisations in India, drop the ball. Whether it’s rushing through orientation or leaving new hires to “figure things out,” the cost of poor onboarding can be high: disengagement, culture shock, missed expectations, and worst of all, early exits.
Let’s explore the most common onboarding mistakes and how to avoid them. These aren’t just theoretical HR ideas; they’re practical insights that can help you create a smoother, more effective transition for every new hire.

Mistake 1: Thinking onboarding is just “orientation”

Most Indian companies still treat onboarding as a one-day activity: a PowerPoint presentation, a few introductions, some HR forms, and boom, you’re onboarded.
But onboarding is not a one-time event. It’s a process that ideally lasts anywhere between 30 to 90 days. It’s about helping a new hire ease into their role, team, and company culture.
Fix it:
Plan a 90-day onboarding journey. Break it into three phases:
First 30 days — Focus on culture, tools, basic systems, and building relationships.
Next 30 days — Begin assigning responsibilities with low-risk projects.
Final 30 days — Start measuring progress, setting goals, and offering feedback.

This phased approach gives the employee room to absorb, adapt, and perform.

Mistake 2: Not assigning a “go-to” person or buddy

Imagine walking into a new workplace where everyone is busy, and you don’t know who to ask about something as simple as Wi-Fi passwords or how chai breaks work. It can feel isolating, even for experienced professionals.
Fix it:
Assign a buddy. Someone from the same team or department who can act as a friendly guide for the first few weeks. This isn’t just for junior employees; even senior hires need context and cultural clues.
A buddy helps, especially when employees have awkward rookie questions. It also boosts social integration.

Mistake 3: Overwhelming new hires with too much information

Another classic error is information overload. On Day 1, you hand over five policies, two handbooks, 10 SOPs, and a bunch of training videos. By Day 3, the new employee remembers none of it.
Fix it:
Stagger the learning. Use simple checklists and timelines.
For example:
Week 1 — Company values, team structure, tools, logins.
Week 2 — HR policies and role-specific systems.
Week 3 — Internal processes and performance expectations.
Also, everything doesn’t have to be done over one session. Share visual aids like short explainer videos, infographics, or recorded demos. Many Indian startups and midsize firms now use tools like Loom or Notion for onboarding. Even a simple Google Sheet with links and contacts can work wonders.

Mistake 4: Not setting clear expectations

Many employees leave within the first three months, not because the job was too hard, but because it was too unclear. They don’t know what success looks like. Or worse, they think they’re doing fine, but the manager expects something totally different.
Fix it:
Start with a clarity conversation in Week where you set expectations for 30, 60, and 90 days.
How will performance be measured

What success looks like in their role
It’s amazing how much smoother things go when both sides are on the same page from the beginning.

Mistake 5: Ignoring cultural onboarding

In India, workplace culture is often deeply nuanced. Some companies are very hierarchical, others are flat. Some encourage weekend emails, some frown upon them. Some reward risk-taking, others prefer consensus.
When you don’t actively onboard people into your culture, they either flounder or unknowingly break invisible rules.
Fix it:
Include cultural clues in your onboarding through stories, mentorship, or team huddles. Let the employee understand not just how things are done, but why. If your team frowns on calling seniors by their first name, explain that. If you’re a company that celebrates quick feedback loops, show how it’s done.
Encourage the buddy or manager to model and talk about cultural expectations during the early days.

Mistake 6: Assuming managers will handle everything

A common myth: “The manager will take care of it.” Reality? Many managers are swamped or may not even know how to onboard someone well. The result: new hires slip through the cracks.
Fix it:
Give managers a simple onboarding framework. It could look like:

A one-pager checklist

A sample 30-60-90 day plan

Calendar invites for weekly check-ins

We also never fail to stress this. Training, Training and more Training! Train managers (even informally) on what a good onboarding experience looks like. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just a clear reminder that they’re the face of the company for that employee.

Mistake 7: Failing to gather feedback early

You’ve set up the onboarding plan. Great. But how do you know it’s actually working? Often, issues simmer until the probation review, by which time it’s already too late.
Fix it:
Ask for feedback in Week 2, Week 4, and Week 8. You don’t need fancy surveys. A few simple questions will do:

• How are you settling in?
• Do you have what you need to do your job?
• Is there anything confusing? 

If you’re a small company, even a 10-minute chat with HR or the founder can help correct the mistakes early.

Mistake 8: Not integrating them into the team

Onboarding isn’t just about what the new hire does, it’s also about how the team welcomes them. If the rest of the team doesn’t engage or include the new person, the employee can feel invisible.
Fix it:
Create opportunities for connection:
A welcome lunch or coffee catch-up

A short team introduction round with fun facts + work roles

Ice-breakers with collaborative tasks assigned to help the team connect

This is especially critical in hybrid or remote settings. In India’s growing remote work culture, intentional connection matters more than ever.

Mistake 9: Ignoring emotional transitions

We often underestimate how emotionally draining joining a new workplace can be. There’s excitement, but also fear, self-doubt, and a need to prove oneself. Sometimes, new employees are also dealing with relocation stress, especially if they’ve moved cities for the job.

Fix it:

Be human. Encourage managers to check in not just about work, but about how the person is feeling. A simple check-in can make someone feel seen.
If you’re in HR, try sending a casual “checking in” email or WhatsApp message in Week 2. Small gestures build trust.

Mistake 10: Letting the 90-day plan end at 90 days

Onboarding doesn’t have to stop at the 90-day mark. In fact, the first quarterly review is a great time to co-create a development plan for the next phase. Otherwise, you risk the “now what?” moment.
Fix it:
Turn the 90-day mark into a launchpad. Set goals, offer feedback, and discuss long-term potential. This shows the employee that you’re invested in their growth.

Onboarding is not a formality—it’s a culture-shaping opportunity

In India’s fast-evolving workplaces, whether you’re a legacy company, a family-run business, or a high-growth startup, onboarding is your first impression. It’s not about the process. It’s about belonging.

When done right, onboarding helps new hires align faster, contribute quicker and stay longer.
But most importantly, it makes them feel like they’ve joined not just a job, but a team that’s got their back.

So the next time someone joins your company, ask yourself:
Are we just “getting them started”?
Or are we helping them truly settle in and succeed?

Because those first 90 days They can define the next 900.

Need help designing a great onboarding experience? We’d love to help you build a smoother first 90 days. Get in touch at contact@yellowspark.in

Author Profile: Aparna Joshi Khandwala is a passionate HR professional. She co-founded Yellow Spark to work with like-minded people who believe in the power of leadership, which is the only business differentiator in today’s time