In every manager development program I’ve facilitated, onboarding often emerges as a task managers find burdensome. “It’s like I’m babysitting someone,” they say. However, when reframed as one of the most impactful ways to shape team dynamics and boost overall performance, managers experience true “aha” moments.
You’ve just interviewed and decided to add a new addition to your team. Therefore, you have full responsibility to board him. A well-executed onboarding process not only equips employees to succeed in their roles but also fosters a sense of belonging, engagement, and motivation. The #1 person to guide the new hire through these first steps is the manager. But does that mean the manager must teach the new hire everything? Hint: No!
As I prepared for the Leadership Circle event with my dear friend and onboarding expert, Emily Mason, we explored this topic in depth. Behind the scenes, we dove into the nuances of onboarding, preparing to share insights with managers, leaders, and HR professionals about reimagining the process.

Onboarding as a Wall Climbing Journey
Imagine a new employee’s experience of climbing a tall and unfamiliar wall. This wall represents the organization’s culture, expectations, relationships, and operational processes. The climb is exciting but can feel overwhelming without proper guidance and support.
The manager’s role is indispensable, serving as both guide and safety net:
1. Harness and Tools: Equipping for Success
A climber’s harness and tools provide security and the ability to navigate the climb. Similarly, managers set the foundation by offering structured onboarding plans, clear role expectations, and essential resources. Without these, new hires might feel lost or unprepared for the challenges ahead.
2. Guidance and Encouragement: Leading the Way
Much like holding the rope, the manager helps the new employee identify key footholds. This includes introducing team dynamics, defining priorities, and building relationships. Encouragement is vital- even small wins can boost confidence and foster momentum.
3. Holding the rope and provide Feedback: Ensuring a Safe Climb
In climbing, someone is holding the rope that protects against falls. For new hires, this safety net is psychological support, regular check-ins, and constructive feedback. Mistakes are part of the learning process, and a manager’s role is to create an environment where employees feel safe to stumble, learn, and grow.
Case Study: Emily Mason’s Onboarding Success Story
Emily Mason, an onboarding expert, shared a compelling case study from her work with a fast-growing tech company. The company had struggled with long delays in ramp to revenue among sales new hires, often due to a lack of structured support and well-designed key success metrics during the first 90 days leading to very inconsistent onboarding experiences. To address this, Emily developed a comprehensive onboarding framework that empowered managers to take an active role in the process.
Key elements included:
Pre-Onboarding Preparation: Managers received detailed guides to prepare for the new hire’s arrival, including personalized welcome plans.
First-30 Day Roadmap: Structured daily actions housed in an automated platform with a progress dashboard ensured consistent communication and alignment on priorities.
Ongoing Check-Ins: Structured weekly one-on-ones that evaluated the new hire’s progress through a series of role play practice and hands-on training helped managers address concerns and provide timely feedback.
As a result, the company had new hires in front of customers in 30 days versus ~3-6 months! Managers also reported feeling more confident in their ability to support and integrate new team members effectively.
Why Managers Matter Most
While HR provides the general/role agnostic onboarding, it is the manager who personalizes the experience and gets the new hire “actually know how to do the job.” The manager is indeed to sole responsible for any employee onboarding! Managers have the closest connection to the new employee’s daily responsibilities and team dynamics, making them uniquely positioned to:
Reinforce organizational values in practical, real-time contexts.
Foster immediate connections between the new hire and their peers.
Align onboarding goals with individual strengths and aspirations.
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