Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association

As HR professionals, we often think about orientation and onboarding as a structured process which our leaders support on an employee’s first day – policies, training, checklists, schedules, forms, etc. But for new employees, onboarding begins much earlier.

In reality, onboarding is not a single event. It is a series of moments that, when strung together, demonstrate what leadership looks like in practice.

From the moment a potential candidate scrolls through a job posting or before a new employee walks through the door, they are observing and drawing conclusions. Before they read any of our onboarding documents, they learn what our business values, what behaviours are acceptable, and what our leadership is like. This is why first impressions matter.

First Impressions Start Before Day 1

While scrolling job postings and even attending interviews or screenings, candidates are not just assessing the job, they are also assessing the organization. They notice:

• How prepared interviewers are
• Whether the role and expectations are clearly explained
• How questions are answered
• If respect and professionalism are demonstrated consistently
• Whether values such as safety, accountability, and teamwork are visible

These early interactions help candidates answer important questions: Is this a place where people are supported? Is leadership aligned? Do expectations seem clear and realistic? Are questions encouraged and responded to clearly?

When experiences feel rushed, unclear, or disorganized, candidates may assume similar patterns exist once they are hired. Conversely, thoughtful and respectful interview interactions set the stage for trust and engagement long before orientation begins.

What New Employees Are Really Watching

Once hired, new employees arrive motivated and observant. In their first days and weeks, they continue to watch behaviour closely. They notice:

• Whether leaders are visible, prepared, and engaged
• How employees interact with each other
• How questions and uncertainty are handled
• How people treat one another under pressure
• Whether safety, respect, and accountability are actively modelled
• How mistakes or learning gaps are addressed

These experiences, most often, will not come from formal orientation/onboarding materials, but from daily interactions and subtle cues.

Leaders play a key role in translating organizational values into lived experience.

Culture is not established through mission statements alone. It is reinforced through consistent leadership behaviour across every interaction.

When leaders take time to explain expectations, be present during onboarding, reinforce the “why” behind policies and procedures and encourage questions, the message is clear: people matter, learning is valued, and accountability is shared.

New employees don’t expect perfection. They do expect clarity, consistency, and follow-through.

The Silent Messages Leaders Send

Orientation often focuses on formal requirements such as completing forms, reviewing policies and procedures and participating in training. While necessary, these are only part of the onboarding experience. Equally important are the silent messages leaders send through action or inaction.

For example:

• If safety is mentioned but not reinforced.
• If respect is emphasized during orientation but poor behaviour is tolerated.
• If accountability is discussed but expectations aren’t followed up on.

Employees notice this. These early observations shape how employees behave, including whether they report concerns, ask for help, or feel comfortable raising concerns before they become problems.

Onboarding Is a Shared Responsibility

While HR may coordinate hiring and orientation, onboarding is not solely an HR function. It is a shared leadership responsibility.

Leaders set the tone by:

• Representing the organization authentically
• Being visible and approachable
• Reinforcing expectations consistently
• Checking in beyond the first day or week
• Modelling the behaviours they expect to see

Even brief moments, such as a welcome conversation on the employee’s first day, or a check-in during the first month, can significantly shape how supported and confident a new employee feels.

Onboarding Tips for Leaders

Small actions that make a big difference

• Treat interviews as onboarding. Candidates are already forming impressions about leadership and culture.
• Set clear expectations. Don’t assume that by reading the policies, the employees will automatically know how to execute them. Explain what success looks like in practice.
• Be present early. Leadership visibility in the first weeks signals that people matter.
• Normalize learning. Reinforce that questions are expected and encouraged.
• Model priorities. Demonstrate commitment to safety, respect, and accountability through your actions.
• Check in often. Informal conversations build trust faster than formal reviews alone.
• Close the loop. Follow-up discussions to show consistency.

 Why First Impressions Last

Early experiences strongly influence engagement, retention, performance, and safety. From the interview to the communication and information provided prior to their first day, and all the way through the first few months on the job, this time is essential for shaping the employee’s perspective on the organization.

Employees who experience consistency between what they were told and what they see are more likely to stay engaged and take ownership of their role. They have the confidence to follow procedures because they have been given clear direction, and they are more likely to feel empowered to speak up about concerns they may have.

For leaders, onboarding is not just about welcoming someone new, it’s about demonstrating, through action, what leadership looks like here. Because what employees see before we say even a word often defines everything that follows.