In our ag businesses, we spend a lot of time building our teams. Recruiting, interviewing, making hiring decisions. There are many critical steps in the interview process. We identify the role we need to fill, recruit applicants, and go through rounds of interviews—all with the goal of making the best hiring decision possible.
Then what happens? Leaders breathe a sigh of relief and think, “Glad that’s done. Check the box.”
They make the offer, have the person show up on the first day, and move on to the next fire to put out.
The Problem with This Approach
Here’s the paradigm we need to shift: the process doesn’t end when you make the hiring decision. Sure, you’ve completed the recruiting and interviewing process. But that hiring decision isn’t the finish line—it’s just the beginning.
The hiring decision may be the end of the interviews, but it’s the beginning of building a relationship with your new employee.
What Does This Look Like in Practice?
Typically, we make the hiring decision, call the candidate, offer them the job, and say, “Okay, here’s the paperwork you need to fill out. Here’s when you should show up to work.”
We can do better. Here are additional actions that will build engagement from the start:
1. Share Your Excitement When Making the Offer
When you call to make the offer, don’t just go through the logistics. Share your genuine excitement about them joining the team. Highlight specific things you saw or heard during the interview process that led you to make this hiring decision. Make them feel valued and wanted.
2. Follow Up in Writing
Many times, leaders see the offer letter as just another step for the sake of a step. But following up in writing serves several important purposes:
It prevents miscommunication. You may think you were very clear in that phone call, but the candidate may not have caught everything. An offer letter ensures there’s no confusion about pay rate, benefits, or expectations.
It shows investment. It demonstrates that this isn’t just a phone call you’re crossing off your list—you care enough and value them enough to create a formal offer letter.
It makes it real. There’s something that feels official about having an offer letter in hand. Candidates show up differently to work when they know you’ve put time and energy into this process.
3. Continue to Connect Before Their Start Date
Don’t go radio silent after the offer is accepted. Check in a few days later to see how things are going. Call them a day or two before their first day to make sure they’re feeling comfortable, share your excitement again, and ensure you’re prepared when they arrive.
4. Prepare Before They Start
There’s nothing like showing up on your first day and hearing, “Oh, I forgot you were starting today,” or “Oh crap, I have meetings all day, so I’m just going to sit you in front of a desk and have you watch safety videos for six hours.”
Instead, be ready. Have a plan for their first week. Show them you’re prepared: “This is what our week is going to look like. The first few days, we’re going to spend time watching videos, talking about policies, and doing introductions.”
Three Types of Onboarding
When someone starts on their first day, our focus often goes straight to the most critical things they need to get paid and get up to speed quickly: fill out paperwork, watch videos, connect with their trainer.
That’s onboarding to the job, and it’s important. But there are two other equally important types of onboarding:
Onboarding to the Team
How are you introducing them to people? How are you helping them build relationships with their coworkers, peers, and other individuals they’ll work closely with? Don’t just do a quick tour and move on—create opportunities for meaningful connection.
Onboarding to the Business
Help them see the bigger picture. It’s not solely about the tasks they’ll perform—it’s about how they fit into the larger organization. Share:
- Your vision and mission
- Your company values
- Your history and what makes your organization unique
- Your business structure (privately held, family-owned, cooperative)
- What the overall business looks like (locations, structure, key people)
- What you want to accomplish in the next 3-5 years and how their role supports that
The Bottom Line
The impact on an individual’s ability to be productive, engaged, and committed to your organization starts from the moment you make that hiring decision. Treat it like the beginning it is, not the end. When you invest in those early days and weeks, you’re not just filling a position—you’re building a foundation for long-term success.