How a Construction Firm Transformed Onboarding
“Now new hires say they feel they belong within weeks, not months. The onboarding experience is keeping them here—and they’re telling their friends too!”
Project Manager
Overview
A large construction company with 1,200 employees in multiple states needed to improve its onboarding process for field workers to help new hires assimilate faster and reduce turnover.
Results
40%
Faster time-to-assimilation for new hires.
28%
Higher retention rate after 90 days.
12+
Points higher NPS, inviting their friends to join us.
Challenges
- Slow assimilation into company culture and workflows for new hires, especially those in remote job sites.
- Early-stage turnover causing operational disruptions and added recruitment and training costs.
- Low referral rates—few new hires were willing to recommend the company to friends or former colleagues.
Targeted Actions to Drive Results
Accelerate Assimilation
- Send helpful resources, guides and other info —weekly and as needed— to new hire phones.
- Deliver role-specific micro-training and cultural touch points throughout the first 90 days via SMS text.
Increase Retention
- Use weekly pulse surveys to identify early concerns or gaps in training, tools, and any other issues.
- Provide real-time feedback loops between new hires and supervisors, enabling visible and quick problem resolution.
Boost Referrals
- Collect quick feedback (30-60-90 day) to measure satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.
- Share “success stories” from peers via text messages to the cohort of new hires to reinforce positive experiences.