A new study by BamboHR concludes that employers have 44 days before new hires decide whether to stay in a job or not.

BambooHR conducted this research using an online survey prepared by Method Research and distributed by RepData among n=1,565 adults age 18+ in the United States who are full-time office/computer workers. Data was collected from April 5, 2023 to April 26, 2023.

Among the sample, n=500 respondents are in an HR functional management role, said the company.

According to the study, 44% of the employees said they had regrets or second thoughts about accepting their job offer within the first week.

“In fact, starting a new job can be so disappointing that nearly one-quarter of employees (23%) admit they’ve cried within their first week,” wrote BambooHR.Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of employees (62%) believe that their impressions of their company from the first day at work are still accurate, with 60% agreeing that first impressions are hard to change.

This means employee retention hinges on a narrow window of opportunity, BambooHR wrote. “By the time a new hire has been on the job for two months, it’ll be almost impossible to shake any negative first impressions,” they said.

A great onboarding experience can pay dividends for years to come because if the new hire receives a warm welcome, their positive first impression may make them more forgiving and loyal.

The study also shows that new hires expect onboarding to include seamless access to technology that will include their work computers, software, and shared passwords, among other essentials.

Accordingly about 97% of employees say it’s important for onboarding to include training on the tools and software the company uses, meanwhile 81% consider it “crucial” to onboarding.

“Nearly all new hires also want onboarding to include an introduction to employee guidelines (97%) and the company’s mission statement and values (96%),” wrote BambooHR.

Therefore, it is important for HR professionals and hiring managers to prioritise the new hire’s daily collaborators by making them meet the CEO, whilst fostering close connections with managers and co-workers can help resolve many of new hires’ biggest frustrations.