Don't Waste the Chaos
Don't Waste the Chaos is a weekly podcast for small business owners and HR professionals who want practical, no-nonsense people strategy.
Host Kerri M. Roberts is an HR strategist, consultant, and founder of Salt & Light Advisors with 20+ years of experience turning reactive HR into proactive systems.
Each Tuesday, she breaks down hiring, onboarding, compliance, culture, and leadership - the kind of strategy that typically costs thousands in consulting, delivered in under 40 minutes.
If you're managing people and want to do it better, this show is for you.
New episode every Tuesday.
Learn more about the show and Kerri at www.kerrimroberts.com.
Don't Waste the Chaos
Onboarding Isn't Paperwork: The 30/60/90 Plan That Actually Works | HR Systems Series Ep. 3
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A bad hire costs about 50% of their annual salary in year one - and most of that cost doesn't come from a bad hiring decision. It comes from failed onboarding.
If your onboarding looks like paperwork, a quick tour, and "let me know if you have questions," you've handed your new hire abandonment with a welcome sign. In Episode 3 of the HR Systems Series, Kerri Roberts breaks down the 30/60/90 day onboarding plan that actually works - the same system she builds with her small and mid-sized business clients to retain top talent, set clear expectations, and stop the "people problems" cycle before it starts.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Why most "first 90 day" turnover isn't about the job - it's about the experience starting the job
- The pre-boarding window most companies completely waste (and what to send instead)
- How to structure days 1–30 so new hires feel like they made the right decision
- What real check-ins look like at days 30 and 60 (hint: not a hallway chat)
- The one question every manager needs to ask before the 90-day review
- The five-piece system you can build in about an hour
Hiring is the front door. Onboarding is whether the house is ready when they walk in. Let's build the system.
Resources & Links Mentioned
- The HR Easy Button (book): saltandlightadvisors.com/thehreasybutton
- HR Foundations (course): saltandlightadvisors.com/hrfoundations
- Free resources & freebies: saltandlightadvisors.com/freebies
- Work with Kerri / contact: saltandlightadvisors.com/contact
- Episode 1 — Employer Responsibility & the HR Mindset
- Episode 2 — Hiring: The 5-Component System
- Coming next week — Episode 4: HR Law & Compliance
Connect with Kerri
- Website: saltandlightadvisors.com
- Personal site: kerrimroberts.com
- New episodes drop every Tuesday
