Hiring Managers should build the sturdy bridges from candidate to employee experience

Hiring managers have a big impact on candidates from the interview stage through onboarding. In fact, it’s massive – it’s usually the single biggest factor in a candidate’s decision to join and eventually stay with a company.

And yet, for as long as we’ve run the CandE Benchmark Research Program and researched improving recruiting, hiring, and the candidate experience, we haven’t covered it as much as we should have. 

No time like the present. Our research this year will cover more hiring manager impacts. 

While recruiters have historically handled the logistics and HR set the policies, the hiring managers are the ultimate human face of the role. 

In this case, let’s talk about the end game with the candidates who are getting the offers, as that impacts retention from the start.

The hiring manager’s job doesn’t end when the offer is signed; their impact during the first 90 days dictates long-term retention. But what we don’t talk a lot about is their impact before day 1.

Why is that important? Because depending on the role, paperwork, certification checks, background checks, etc., the early connection with the manager and co-workers before the new hires start is critical. How many times have we heard in the past few years of new hires not even showing up on day 1. That includes hourly as well as salaried professionals. 

• Setting Clear Expectations: A manager who provides a structured 30/60/90-day plan prior to their start date or very soon after gives the new hire a roadmap for success.

• Cultural Integration: Managers act as the bridge between the new hire and the rest of the company. Introducing them to key stakeholders and co-workers, explaining unwritten team norms, and assigning a peer buddy are critical steps.

• Early Feedback: Regular check-ins during the first few weeks show the employee that their manager is invested in their growth.

The last one is post day 1, but still just as important to near-term retention overall. You’ve heard the saying: “People join companies, but they leave managers.” The reality is that people often join managers, too. A strong hiring manager acts as a magnet for top people and referrals, while a disengaged one drives candidates away to competitors.

Which is why it’s so mind-boggling to me as to why so many new hires don’t hear from their new managers before day 1 (besides the final interviewing, offers, etc.). 

Just take a look at the table below. From 2023 to 2025:

• 24% fewer hourly new hires said they received a call from their hiring manager before day 1.
• 28% fewer hourly new hires said they received a text from their hiring manager before day 1.
• 14% fewer salaried professional new hires said they received a call from their hiring manager before day 1.
• 8% fewer salaried professional new hires said they received a text from their hiring manager before day 1.
• 12% fewer management / senior leadership new hires said they received a call from their hiring manager before day 1.
• 13% fewer management / senior leadership new hires said they received a text from their hiring manager before day 1.

All on the decline for the past three years. From hourly to management, it’s important that new hires hear from their managers before they start. Think about the “cultural integration” bullet above – even though only 20% of all participating CandE companies and CandE Winners on average the past few years have provided multiple options to communicate goals to new hires, have them meet key team members, get questions answered, all prior to their start date, these candidates were 133% more willing to increase their relationship out of the gate. 

The more nurturing and engagement that occurs prior to their start date, the greater opportunity to improve new hire retention from the beginning, at least in the short run, and to build the sturdy bridges from candidate to employee experience.