Day One Matters: How Onboarding Sets the Tone for Culture

Onboarding isn’t just about setting up a desk; it’s your first big leadership test.

In this episode, Kan Kulture founder Kylie Anne Neal and People & Culture Consultant Georgina Walker unpack what really happens on day one, and why that first week can shape how long someone stays, how deeply they engage, and how connected they feel to the culture you’ve built.

They cover the small moments that matter, what poor onboarding really signals, and how leaders can stop treating induction as a task and start seeing it as a culture-shaping opportunity.

In this episode:

• The difference between onboarding and orientation (yes, they’re different)
• Why the first few days are make-or-break for employee retention
• What great leaders do to create connection from day one
• Simple ways to build cultural rituals into the first week
• How to avoid the onboarding traps that quietly lead to disengagement

If someone regrets joining your team in the first 48 hours, that’s not on them, it’s on you. This episode shows you how to get it right.

If you’re hiring, scaling, or resetting culture, this one’s essential.

Connect with kankulture.com to transform your company culture.