HR Staple

New Starters

Getting a new hire right starts long before their first day and the impression you make in those early weeks can define whether they stay for the long term.

Bringing someone new into your business is one of the most important — and most underestimated — people decisions you'll make. Get it right, and you gain a motivated, committed team member who hits the ground running. Get it wrong, and the cost in time, money, and morale can be significant.

HR Staple supports businesses across Edinburgh, the Lothians, and Central Scotland through every stage of the new starter journey — from identifying exactly what you need, right through to making sure your new employee feels genuinely welcomed, prepared, and set up to succeed.

How We Help

1. Understanding Your Needs Before you post a single advert, it's worth being really clear on what you're looking for. We work with you to define your staffing requirements, identify the skills and behaviours that will genuinely add value, and make sure you're hiring for the right reasons at the right time.

2. Job Descriptions and Adverts A well-written job description does two things: it attracts the right candidates and discourages the wrong ones. We create clear, compelling job descriptions and adverts that accurately reflect the role, your culture, and what makes your business a great place to work — giving you the best possible pool of candidates to choose from.

3. Selection and Interview Process We help you design a fair, thorough, and legally compliant selection process — whether that's structured interviews, skills-based assessments, or a combination of both. The goal is to give you the confidence that the person you're hiring is genuinely the best fit for the role and your team.

4. Contracts and Offer Documentation We take care of the paperwork — ensuring offer letters, contracts of employment, and any supporting documentation are accurate, legally compliant, and professionally presented. First impressions count, and your offer pack is part of that.

5. Induction and Onboarding A great onboarding experience is one of the most powerful retention tools available — yet it's often the area businesses invest in least. We help you build an induction programme that helps your new starter understand your culture, feel confident in their role, and become a productive, engaged member of your team as quickly as possible.

The Result

A consistent, professional, and welcoming new starter experience that sets the right tone from day one — reducing early attrition, building loyalty, and giving your new hire every reason to stay.

Planning a new hire? Let's make sure you get it right from the start.

Strategic HR Services

Organisational Development & Strategic HREmployee EngagementCulture and ValuesManagement Development TrainingHR Director Service

Operational HR Services

HR AuditNew StartersPolicies, Procedures and ContractsPerformance ManagementHR ProjectsEmployee RelationsWorkplace MediationHR Software

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What's the difference between onboarding and induction?+
The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they're slightly different. Induction usually refers to the initial process of introducing someone to the business, their role, and the practical basics like systems, policies, and who's who. Onboarding is the broader, longer journey of helping a new starter settle in, understand the culture, and become a confident, productive member of the team. Induction tends to be the first few days, while good onboarding continues over the first weeks and months.
Q: Why does the new starter experience matter so much?+
Because the impression you make in the early weeks often decides whether someone stays for the long term. Bringing in a new hire is one of the most underestimated people decisions a business makes. Done well, you gain a motivated employee who settles quickly. Done poorly, the cost in time, money, and morale can be significant, and you risk losing them early. A consistent, welcoming experience from day one reduces early attrition and helps build loyalty from the outset.
Q: We're hiring for the first time. Where do we start?+
The best place to start is before you post an advert, by getting really clear on what you actually need. That means defining the role, the skills and behaviours that will genuinely add value, and making sure you're hiring for the right reasons at the right time. From there it moves into writing a strong job description, running a fair selection process, sorting the contracts and paperwork, and planning a proper induction. We can support you through all of it, or just the parts you're less sure about.
Q: Can you help write job descriptions and adverts?+
Yes. A well written job description does two jobs at once. It attracts the right candidates and quietly discourages the wrong ones, which saves you time later. We create clear, compelling job descriptions and adverts that accurately reflect the role, your culture, and what makes your business a good place to work. The result is a stronger pool of candidates and a clearer basis for making your decision.
Q: Do you make sure the recruitment process is legally compliant?+
Yes. We help you design a selection process that's fair, thorough, and legally sound, whether that's structured interviews, skills based assessments, or a combination. Getting this right matters, because recruitment is an area where businesses can unintentionally fall foul of discrimination and fairness requirements. A well designed process protects you legally and also gives you genuine confidence that the person you're hiring is the best fit for the role and the team.
Q: What documents does a new starter legally need?+
At a minimum, employees and workers are entitled to a written statement of their main employment terms from their first day, and in practice you'll also want a proper contract of employment and a clear offer pack. Getting this paperwork accurate and professionally presented matters both legally and for first impressions, since your offer documentation is part of how a new hire experiences your business before they even start. We take care of this so it's compliant, accurate, and reflects well on you.