The Firstweek Blog

Notes on onboarding, retention, and the first week.

Research, playbooks, and product thinking on new hire retention and onboarding, for teams who believe the first week decides the first year.

The ROI of the First 90 Days: Making the Business Case for Onboarding Retention
Jun 18, 2026
The ROI of the First 90 Days: Making the Business Case for Onboarding

Every dollar you don't spend on onboarding, you're already spending on departures. Here's the ROI math to bring to budget season.
The Invisible Invoice: Ramp Time, Manager Hours, and the Cost of Almost-Productive People Retention
Jun 16, 2026
The Invisible Invoice: Ramp Time, Manager Hours, and the Cost of Almost-Productive People

Ramp time hides a five-figure invoice per hire, and it only pays back if people stay. Here's what the math actually looks like.
The Math Nobody Runs: What a First-Year Quit Actually Costs You Retention
Jun 11, 2026
The Math Nobody Runs: What a First-Year Quit Actually Costs You

Most companies never calculate what a first-year quit actually costs. Run the math and the number lands in the six figures, fast.
The First-Year Cliff: Why Your Best Hires Leave Before Their First Anniversary Retention
Jun 9, 2026
The First-Year Cliff: Why Your Best Hires Leave Before Their First Anniversary

Roughly 40% of employee turnover happens in the first year. The fix is not better hiring. It is what happens in the first 90 days.