Why it matters
Belonging shouldn't demand sameness. Research by Cable, Gino and Staats found that onboarding which invited newcomers to express their individual strengths led to better retention and customer satisfaction than onboarding focused only on the organisation's identity. This ritual welcomes the person, not just the new hire — and signals that their perspective matters from the beginning.
How to run it
- Share the prompts in advance. Give the newcomer three questions a day or two ahead:
- What's something about you that we wouldn't learn from your CV?
- What are you hoping to contribute here?
- What's one thing you've noticed this week that we could do better?
- Gather the team. Colleagues each share one thing they've appreciated about working with the newcomer so far, however small.
- Let the newcomer answer the prompts. Listen without correcting or defending.
- Act on one observation. Pick one of their "could do better" points and tell them what you'll do about it.
- Check back after 30 days. Have they formed relationships beyond their manager? Do they know who to ask for help? Are they contributing ideas?
Not just "Welcome to our organisation", but "We're glad you're here. We want to know you. And your perspective matters from the beginning."
Watch out for
- Turning it into a presentation or a performance — keep it conversational
- Ignoring the "what could we do better?" answer — act on at least one point
When not to use it
If the newcomer has had a difficult first week, hold a private check-in first and run the circle a little later.
Sources
- Cable, Gino & Staats (2013) — Breaking Them In or Eliciting Their Best?
- Roshan Thiran — The Funny Little Hat That Makes You a Googler
