By: Glenn Arnold

The competition for talent has not gone away. In many sectors, particularly safety, risk, injury management and leadership roles, strong candidates are still receiving multiple approaches and offers.

That means hiring managers cannot afford to relax once a verbal offer has been accepted.

By the time a business case is approved, the role is released, candidates are attracted, interviews are completed, references are checked, and HR prepares the formal contract, plenty of time has already passed. Then, once the contract is signed, there may still be a notice period to work through.

All the while, other employers may still be speaking to your chosen candidate.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: engage with your new person immediately. Don’t wait until their first day to start building the relationship, because others won’t wait.

The moment you agree to employ someone, pick up the phone. Congratulate them properly. Reinforce why you selected them. Help them feel confident that they have made the right decision.

Then give them practical visibility of what comes next.

Talk them through what their first 30, 60 and 90 days are likely to look like. Share what success will look like early on. Let them know who they will meet, what projects they may be stepping into, and what support will be available.

Where possible, provide simple details early: their email address, phone number, equipment arrangements, staff meeting schedules, induction plans, and any training days they should be aware of. If there are key meetings coming up, invite them where appropriate so they can start feeling connected before they start.

This is not about overwhelming someone before day one. It is about reducing uncertainty, building trust and keeping momentum alive.

A few simple actions can make a real difference:

• Keep in regular contact during the notice period.
• Send a welcome note from the manager or team.
• Provide a clear start-day agenda.
• Confirm equipment, access and onboarding arrangements early.
• Share useful background reading without creating homework.
• Make sure HR, IT and the manager are aligned before the candidate starts.

Recruitment does not end when the offer is accepted. It ends when your new person is engaged, committed and successfully settling into the role.

In a competitive market, silence creates risk. Communication creates confidence.