Building Workplaces Where Veterans Can Thrive
Inclusive Workplaces
The holiday season and the early months that follow are typically the busiest hiring periods of the year. From retail associates and warehouse staff to call center reps and frontline managers, employers will onboard thousands of new hires.
Organizations that treat interviewing, onboarding and training as an integrated employee experience will come out ahead with a more engaged, prepared and loyal workforce.
Interviewing legally: Keep it job-focused
Even well-intentioned hiring managers can cross a line without realizing it. Small talk can quickly drift into topics that are off-limits, such as family, health or background. A Greenhouse Software report found that over one-third of job seekers are asked inappropriate questions about age, race, or gender during interviews.
The best approach? Keep the conversation centered on what really matters: skills, availability, experience and ability to do the job. Train interviewers on what not to ask and show them how to reframe questions, so they stay job-related. Here are a few examples:
- Don’t ask: “How old are you?” or “When did you graduate?”
Instead say: “This role involves working with new technologies and fast-changing priorities. Tell me about how you stay current in your field.”
- Don’t ask: “Do you have kids?” or “Who takes care of your children?”
Instead say: “This position sometimes requires evening or weekend work. Would that schedule be manageable for you?”
- Don’t ask “Do you have any health issues?” or “Have you ever been injured on the job?”
Instead say: “This role requires lifting up to 25 pounds and standing for long periods. Are you able to meet those requirements with or without accommodation?”
- Don’t ask: “What does your spouse do?” or “Are you planning to move soon?”
Instead say: “If offered the position, when would you be available to start?”
- Don’t ask: “Where are you from?” or “What’s your nationality?”
Instead say: “This position may require communicating with global teams. Tell me about your experience working across different cultures or time zones.”
Beyond avoiding risky questions, structure your interviews, so every candidate gets the same set of job-related questions. It helps ensure fairness, consistency and better hiring decisions. Here are some examples of safe, productive questions:
- What attracted you to this role?
- Tell me about a time you solved a tough problem at work.
- What kind of environment helps you do your best work?
- How do you like to receive feedback?
- What skills are you most proud of developing in your last role?
Onboarding right: Turning hires into contributors
Once an offer is accepted, the next challenge begins. Onboarding can make or break a new hire’s experience
Strong onboarding helps new employees feel confident, connected and capable. Research shows that organizations with effective onboarding improve retention by up to 82%, and those employees are 69% more likely to stay three years or longer.
The most successful programs emphasize:
- Clarity: Set expectations, performance goals and communication channels right away.
- Connection: Help employees understand how their role contributes to the company’s bigger picture.
- Consistency: Always cover safety, conduct and culture with every new hire.
- Check-ins: Encourage early manager touchpoints to reinforce belonging and fix issues before they grow.
Managers play a crucial role in helping new hires feel included and confident. Encourage them to personalize the experience. For example, sending a welcome message before day one, making introductions to key team members, scheduling a coffee chat or team lunch, and checking in at the end of the first week to see how things are going.
The first 30 days are critical. Make sure new hires know who to go to for help, how success will be measured and where to find key resources. When onboarding is done well, new employees feel like valued members of the team, and that sense of purpose directly into higher engagement and stronger business results.
Training: The glue that holds it all together
Training is what turns onboarding into lasting performance by giving employees the tools and confidence to succeed.
At minimum, every new seasonal or full-time hire should complete training on:
Training reinforces expectations and shows that the organization values professionalism and safety at every level.
But effective training doesn’t stop after orientation. Reinforcing key topics through short, engaging refreshers keeps knowledge current and signals that learning is part of your culture — not a one-time event. Tailor training to each role: managers may need courses on communication, coaching, and bias awareness, while frontline employees benefit from scenario-based modules on customer service and de-escalation.
When employees see that development continues beyond day one, they’re more likely to stay engaged and perform at their best.
