Investing in People Is Essential. Here’s How to Hire and Onboard for Growth

Key Summary

• Sustainable business scaling hinges on prioritizing people over systems, as a company's growth is ultimately determined by the quality of its team members and their alignment with organizational values.
• To foster a strong and adaptable workforce, businesses must implement a robust hiring process that emphasizes cultural fit and values, alongside a structured and repeatable onboarding system that integrates new employees effectively.
• Beyond formal training, cultivating a supportive environment through mentorship and actively seeking feedback from new hires are crucial for reducing turnover, enhancing efficiency, and building an enduring company culture.

Scaling is not only about systems or sales. It is about people.

Processes can scale easily. People cannot. As your business grows, your team will either become your greatest strength or your biggest constraint. Many business owners focus on systems, technology, and marketing, but forget that growth ultimately comes down to people, the right ones, in the right roles, working within a clear structure. 

If you want your company to scale smoothly, you must build a hiring and onboarding process that grows with you. Here is how to do it. 

1. Hire for Fit, Train for Skill

A resume can tell you what a person has done, but it cannot tell you how they think or how they will behave under pressure. Skills can be taught; values cannot. 

Hire people who align with your company’s culture and who genuinely care about your mission. Look for curiosity, initiative, and accountability. Those traits will take your business further than technical expertise alone. 

During interviews, go beyond the standard questions. Ask about how they handled mistakes, what they learned from tough situations, and how they define success. The answers will tell you far more than a list of accomplishments. When you prioritize hiring for a culture fit, training becomes easier, and retention increases dramatically. 

2. Build a Repeatable Onboarding System

The first 30 days of employment set the tone for everything that follows. Yet many small businesses still treat onboarding as an afterthought. New hires are handed a laptop, a list of tasks, and little context about the company they just joined. You can do better. 

Document every step of your onboarding process, from paperwork and tools, access to introductions, and training milestones. Assign clear responsibilities for who welcomes new employees, who trains them, and when check-ins happen. 

Automate what you can, such as sending pre-start welcome emails and providing access to training materials. Then, use your time for what really matters: human connection. Help new team members feel valued, supported, and part of something meaningful. 

3. Pair Every New Hire With a Mentor

Formal onboarding teaches skills, but mentorship teaches culture. Assign each new hire a buddy, someone who has been in the company long enough to know how things really work. 

The buddy’s role is to answer questions, explain unwritten norms, and serve as a sounding board during those first few months. This single step can significantly reduce early turnover, which is one of the most expensive and preventable costs in business. People stay longer when they feel seen, guided, and connected. 

4. Create a Feedback Loop

Onboarding is not one and done. After the first 30 and 90 days, ask every new hire for feedback. What worked? What felt confusing? What would they improve? 

Use their insights to refine your system. The people who just went through it will spot gaps you no longer notice. Continuous improvement keeps your onboarding process current and effective, even as your business evolves. Scaling is not only about systems or sales; it is about people. A business that invests in its people creates loyalty, efficiency, and a culture that no competitor can replicate. 

When you hire intentionally, onboard consistently, and listen actively, you create a company that grows stronger with every new addition. That is how you scale the human side of your business, and that is what truly makes growth sustainable. 

Connect with an Old National Small Business Banker for more insights to help your business grow.

This article was written by David Finkel from Inc. and was legally licensed through the DiveMarketplace by Industry Dive. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.