Hiring the right candidate is only part of the recruitment journey and should align with a well-defined recruitment strategy. The period between a candidate accepting an offer and their first day (commonly their notice period) can be surprisingly delicate. For new hires, this is often a time of mixed emotions: excitement about a new opportunity, nostalgia or apprehension about leaving their current role, and sometimes uncertainty about what awaits them in their new team. For employers, it’s a crucial window to nurture engagement and ensure the candidate arrives on day one motivated and committed, guided by hiring best practices and a clear recruitment strategy plan.
Even the most enthusiastic new hire can be vulnerable during this period. If they are as talented as you believe, chances are they were courted by other organisations as well. It is likely that they are still maintaining relationships with their current team and managing expectations with colleagues and managers. New employers who initiate thoughtful, measured contact during the notice period demonstrate that the new hire’s choice was right and that their arrival is genuinely anticipated. This approach should be intentional and part of your broader recruitment strategy, complementing earlier candidate screening and offer management steps that reflect hiring best practices.
Maintaining contact doesn’t mean overwhelming the candidate. Small gestures can be highly effective. For example, inviting them to a team night out, if one is scheduled and appropriate, provides an informal way to start forming human connections with future colleagues. Some clients arrange a lunch halfway through the notice period, giving the new hire an opportunity to ask questions and get to know key team members in a relaxed environment. Others simply maintain regular, light touchpoints: a quick call or email to remind them how much the team is looking forward to their start, share updates about preparations for their first day, or provide insight into upcoming projects they’ll be involved with. These touchpoints should be mapped in your recruitment strategy plan so that communication is consistent, timely, and aligned with hiring best practices from the end of candidate screening to day one.
The aim is to strike the right balance: enough engagement to keep the candidate feeling valued and included, without making them feel pressured. Thoughtful communication during this transitional period can significantly improve onboarding success, boost early productivity, and reinforce that your organisation is a place where people are welcomed, supported, and appreciated from day one. Embedding this notice-period engagement into your recruitment strategy ensures continuity between candidate screening, offer acceptance, and onboarding.
Consider formalising the process with a simple checklist: designate an owner for weekly check-ins, schedule a midpoint lunch or virtual coffee, share a brief welcome pack, and provide access to non-sensitive materials that build context (such as an org chart or upcoming team goals). Tie these actions to what candidates experienced during candidate screening to reinforce consistency and trust. This consistency showcases a recruitment strategy that values people, communication, and preparedness.
Staying connected during the notice period is a small investment that pays substantial dividends in employee engagement and retention. With a clear recruitment strategy plan that includes structured pre-start engagement, you create a positive bridge from acceptance to onboarding, helping new hires arrive confident, informed, and excited to contribute from day one.
