The better and more logical a new employee's introduction on their first day, the more likely it will be that you will keep them.

I have heard stories of staff turning up on the first day, going to lunch and not coming back. I have heard of workplaces where the new staff member was given a desk but no chair or computer and they had to go and take their own chair and assemble their own computer from spare desks. These companies wondered why they were losing staff.

So, what's the first experience the new employee has of you and your company? Are you happy to see them and welcome them? Do you show them the ropes in a way they can understand (knowing that they are usually carrying a fair amount of stress and will not take in everything you say on the first day)? Have you blocked out time to spend talking with them or do you just show them their space and expect them to get on with it?

Do you have everything ready and waiting for them or are you hunting around for basics like stationary? Do you cover all the essentials like when they will be paid, what they need to do to get paid, where the toilets are, what time they are expected at work, who to ring if they are sick and how to answer the phone, or do you expect them to pick it up by osmosis?

Do you have a formal employee induction program, where new starters all get the same basic information about the company? Do they know what the company does and how their piece of work contributes to the bigger picture of the company?

If you find that you regularly are losing staff with less than 12 months service - take a look at your employee induction program. Ask staff as part of an exit process - "what could our company do to make starting with our company more welcoming", and act on their feedback.

A solid employee induction is the best investment in staff retention. How does your employee induction shape up?

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Ingrid Cliff is an experienced HR Manager and Human Resources Writer who is the author of "Instant HR Policies and Procedures" and "Employee Performance Reviews : Tips, Templates & Tactics".