Retail & Consumer Services

Reimagine the First 90 Days

Turned onboarding into a growth pathway — enabling employees to remember, apply, and excel with confidence.

Situation

A large, multi-site organization struggled with an inconsistent onboarding process that left new hires overwhelmed and overly dependent on frontline managers. Roughly half of employee terminations occurred within the first 90 days, costing the business significantly in replacement and training expenses. Variations in store type, unclear ownership of training, and an over-reliance on classroom modules created onboarding gaps and slowed job proficiency.

Resolution

We launched a structured 90-day onboarding redesign to create scalable, engaging, and consistent experiences for new hires. Leveraging data-driven insights, regional collaboration, and multi-modal learning, we developed an Onboarding Playbook, Maturity Matrix, and Quick Wins Plan to improve retention and accelerate job proficiency. Pilot results showed a 20–30% projected increase in retention and a 25% faster time-to-task proficiency.

Standardization
& Alignment

Employee
Experience

Data-Driven
Change Adoption

The TED Way

25%

Faster time-to-task proficiency

30%

Improvement in 90-day retention

+15%

Increase in training completion rates

100%

Consistency achieved across pilot locations

Our Solutions

Transform

Conducted end-to-end onboarding process analysis

Identified critical training gaps through surveys, exit data, and observational studies

Designed an Onboarding Maturity Matrix to guide scalability and consistency

Elevate

Aligned onboarding phases with the first 90-day learning journey

Built Quick Wins Plans targeting critical points in the onboarding journey

Developed an Onboarding Plaubook adaptable to both centralized and decentralized models

Integrated microlearning and gamification to boost engagement and retention

Enhanced train-the-trainer programs to reduce frontline manager burden

Embedded continuous improvement feedback loops

Deliver

Leveraged company culture to create a more engaging and interactive experience

Achieved measurable increases in training completion and new hire satisfaction

Enabled consistent onboarding across all pilot sites

Provided a sustainable framework for ongoing onboarding performance measurement