Landing the right candidate has never been easy. Companies spend weeks screening resumes, conducting interviews and negotiating offers. Yet many could be making a costly mistake after the hiring process ends.
According to Michael Page’s Talent Trends 2026 India report, nearly half of employees could start questioning their decision to join a company on the very first day if the onboarding experience goes badly.
The finding points to a growing reality in today’s job market. Hiring is no longer just about getting candidates to say yes. It is also about ensuring they feel confident, welcomed and valued once they arrive.
THE DAY 1 PROBLEM
The report found that 45% of employees would consider leaving because of a poor onboarding experience.
That figure should concern employers because onboarding is often treated as an administrative exercise involving paperwork, policies and system access. Employees, however, increasingly see it as their first real test of whether the promises made during recruitment match reality.
The report argues that onboarding should be viewed as the final stage of hiring rather than a process that begins after recruitment ends.
| Employee trust indicators | Findings |
|---|---|
| Employees considering leaving due to poor onboarding | 45% |
| Employees not seeking new roles who trust leadership | 68% |
| Employees undecided about moving jobs who trust leadership | 64% |
| Active job seekers who trust leadership | 65% |
The data suggests trust plays a major role in whether employees stay or start exploring other options.
TRUST IS THE NEW RETENTION TOOL
The survey found that employees who are not looking for a new job tend to have slightly higher trust in leadership.
Among those not seeking new opportunities, 68% said they trust leadership. That figure falls slightly among those considering a move or actively looking elsewhere.
While the gap is not huge, it highlights a simple point: people are more likely to stay where they trust management, company culture and workplace promises.
The report also notes that employees increasingly value authenticity, inclusivity and psychological safety. Workers want the culture they were promised during recruitment to be the culture they actually experience after joining.
THE SALARY TRANSPARENCY EFFECT
Money remains important, but uncertainty around money may be even more damaging.
One of the report’s most striking findings is that one-third of active job seekers come from organisations with non-transparent salary structures.
When employees do not understand how pay decisions are made, dissatisfaction can grow quickly. In the absence of clear information, assumptions often fill the gap.
The report also found clear benefits for employers that openly discuss compensation.
| Salary transparency finding | Data |
|---|---|
| Active job seekers from firms with non-transparent pay structures | 1 in 3 |
| Companies with transparent salary structures reporting easier hiring | 50% |
For employers, transparency appears to make recruitment smoother by aligning expectations early and reducing surprises later.
WHY THIS MATTERS IN 2026
The Talent Trends 2026 report paints a picture of a workforce that values confidence and clarity more than ever before.
Employees want to know how they will be paid, how they will work and what their first few months will look like. When those answers are missing, even a successful hire can quickly become a retention problem.
For companies competing for talent, the lesson is straightforward. Winning a candidate is only half the battle. Building trust from the first interaction through the first day and beyond may be what determines whether that employee stays for years or starts looking for the exit almost immediately.