Well-being and Onboarding

Well-Being & Onboarding 101

When onboarding new leaders, understanding their unique well-being needs sets the tone for a strong start. In my experience working with organizations through leadership transitions, the sheer volume of unresolved problems, team dynamics, uncertainty, and norms that a leader must absorb quickly can be daunting. As a result, leaders may begin their roles overwhelmed, which means stress is higher than ever. Our society focuses on the mantra, "Hit the ground running," but is that the best approach?

When organizations equip leaders with well-being skills during onboarding, they are more likely to immerse these practices throughout their teams, exhibit greater empathy, and cultivate an environment that attracts and retains top talent.

The Importance of Onboarding Leaders with Well-Being Skills

The initial phase of a leader's start is critical. Research tells the story:

🎯 Research indicates that 86% of new hires decide whether to stay with a company within the first six months

🎯 Effective onboarding processes can boost new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%

🎯 85% of leaders reported increased team member engagement after undergoing training focused on well-being

For leaders, the onboarding period is about acclimating to their roles and setting the tone for their teams. Leaders who receive comprehensive onboarding that emphasizes well-being can foster more team engagement and productivity.

Key Areas of Well-Being for Leadership Success

Focusing on specific dimensions of well-being can significantly enhance a leader's effectiveness. Below are three dimension examples:

Emotional Well-Being: Leaders who manage their emotions can handle life's demands more effectively and make better decisions. This emotional intelligence enables leaders to support their teams better, resulting in higher levels of trust and reduced burnout.
Social Well-Being: Leaders who engage positively with their teams create a sense of belonging and inclusion, enhancing team cohesion, performance, and workplace connections.
Environmental Well-Being: Leaders who prioritize a healthy work environment can reduce stressors and promote well-being among team members. Examples include physical or virtual spaces or encouraging different places to foster creativity.

Reimagining Work and Well-Being Through Leader Onboarding

Investing in the well-being of leaders during their onboarding is not just a package of wellness benefits; it's about strategy and intention. Organizations prioritizing leadership well-being make the "I care about you" statement early, resulting in higher-performing teams and a better workplace culture.

Research supports this priority, too. A Forbes study showed that organizations prioritizing well-being could significantly impact their employees' mental health. In this same study, data suggests that for almost 70% of people, their manager has more impact on their mental health than their therapist or doctor.

How We Can Help

Integrating well-being strategies into leadership onboarding is imperative to cultivating a thriving organizational culture. Fitwell Solutions helps organizations across various sectors—including tech start-ups, healthcare, higher education, and non-profits—embed comprehensive well-being approaches into their onboarding processes.

Partner with Fitwell Solutions to ensure your leaders have what they need to foster a culture of well-being, drive engagement, and retain top talent.

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The One Priority That Determines Executive Onboarding Success

By Valerie Merriweather • February 11, 2026

When is comes to leaders, the first 90 days of an executive hire can be a layered with complexities that can feel like a whirlwind to say the least. In my work with organizations, the one priority that directly impacts a new leader’s long-term success is something that may not be at the top of the list. Process. Process is often an essential yet overlooked area that falls through the cracks in executive onboarding. What do I mean by process? I’m glad you asked. Let’s define process in its most basic form: According to Merriam-Webster, a process is a series of actions that produce something or lead to a particular result. Now, that definition sounds simple enough. Nonetheless, this definition alone can be a roadblock to determining who owns what. For example, with executive onboarding, who owns the process? Is it HR? Is it the hiring manager? Is it the new executive? How is the process introduced and when? How does an organization know if its process even works? Sometimes the answer is not so obvious. To ensure that new leaders have the support they need from day one, see our top 5 process areas to prioritize: Systems Overview Understanding the organization from a systems lens is key. In addition to organizational charts, it’s crucial to provide a resource that shows how all parts of the organization fit and work together (even if it’s not ideal). When leaders aren’t aware of the interconnected parts of the organization, they risk losing traction, getting stuck in the weeds, or solving problems that divert time from their primary role. Partner Introductions Many organizations have some level of partnerships in place, such as vendor, contractor, or legacy relationships. Make sure your new leaders have the information they need to connect with partners early, understand their needs, and maintain continuity in touchpoints. Stakeholder Management New leaders’ calendars are often full of meet-and-greet meetings. In this area, taking the time to curate an ideal stakeholder list is key. Getting to know your new leaders, their goals for their new role, and who they need in their network is the starting point for establishing or continuing value-added stakeholder relationships. AI Integration An AI readiness checklist is a great way to make the AI conversation part of the overall organizational planning and communication with team members. This area can be a source of concern, especially if the team does not know the leader’s vision for AI integration or how it may impact their roles. Addressing this topic early can yield early wins and strengthen the company’s overall culture. Well-being Action Plan New leaders can face overwhelming pressure in their first few months in their roles. Well-being action plans are critical for helping leaders find a rhythm in their work early, prioritize their well-being, and have a toolkit for ongoing management to avoid burnout. Focusing on the process during executive onboarding is not only a good idea but also a sound business priority that will ensure new leaders are successful beyond the first 90 days. We love being an extra set of eyes on your process. If you need an executive onboarding process review, contact us for a complimentary consultation.