Keeping New Hires Beyond Their First 90 Days

Finding the right person for your operation is hard work, but keeping them through their first three months is where the real value lies. Whether you have hired an import operator at the market median of £33,500 or a transport planner at £43,750, losing someone early disrupts your entire team. A practical, structured 90-day onboarding plan stops new recruits from walking away before they find their feet.

Days 1 to 30: Clear the road early

Freight and transport desks move fast, and new starters are often left to sink or swim because the workload is heavy. That approach backfires quickly.

• Sort system access before day one: Make sure email accounts, customs software, WMS access, and port community logins (such as Destin8 or CNS) are live on morning one. Sitting idle for two days waiting on IT makes a poor first impression.
• Assign a desk buddy: Pair your new hire with an experienced peer who is not their direct manager. A new warehouse operative or customs clerk needs someone nearby to answer small, practical questions without feeling awkward.
• Set 30-day goals: Be specific about what they need to master first. Do not expect them to handle complex deep-sea import files or manage driver routes alone until they understand your internal filing and handover routines.

Days 31 to 90: Feedback and steady ownership

By month two, the initial novelty wears off and the daily grind begins. This is the danger zone where new hires often decide whether they see a long-term future with you.

• Do not save feedback for day 89: Hold structured reviews at 30, 60, and 90 days. Talk honestly about what is working and where they need support, and give them space to raise their own concerns.
• Watch the seasonal strain: In November, port volumes and distribution depots across Suffolk face heavy winter pressures. Keep an eye on workload so you do not burn out a promising new hire with unchecked overtime.
• Open up the wider business: Introduce them to your key hauliers, warehouse supervisors, or overseas agents. Helping a new hire see how their desk links to the docks and local supply chain builds real commitment.

What to do this month

• Audit your starter checklist: Ensure logins, equipment, and health and safety inductions are booked at least five days before any new starter walks through the door.
• Lock in review dates: Put 30, 60, and 90-day review meetings into both your diary and your new hire’s calendar during their first week.
• Brief your mentors: Speak with the team members acting as onboarding buddies so they know what is expected of them during peak operational hours.
• Ask recent hires what worked: Sit down with someone who joined your team six months ago and ask what was missing from their own first 90 days.