What if the first 90 days of a graduate’s career defined the next 9 years?
The first 90 days in a graduate’s career are more than just a warm welcome. They are a decisive period where identity is formed, behaviours take root, and belonging is either established or lost. For organisations, these days are not simply about onboarding—they are about shaping confidence, culture, and contribution that will influence performance and retention for years to come.
Why the first 90 days matter
Research shows that employees who go through engaging and meaningful onboarding are 58% more likely to stay beyond three years. More recent studies deepen this insight. Effective onboarding fosters organisational identification—the sense of belonging to a group—and enhances employee well-being, both of which reduce turnover intentions significantly (Springer, 2025). Similarly, literature on psychological safety highlights that when new hires feel safe to speak up, ask questions, and make mistakes, their engagement and retention rise sharply (Emerald, 2024).
There is also a behavioural science dimension. A UCL study found that forming new habits takes on average 66 days (Lally et al., 2009). This means the first 90 days of a graduate’s career is the ideal timeframe to hardwire behaviours such as seeking feedback, collaborating across teams, or engaging with organisational values. When onboarding is passive, those habits fail to form. When it is immersive and experiential, they stick.
Where traditional onboarding falls short
Many organisations still default to induction packs, presentations, and compliance checklists. Graduates often face information overload without opportunities to connect, practise, or contribute. The result is disengagement before their journey truly begins. In hybrid or digital-heavy contexts, this is compounded—studies at Microsoft found that even after six months, many new hires still lag behind tenured employees in building meaningful networks (Microsoft Research, 2022).
Onboarding as an experience
At MDA Training, we reimagine onboarding as an experience of identity, confidence, and contribution, not a process. Graduates learn best when they are not told about work but immersed in it. That is why we use experiential simulations that replicate the challenges, decisions, and interactions of real business life.
Digital simulations: safe spaces for decision-making
Our digital simulations enable graduates to explore decisions in a safe yet realistic environment. Whether balancing commercial trade-offs, weighing sustainability risks, or navigating customer dilemmas, graduates can test choices, see consequences, and build critical decision-making habits from the start. This aligns with McKinsey’s 2025 call for “skills-first onboarding” that equips hires to contribute meaningfully from day one.
Physical simulations: building culture and connection
Alongside digital learning, our physical simulations bring people together in collaborative, high-energy environments. These sessions require teamwork, problem-solving, and communication—exactly the behaviours that research shows underpin psychological safety and belonging. In doing so, they embed cultural identity and interpersonal trust, vital ingredients for retention and performance.
Blending for long-term impact
When digital and physical approaches are combined, graduates experience both analytical rigour and cultural integration. They develop technical acumen while building the social capital and psychological safety needed to thrive in today’s hybrid workplaces. This dual approach mirrors real-world complexity and accelerates both individual confidence and organisational contribution.
Defining the next 9 years
The evidence is clear: the first 90 days can define the next 9 years. They are a window for embedding habits, shaping identity, and building loyalty. Graduates who feel valued, connected, and capable in those early weeks are more likely to stay, perform, and grow into future leaders. For organisations, onboarding should not be treated as administration. It is a strategic opportunity to build the workforce of tomorrow.
At MDA Training, we partner with organisations to design onboarding programmes that inspire, engage, and retain. If you are ready to turn the first 90 days into an experience that defines the next nine years, we would love to start the conversation.
