Saima Zaman | October 2025
It’s October, and I always think back to my time as a Director of Talent and HR in New Orleans. At this point in the school year, everyone was ready for Fall Break.
Yet, I also remember seeing the weariness on teachers’ faces as we counted down the days. Many principals would tell me that staff were already thinking about next year. And around this time, we sometimes saw mid-year departures — a particularly tough moment for schools and students alike. Research from the New Teacher Center highlights how stressful the fall months can be for new educators, who are navigating lesson planning, classroom management, and building relationships all at once (see graphic to the right).
Over the past year, I’ve spoken with schools proactively thinking through retention strategies, differentiating approaches for new and returning staff. Today, I want to focus on strategies for retaining new teachers — those who joined your school this academic year.
What Organizations Often Get Wrong in the First Year
A 2023 Forbes study found that 30% of new hires leave within the first 90 days. Early attrition is particularly disruptive mid-year, when students and remaining staff feel the impact.
While many reasons are cited for early attrition, research highlights two areas that organizations can address to significantly improve retention within the first year:
- Poor Onboarding
Structured onboarding is critical to setting expectations, welcoming staff into the organization, and fostering connections. Studies show that strong onboarding programs can improve new hire retention by up to 82% and increase productivity by more than 70%. - Lack of Support or Mentorship
Mentorship is vital for helping new staff feel supported and included. Research shows that employees with mentors have a 72% retention rate, compared to 49% for those without a mentor.
Keeping Employees Invested Amidst Uncertainty: A Framework for Engagement and Onboarding
With the loss of ESSER funding and other changes in the education landscape we know that many organizations are facing challenges that impact recruitment and retention. At times like this, it is really important to circle back to ensuring we support our employees and think through all that we can offer (benefits, compensation, support structures for staff, etc) to invest and engage staff. 
A helpful frame for employee engagement is the 5Cs framework. I share this to reiterate the critical pillars to ensure schools focus on overall to keep employees engaged and positive. All too often we forget about these things in our daily work and being intentional about ensuring we hit these Cs throughout the year goes a long way.
When we consider these pillars and apply them to new employees, the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) provides a very helpful framework for onboarding. Onboarding should address the 4Cs : Compliance, Clarification, Culture and Connection. See the table to the right that illustrates this framework and activities that align to each C.
In sum you are integrating the pillars of engagement very internationally into your onboarding plans.
Many organizations excel at compliance but often underdeliver on the other three areas, which are essential for early engagement.
I would like to share three strategies I’ve heard from schools that can tackle Clarification, Culture and Connection. A strong onboarding process should embody all the Cs.
Strategy 1: Implement a Buddy or Mentorship Program
Pairing a new hire with an experienced colleague helps them quickly understand the school culture, clarify expectations, and feel included. Mentorship programs have been shown to increase both satisfaction and retention, and even informal “buddy” systems can achieve similar benefits by connecting new hires socially and professionally. A formal mentorship or buddy program not only provides guidance but also fosters cultural integration and clarity about expectations, hitting multiple aspects of the 4Cs at once.
Strategy 2: Conduct a 90-Day Check-In
While mentorship offers ongoing support, formal check-ins after 90 days allow HR or managers to gauge engagement and identify potential concerns early. This proactive approach helps organizations address issues before burnout or disengagement leads to attrition. Given that 30% of new hires leave within the first 90 days, these check-ins are critical to prevent early turnover. I know from speaking to some schools in Minnesota that they either met with employees or they conducted a survey and said that was really instrumental in having a pulse on the engagement of their new staff.
Strategy 3: Celebrate and Create Connection Points for Your Employees
Recognizing and celebrating staff fosters connection and strengthens relationships. Research from Gallup shows that employees who receive regular recognition are more engaged and less likely to leave. Informal gatherings, milestone celebrations, and team shout-outs build the sense of community that keeps staff invested personally and professionally.
What’s Next for You?
Retention doesn’t happen by accident. By implementing structured onboarding, pairing new staff with mentors, conducting early check-ins, and celebrating achievements, schools can significantly improve retention for new employees. Investing in these early months sets the tone for the entire year, helping staff feel supported, connected, and committed.