We were ready.
Laptop set up.
Welcome email sent.
The team was excited.

A new joiner, Rahul — was supposed to start on Monday.

But Monday came… and no sign of him.

No message. No email. Nothing.

We tried to follow up.
Still, no reply.

It felt like he just disappeared.

Two Weeks Later

I got an unexpected email.

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t know how to say this… but I got scared. Everyone seemed so smart. I felt like I wouldn’t fit in. I thought I’d fail.”

That one message made me stop and think.

Not Every Dropout Is About a Better Offer

We usually think someone didn’t join because they got more money or a bigger brand.

But sometimes, it’s fear.

Fear of being judged.
Fear of not speaking perfect English.
Fear of making mistakes on Day One.

What We Changed

After that, we made a few small but important changes:

• We created a simple “First Day Guide” — no fancy words, just clear help.

• We started assigning a team member before the joining date — someone friendly, who could check in, answer questions, and just be there.

• We asked a team member to share a small story from their early days — especially moments where they struggled or felt nervous too.

The message was simple:

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to show up. We’ll figure the rest out together.

At Expericia, we want to build a culture where people feel safe from the start.

Because joining a new place shouldn’t feel scary.
It should feel like someone’s already waiting to walk beside you.