Service Design

Reimagining the Employee Lifecycle

Capitol faced a perfect storm: a tightening labor market and stiff competition from a brand new Amazon facility nearby. Though their pay remained competitive, the company struggled to keep its warehouse fully staffed.
 
Recognizing the need for change, I embarked on a total transformation of their workforce strategy—from the initial impression of the company to the first 90 days of employment.
An employee welcome booklet
The Challenge
Despite offering competitive wages, Capitol faced high turnover in its production department. The local labor market was highly competitive due to a new Amazon distribution center, and Capitol’s internal infrastructure was not equipped to keep the workers it hired.
  • The Leak: Most new hires left within their first week.
  • The Gap: There was no formal training, no promotion track, and a lack of cultural identity.
  • The Demographic: While 44% of hires were ages 16–25, retention only stabilized in the 26–34 age bracket.
Research
A deep dive into company data and employee interviews revealed that recruitment wasn’t the primary problem—onboarding and retention were.
  • Key Finding: Employees felt lost. There were no training videos, no assigned trainers, and no clear path for advancement. New hires were given a 30 minute overview and put on the floor alone. It was not unheard-of for a new hire to disappear on the first day without even saying goodbye. While supervisors recognized the need for better support, they lacked the direction to implement it.
  • The Pivot: Stakeholders were convinced to pause aggressive recruitment to first build a “sticky” onboarding and retention program
The Solution: 3 Pillars Approach

I. Structural Onboarding (The 90-Day Journey)

The “sink or swim” method was replaced with a scripted, milestone-based experience:
  • Days 1–2: Intense technical training with a mentor and a “Quick Start Guide” for immediate policy questions. Videos developed in-house are provided for learning and reference.
  • Day 30: Culture-focused meeting with a branded welcome kit (swag) and a deep dive into company values.
  • Day 60: Benefits education (401k/Insurance) and “Future-Pathing” sessions with rotating department managers.
  • Day 90: Graduation lunch with the Company President and a 1-on-1 career goal setting session with their manager.

II. Targeted Recruitment

Using “Employee Personas,” the messaging was moved away from traditional job boards toward high-conversion channels:
  • Referral Tools: Current employees were given “business cards” to hand out to peers to earn referral bonuses.
  • Social & Local: Managers were trained to recruit in local Facebook groups and attend community job fairs with professional branding.
  • Messaging: Ads shifted to highlight specific “non-wage” benefits: casual dress code, no customer interaction, and flexible scheduling.

III. Culture & Recognition

To build a sense of belonging, Capitol established its own identity separate from its parent company:
  • Bilingual Communication: All materials (newsletters, signage, digital displays) are provided in English and Spanish.
  • Visual Achievement: A “Pin & Patch” system allows workers to display their mastered skills on their safety vests, while enamel pins mark years of service.
  • Equitable Awards: The “Employee of the Quarter” program was expanded to ensure Production and Transportation had dedicated awards, rather than competing with the smaller Admin team.
Results
  • Clearer Career Paths: The creation of “Trainer” roles and development of a Lead training program provided concrete first steps up the ladder.
  • Higher Engagement: Independent company events (food trucks, local potlucks) and a quarterly newsletter significantly increased internal social media adoption.
  • Reduced Training Friction: A library of training videos (safety, position- and product-specific) provided a consistent standard of excellence, regardless of which shift an employee joined.
  • Increased Retention: The new retention strategy saw immediate success in the critical “first-week” window, slashing early departures by 22%. Overall 30-day retention rose by 16%, proving that the structured touchpoints are effectively engaging new hires. We have identified 90-day longevity as the next area for optimization, as those metrics showed smaller, though positive, improvements.
By treating retention as the foundation, Capitol transformed its production floor from a “revolving door” into a career path. The focus shifted from simply filling seats to nurturing a skilled, recognized, and bilingual workforce.