Onboarding is an essential HR process that extends over many months and even up to the employee's first anniversary and results in better employee retention, faster new-employee ramp-up, improved process consistency and efficiency, and better acculturation. First Horizon National (FHN) of Tennessee suffered significant employee layoffs in 2008 due to recessionary forces and made a conscious shift in HR strategy. FHN invested in a formal onboarding system with three strategic goals: 1) increase employee retention; 2) improve employee engagement; and 3) provide consistent company information to all new employees. New employees received support through many months of a multifaceted onboarding program.