What is the recommended approach to mistakes by a new employee during onboarding?

• A. allow the employee to make mistakes, without any advance instructions
• B. prevent any temporary dependence on the supervisor
• C. hold the employee to perfect execution of every policy
• D. provide advance instructions for each task and correct errors as they occur

Answer: (A)

Starting with the idea that learning happens best through doing, onboarding works best when a new employee is allowed to try tasks and learn from mistakes as part of the process. This approach treats errors as normal and valuable feedback opportunities, not as failures to be punished, and it relies on timely coaching to guide understanding and correct practices. By creating a safe space to experiment, the learner builds practical skills and confidence faster, because they see what works and what doesn’t and receive support to fix misunderstandings right away. Rigid demands for perfect execution or a heavy emphasis on preloading every step can stifle exploration and slow true learning, while a purely dependence-free setup ignores the need for guided initial training.