Introduction Employee retention and turnover is a problem that most organizations face. A significant amount of money is spent annually on hiring and orienting new employees. Specific programs to welcome and orient new employees are called New Employee Orientation (NEO) and On-boarding. In most cases, the Human Resources department is responsible for developing these programs. Journal articles were reviewed to gain a better understanding of the NEO and on-boarding process. This paper explores the two programs in relation to organizational culture, purpose, methods used and effectiveness. It will also discuss the reasons why organizations should use these programs and the obstacles to overcome in implementing the programs. HR.com (2007) indicates that most employers not only fail to impress new employees, but also fail to “take advantage of the employee's strengths and weaknesses” (para. 1). Therefore, the problems and obstacles faced by both the employee and the employer will also be discussed in this article. Organizing and Onboarding New Employees Thousands of dollars are spent each year training and acclimating new employees to an organization's work culture. Training and its effectiveness are a topic that most companies deal with on an ongoing basis. In this section we will explore the purpose and outcomes of new employee orientation (NEO) and onboarding. The topics that will be examined will be the processes used, their effectiveness, objectives and development. Exploratory Questions Questions to be addressed in this exploratory paper include: What is new employee orientation (NEO) and onboarding? Why should organizations use these programs? What are effective and ineffective programs…. .. half the paper ......and the employee contribution? (Order No. 3509449, Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 232. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com/docview/1019809712?accountid=38569. (1019809712).Hellman, S. W. (2000). An evaluative study on the impact of new employee orientation on newcomers' organizational commitment. (Order No. 9962339, Pepperdine University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 105-105 p. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com/docview/304680044?accountid=38569. (304680044). Lockwood, S. L. (2001). Improving employee development: Developing and testing a new employee orientation protocol. (Order No. 3007089, California School of Professional Psychology - San Diego). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 166-166 p. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/304742145?accountid=38569. (304742145).