What Welcomes a Nervous System?

Rethinking the orientation phase through the lens of nervous system safety, burnout, and somatic trust

Author’s note: This piece originally appeared on my Substack, Wellbeing By Tracey, where I explore how workplace culture impacts the nervous system.

If you think back to your own first day at a new company, maybe you didn’t sleep well the night before. Maybe your stomach felt off, or you had no appetite. That feeling of needing to be “on” all day, only to finally exhale the moment your day ends. While we often call that first-day nerves, what we’re really experiencing is our nervous system working overtime.

The moment we find ourselves in unknown circumstances, our nervous system starts scanning for clues. The signals we get in those first few days leave a lasting imprint. They ultimately shape how we interpret the environment and how safe we feel showing up in it.

In most organizations, the onboarding process comes with an eye-roll for anyone who has to sit through it. It’s long, boring, compliance-heavy, and hours we push through to get to where we are supposed to be. Beneath the surface of these logistical necessities is an often-missed opportunity: helping a new hire’s nervous system downshift from high alert into a state where true integration and belonging can begin.

This is especially critical in the era of burnout. Many people are walking into new jobs still carrying the nervous system imprints of the last one feeling overextended, undervalued, or simply exhausted. When we fail to meet them with intention in those first moments, we risk activating old patterns of bracing. When we welcome them thoughtfully, we interrupt that loop and offer a different imprint, “you’re safe now.”

The Moment My Nervous System Braced

It wasn’t until I left a former role and reflected on my experience that I could pinpoint the exact moment my nervous system flipped into high alert.

Like most people, I started the job with the usual new-role nerves. I wanted to make a good impression, meet expectations, and contribute early on. My situation was a bit unusual and not ideal since I had two days with my manager before they left for a long vacation.

The team did their best to guide me in the interim, and one colleague suggested I schedule a one-on-one for when my manager returned. They were how the team functioned so I agreed it would be a good idea. I set a meeting up for late morning on their first day back figuring they would also want to check in with me.

The moment I joined the video call, I knew I had misstepped. I was immediately told that one-on-ones usually happened later in the week and that video wasn’t typically used. I had hoped for a friendly check-in or some guidance on what I should be working on. Instead, the tone felt bothersome. I left the meeting with my shoulders tight, staring at the screen thinking, this is not good.

That brief interaction imprinted my nervous system with a message: brace yourself. From that point forward, I navigated the role not from a place of openness, but from a place of caution. That initial stress amplified future interactions, contributing to the slow build of burnout I carried out of that job.

It would’ve made all the difference if they had acknowledged the moment. Even a simple message like, “Thanks for setting this up — today’s a bit hectic, but I’d love to reconnect later this week,” would have helped my system settle. That meeting was too early for team norms or corrections. A little grace and some perspective would have changed everything.

The Brain Can’t Learn When It’s Bracing

The orientation process and the nervous system are often at odds from the start.

The part of the brain responsible for learning and integrating new information, the prefrontal cortex, doesn’t function well when the amygdala is activated. Unfortunately for most new hires, the amygdala is on high alert assessing every moment.

While you’re trying to walk someone through benefits and compliance modules, their body is still trying to figure out if it’s safe here.

This doesn’t mean we toss out orientation. It means we design it with more humanity in mind. The sooner we establish safety and belonging, the sooner the nervous system downshifts. Only then can real learning, connection, and contribution to a role or organization begin.

Signals That Soothe the System

Here are some subtle but high-impact ways to reduce activation and foster trust in the first few weeks:

• Send a Welcome Email

  A quick note from the hiring manager upon acceptance of the role goes a long way. It signals that the new hire is wanted, expected, and valued.

• Help Them Navigate the First Day

  Whether in person or remote, give clear directions. Where to park, how to check in, how to dress, and who they’ll meet first. Greet them at the front door. If they’re being sent to another department, walk them over. These tiny acts orient the nervous system.

• Create Clarity

  There is an inundation of important information that every new hire needs to know early on. If the information isn’t easily accessible, or if it’s unclear who to go to with questions, new hires may hesitate to ask. That hesitation wastes valuable energy and increases stress. Make sure the information is centralized and the support contacts are obvious. Give them a clear guide without the scavenger hunt to ease the information overload.

• Normalize Downtime

  New hires often have pockets of downtime simply because they’re not fully up to speed. Set expectations upfront. Let them know this is normal and offer suggestions like exploring internal systems, reading materials, or observing meetings. Without that framing, many will scramble to look busy which depletes their energy before they even begin.

• Structure Team Introductions

  Don’t just send calendar invites. Assign shared topics for meet and greet one-on-ones. “Talk to Kate about the vendor she implemented last month” gives direction and reduces social pressure. Some people are great at small talk, while others need some assistance. You’re not just facilitating a meeting, you’re offering a bridge for connection.

• Plan for Follow-Up

  Since most new hires are absorbing only a fraction of what’s shared early on, schedule a 30-day recap. A follow-up with links, summaries, or clarifications gives them a second chance to integrate what their nervous system couldn’t hold during those early days.

From Checklist to Culture Shift

Orientation is one of the most influential phases in an employee’s lifecycle. It sets the tone. It sends the signals. It imprints the nervous system.

If we’re serious about burnout prevention, we must get intentional about how we welcome people. New hires are often arriving already fatigued, hoping this next job will feel different. We don’t need to overhaul the whole system. We just need to make space for moments of humanity.

When you meet someone with presence, clarity, and care, you begin working within the sweet spot of their nervous system where learning, belonging, and performance naturally unfold.

This is the moment the nervous system says: I’m going to be okay here.