Shergill told HR magazine this period can be overlooked in the hiring process, with external factors pulling candidates away from their new employers.
"When a candidate accepts an offer they still have time to talk to their social circle, including friends and family, about the company's reputation and their new role. You have no control over this," he said. "In addition there may still be other companies chasing them. So it's a precarious situation."
Shergill said that gamification can be used to drive early engagement with the candidates, thereby reducing dropout rates.
"If you have several regular touch points before a start date it can be a way to make things fun but also increase knowledge of the company and make them feel part of it," he said. "It has to be fun but also allow us to learn about the candidates themselves."
Gaining insight about potential new employees can be useful in reducing cost per hire and increasing return on investment within the recruitment process, Shergill said.
"If you can work out the characteristics of the people who are most likely to make it to the start date and the reason others drop out, this is where you can make savings," he added.
