Is Your Business Equipped for Remote Onboarding?
Can’t bring your new hires on-site right now?
That doesn’t mean you can’t roll out the red carpet – and get them off to a great start with your organization.
With no physical office to welcome new employees and connect them with their teams, you may need to adjust your processes and tech to get the best results. Here are a few tips to ensure your business is ready for remote onboarding, so you can give employees the tools they need to succeed – and to love their jobs:
Prepare in advance.
Send remote employees their new hire paperwork as soon as you receive their signed offer letter. Then, make sure your IT team addresses tech requirements (e.g., setting up logins and credentials) well in advance. Working ahead ensures plenty of time to deal with any potential problems. Make sure everyone involved in onboarding has internet bandwidth adequate for video calls.
Establish personal connections.
While you can’t meet your employee at the door, set up a “welcome” video call first thing in the morning on their first day to greet them and go over the onboarding process. Invite their team to join in and introduce themselves, as building early interpersonal bonds is critical to creating a positive employee experience.
Assign a “welcome buddy.”
Consider pairing the new hire with an established employee (e.g., a friendly, helpful coworker who has gone through your traditional onboarding process) to answer their questions, bridge communication gaps, help foster deeper connections, and show the new employee how to have a successful start with your company.
Plan the first week.
Keep your new hire’s schedule full, so they aren’t wondering what to do next. Remember to add the new employee to all relevant meeting invitations, as well.
Schedule team-building sessions.
Video lunches, happy hours, and other team builders make onboarding more fun and help build relationships. Plan virtual facetime where your team can get together online to chat and make the new person feel included in the group.
Set clear expectations.
Whether remote or on-site, new employees need to know exactly what you want from them and how you will measure success. Provide clear expectations (including timelines) for completing training and establishing initial performance goals.
Provide access to resources.
Make sure your new employee has a list of people who can help when they have questions about specific processes or systems. Everyone on this list should commit to providing information and feedback in a friendly and timely manner.
Establish frequent touchpoints and check-ins.
When physically separated, it can be very easy to forget about new remote employees as days and weeks progress. Set a regular schedule to check-in, gather and offer constructive feedback, and monitor progress.
Debrief to improve your program.
Throughout the onboarding process, ask your new hire what’s working and what could be improved. Keep your own notes too, and collect input from the welcome buddy. Use what you learn to refine your virtual onboarding process and make the experience even more beneficial and rewarding.
Partner with PrideStaff to improve new hire productivity, performance and retention.
To maximize your new employees’ success, partner with a national staffing firm like PrideStaff. We use the right mix of recruiting and assessment tools to deliver the high performers you need – quickly and cost-effectively. Contact us today to learn more about our On Target fulfillment process.
