Since 2009, the number of remote workers has risen by 159% according to a study by Global Workplace Analytics. And findings of a survey by Software Advice show that 49% of HR leaders, prompted by the necessities of a global pandemic, have committed to hiring more remote workers moving forwards.
So, what does this mean for onboarding? Well, thanks to the power of technology, most onboarding practices are already designed to work online. Which means they’re accessible to employees, wherever they are.
But that’s not to say the experience as a whole is crafted with remote onboarding in mind. So, what needs adapting to make it suitable for 100% remote workers? Focusing on the following key areas will help you get the most out of your remote team members from day one.
7 Best practices for remote onboarding
1. Smooth out the set-up
Your remote new hire is powerless without their IT equipment. So it needs to be ordered and delivered well before day one. Apart from the obvious (laptop, phone, mouse), make sure you discuss other peripherals such as a chair and desk. And check to see if they have any special requirements or need any reasonable adjustments. You can create a remote inventory checklist so that you’ll get it right every time. Schedule a guided set-up session. Or make sure they have clear instructions on how to set everything up and know who to contact if they need help.
2. Offer transparency
From documenting processes and workflows to sharing company announcements and other news through videos, podcasts, or blog posts, transparency plays a big part in keeping your new remote hire engaged.
3. Jumpstart engagement
Without the excitement of visiting a new office on their first day and hooking up in person with new team members, remote onboarding can feel flat and uninspiring. Lift the mood and create a buzz by providing a personalized welcome pack with lots of company swag. Showcase your culture by sharing podcasts, videos, and interviews that reflect life at your company.
4. Adapt training
Certain courses will be more relevant to your remote new hire; cybersecurity, IT, systems, and wellbeing training, for example. Prioritize these and offer ‘How to work from home’ best practices or a bespoke remote working course if you can.
5. Facilitate connections
It’s easy to feel isolated if you’re working remotely. So it’s important to try and replicate the personal interactions your new hire would have had if they were in the office. Schedule short video calls with key coworkers and an introductory team meeting. Then use an internal messaging app such as Slack to let everyone else in the company know about your new hire and give them a chance to say ‘hello’.
6. Keep communication healthy
Technology makes remote working possible. But with so many different channels of communication available, it can also make it overwhelming. Communication overload can be a real stress even for people who are office-based. So imagine how it can be for remote workers.
When onboarding remote employees, introduce your new hire to both synchronous and asynchronous communication tools. And make sure they know how and when to use each one of them. Explain your company’s communication etiquette, like the best channel to ask a question or when it’s better to send an email instead of an instant message. Having both options should keep the communication defined and manageable.
And remember to schedule some training sessions during their first weeks, so they know what to use and when.
Start with the ones used more broadly by the entire company (for example, a video conference platform or a messaging app) and the ones they’ll mostly need for their job (a project management platform or a design collaboration tool, for example).
7. Set a steady pace
Virtual onboarding can be more intense without the informal watercooler moments and coffee break catch-ups that take place in an office. Spread your onboarding sessions over a longer period of time and give employees some free time to absorb what they’ve learned so far. If you can’t make the onboarding process longer, review your onboarding content and remove anything that won’t excite or engage them in your company and your people. The content you remove (logistics and legal requirements, for example) can be packaged up into and shared separately.
Let’s recap!
With hybrid and remote working continuing to grow, more companies are moving over to online employee onboarding because it breaks down the traditional barriers of time and location. And it works for every type of employee—whether they’re based on-site, at home, or a bit of both. But onboarding 100% remote employees calls for its own format and approach to make sure your new hires are engaged and connected.