9 Best Practices For Remote Onboarding

The onboarding process is as important as hiring the right people for the job. This is the process where you integrate the new hires into the company – the team members, the culture, and their new roles. If done right, this process can set up the new hires for success from the right go. While it would be unrealistic to expect new hires to hit the ground running on day one, an effective onboarding process can have them working seamlessly in the shortest time possible.

So, how can you do this effectively, where everything has to be done virtually? We have listed nine tips to help you successfully onboard your new remote hires.

1. Start early

The first days at a new job are always characterised by anxiety and confusion for most people. It can get worse in a remote setup. You can mitigate this by making the remote new hires feel like part of the company before the first day. Most employers send a welcome package to new remote hires a few days prior to commencing the job. Think of company-branded goodies or a nice gift for their remote worker offices.

2. Ensure they have the right technology before day one

Imagine your new remote hire running into technical issues on their first day at work. It can take a toll on their confidence and motivation, which can impede their morale for the job if not handled well. The best thing to ensure that the new hires feel confident is that they have all the technology they need early enough. If you have to send them a laptop, phone, or anything else, or you are helping them buy, ensure to do so in time. Additionally, have your IT person show them how to set up the technology properly.

3. Set clear expectations

When an employee understands what they are expected to do, they can set the right foot forward and create a good foundation for future success in the company. This should be followed by showing the employees how their work fits in with the company's goals. This helps the new hires align their roles to fit the long-term goals of the organisation. However, it is important to be clear since remote hires don't have the luxury of stopping you in the hallway for clarifications. That's why it's important to hold regular video calls in the beginning until they get the hang of the job.

4. Give access to vital information

In addition to giving clear expectations, it is paramount that the new hires have access to all the important information about the company. Create a digital employee handbook detailing the company processes, guides, day-to-day operations, work hours, co-working options, policies, how-tos, projects, and company culture. If you have foreign remote workers, professional human translation services for documents similar to the pre-mentioned ones are pivotal in ensuring that they access those papers in their native languages.

5. Introduce them to the team

A great way to make new hires feel like part of the team is to introduce them to the rest of the team members. Schedule a virtual meeting through a video call with everyone on board and give a brief introduction to all new hires. You can include their names and roles and also allow them to greet the team members.

6. Expedite adding them to the digital workspace

In any remote worker team, having a digital workspace where members collaborate is important. This is the platform where team members can send instant messages, discuss projects, hold non-work-related conversations, share documents, and more. After introducing the new remote hires to the team members, the next step is to add them to your digital workspace. You can have them introduce themselves again with a photo and a brief message.

7. Check-in regularly

Besides the work-related conversations going on in the company's communication channels, make it a point to check in with the new remote hires weekly or bi-weekly. These conversations should be focused on getting to understand how the employees are doing. Ask them about any challenges they are encountering and ask what you can do to help. Aim at building trust and long-term relationships during these meetings.

8. Promote transparency

It would be frustrating and demotivating if your new hires were left out of important happenings in the organisation. Remote hires tend to be forgotten since they work far from you, but this should be something other than your excuse. Ensure that remote hires have great visibility of what is happening even during the onboarding process.

9. Encourage socialisation

It is only sometimes that new hires will have the courage to ask their manager or supervisor questions. Having someone else they can run to when they have problems is important. This is where assigning a mentor or orientation buddy comes in. Introduce them and encourage them to set a time for video calls.

Conclusion

Remote onboarding can be daunting since everything happens over the internet. Moreover, if your remote team comprises individuals from different cultures and language backgrounds, a unique approach is paramount. You will need to think of hiring translators and learning about new cultures. However, whatever your case is, incorporating the above practices in your remote worker's onboarding strategy can lead to sure proof of success.

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