When onboarding remote employees, the company conducts a series of activities that educate the workers about the company’s tools, policies, methods, and culture. The process also allows them to get acquainted with their colleagues and the internal corporate rules.
Companies can conduct remote onboarding formally or informally. In most cases, HR managers combine the two approaches to make the process educational yet still engaging. Usually, in formal onboarding, there’s a series of training sessions, workshops, activities, and video calls. Meanwhile, informal onboarding can involve letting the new hire shadow tenured employees in the team. They can learn the conventions within the company through observation and situational, impromptu coaching. In this article, we will discuss both approaches and summarize all the necessary steps for a remote onboarding process.
What is a Remote Onboarding Process?
Onboarding is the procedure of introducing new employees to a company, familiarizing them with the company’s culture, values, and policies. Onboarding remote employees does not require their real present, but is done through online technologies. During the remote onboarding process, new team members can participate in virtual meetings and training sessions. They can also complete necessary paperwork online. This method makes it possible to integrate new employees efficiently, even if they are not physically present in the office.
12 Tips for Onboarding Remote Employees:
- Hand out the employee handbook
- Prepare the necessary equipment
- Prepare software and login credentials
- Check if all the paperwork has been signed
- Introduce the team
- Have a video chat
- Assign a buddy
- Assign initial tasks
- Set clear goals
- Provide feedback
- Schedule regular check-ins
- Review employee performance
Remote Onboarding Best Practices
Before the first day
- Hand out the employee handbook – It’s common practice to give out the employee handbook on the first day of onboarding. However, it would be a great idea to send the material to your new hires at least a day before the meeting. This way, they can familiarize themselves with the relevant procedures and policies of the company.
- Prepare the necessary equipment – If your company provides the device that the new hire will use, make sure that they have everything they need in advance. Don’t forget to consider the shipping time when you order the pieces of equipment. This way, you can expect the new remote employees to have the devices on or before the first day of training.
- Prepare software and login credentials – Before Day One, you need to arrange the login credentials of your new employees. Moreover, you need to prepare written instructions on installing the software they’ll need for their job.
- Check if all the paperwork has been signed – Before the first day of onboarding commences, you need to ensure that all the paperwork has been completed. Some of these documents include the contract, tax forms, background information, and payroll details.
In most cases, new hires get paid for the time they spend on the entire onboarding process. Since you’re dealing with a distributed team, you need to ensure that they’ll track their billable hours accurately. In this case, using Traqq the billable hours time tracking tool is the best option. Your new hires can easily download and install this time tracker and let it run automatically in the background during the onboarding process.
On the first day
- Introduce the team– Introduce the new hire to their teammates via a virtual meeting. This way, they can quickly feel at ease and know that they have coworkers to contact when they need help.
- Have a video chat – Don’t let your remote employee sit in front of their computer without knowing what to do. So, at the beginning of their first day, video call and greet them. Let them know what they can expect for the day and allow them to ask questions.
- Assign a buddy – Make sure the new hire has an assigned buddy whom they can turn to for questions and assistance. If the new employee doesn’t know what to do, their point of contact will guide them.
In the first week and further
- Assign initial tasks – You can start giving assignments to the new hire in their first week. Make sure that the tasks are not too complicated or difficult. After all, the new employee is still getting acquainted with the systems, processes, and tools.
- Set clear goals – Once the new hire has settled into their role, it is time to help them set goals. Discuss the milestones they can achieve during the first few months.
- Provide feedback – By the end of the first month, certain KPIs will be evident. Provide your new hires with adequate feedback that will be helpful in their development.
- Schedule regular check-ins – As an onboarding manager, you should check in with your new hires every day. In a remote work setup, the first week can be the most challenging. So, schedule a wrap-up meeting each day to give them the opportunity to ask questions if necessary.
- Review employee performance –Throughout the year, you should offer regular performance reviews for your new hires. Doing so will help you determine areas for improvement and highlight their accomplishments.
In Conclusion
Onboarding remote workers does not have to be difficult. When you prepare the required tools and carefully map out the necessary activities, you can help your new hire settle into their job in no time. Make sure they have everything they need to feel confident and perform their work efficiently in a remote setting.
