Studies have shown that effective on-boarding has the benefits of reducing staff turnover, increasing commitment to the business and improving job performance and productivity.
Therefore, we have put together some points to consider when on-boarding employees remotely.
Pre-Boarding
The on-boarding process is not something that just takes place on an employee’s first day. It begins before the employee starts (which is known as pre-boarding) and may take up to a couple of weeks to complete, depending on the job.
Pre-boarding is about making sure that the new employee is ready to hit the ground running on their first day. There are some extra points to consider when a new staff member is working remotely. For example, it is important to make sure that the employee has all the materials they need, all hardware is delivered to them on time (laptop, phone etc.) and all documentation is signed. It is also a good idea to send the new employee a welcome pack including any branded merchandise (to help make them feel like they are part of the team) and any working from home tips.
On their first day
As the team cannot physically meet the new employee on their first day, a welcome email should be sent to all staff letting them know some information about the new employee, for example their name, job title and any other relevant information.
Video calls should be organised with top management to formally welcome the new employee, just as they would in a face-to-face setting. A group video call in an informal setting also gives colleagues the opportunity to get to know the new member of staff.
The employee should be provided with an overview of the company and a detailed description of their job and how they fit into the company. Information should also be provided about members of staff, the culture of the company and finer details such as the common ways colleagues communicate with one another (Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype etc.).
In the first few weeks
The first few weeks is all about the new employee familiarising themselves with their new job and getting to know their colleagues. In this time, a clear set of tasks should be outlined and any training required should be organised.
Virtual events are a great way to interact with colleagues remotely, whether this is 5pm Friday drinks over a Zoom call, a virtual quiz or other interactive game through video call.
It is very important to plan regular virtual meetings to make sure the new employee is settling in OK and you are giving them opportunities to ask questions.
Last but not least, you should ask for feedback from the new employee about how they have found the remote on-boarding process and make any improvements if necessary.
Successful remote on-boarding is crucial to save companies valuable time and money by reducing turnover and improving productivity.
If you are currently expanding your team and would like assistance in finding the best candidates, Reperio can help! Our Recruitment Consultants specialise in different areas of the IT market. Get in contact today.
Written by Michelle Corry