Build Those Connections As Part Of Your Remote New Employee Onboarding Strategy

When it takes a new hire longer to learn how to do their job effectively, whether using technological advances or fitting into the existing business processes, it leads to delays and even breakdowns in processes and operations. 

You want your new employees to be productive as soon as possible, and the induction program is a big part of that. Suppose a new hire enters your company and encounters a straightforward, well-thought-out procedure for hiring and training remote employees. In that case, that's a strong first impression, demonstrating that your business cares about them and has their back.

Begin with pre-existing templates and tools

According to Max Harland, CEO of Dentaly, among the world's largest online dental health resources, failing to have an onboarding foundation in place is a big mistake.

"The greatest challenge in remote new employee orientation is beginning from scratch without any sturdy plans to start," Max says, citing potential issues such as process unreliability and cost creep. "You may end up creating a framework unsuitable for remote new employee orientation and wasting resources without achieving results."

Following Max's point, it is preferable to have a structure in place and then build on it. You can tailor to your specific needs as they emerge and identify opportunities for improvement.

Premade onboarding tools like Rippling or Click Boarding can help you get a good start on your online onboarding until you're ready to fine-tune the process.

Prepare your training materials - and differ slightly the format

The second guidance from Inna at iGMS is to have comprehensive training supporting documents to connect with the new hire.

"Documenting the processes, stages, training, and relevant items simplifies things for both the trainer and the new employee."

She suggests creating how-to videos, documenting online training sessions for reference purposes, and having educational materials with convenient instructions and visuals. She also suggests keeping it short, readable, and to the point.

"In the end, all of these materials assist in creating an internal knowledge and understanding and smooth the onboarding process."

As previously stated, start with templates and develop from there. Be informative and ensure that everything is covered - even more than in a standard onboarding. These training materials provide new employees with a vast collection of resources to draw from if they are hesitant to ask colleagues for advice or tips. Maintain a diverse set of resources. Include videos, audio, infographics, and other media types in addition to 25 wordy documents. Make it engaging and easy to read. 

Prepare a handbook that is jam-packed with information

It's the go-to resource for everything you want the new employee to understand about your organization. It could include:

• Mission, visions, values, branding strategy, and statement of corporate social responsibility
• Organizational diagram
• Workplace guidelines and a code of conduct
• Benefits, perks, training, programmes, incentives, and bonuses, among other things.
• Performance appraisals
• Important dates for feedback, holidays, and annual functions.

All policies pertaining to employment (i.e. parental leave, a day off, etc.)

Create a schedule and stick to it

It would help if you also had a strategy in place for the new employee. Fill the new hire's schedule with meetings, training sessions, special events, networking opportunities, one-on-ones, and anything else that will keep them busy from day one.

CEO Neal Taparia of Solitaired, a new NYC-based organization that connects classic games to brain training, emphasizes the importance of a well-planned onboarding schedule.

"You don't want new employees wagging their thumbs their first week on the job." "That's a terrible first impression," Neal says. "Our HR leader and their manager schedule nearly every hour of their first week just to ensure they have an effective first week." 

"Video introductions, a solid guidance week 1 schedule, and a 'buddy' programme allowed us to guarantee that we were setting our new hires up for achievement even if they were remote," she says, acknowledging that it would have been easier to meet new hires in person before becoming acquainted with them via video communication.

It is possible to standardize success

Templates, software, instruction manuals, an employee handbook, and a set schedule are all available. It's not all that different from a typical onboarding procedure.

However, there are some significant differences: you use technology more frequently and provide your new employees with the tools and information they need to explore new things in their new remote job. And, in a remote location where unexpected meetings are almost impossible to find, you're laying out a timeline to ensure those meetings occur.

Now that you have a system in place to familiarise the new employee with the necessary elements of the job, you must consider the more nuanced aspects of onboarding remote employees, such as creating connections with colleagues, familiarising the new hire with the corporate culture, and making them feel like they are a part of the organization. Yes, they're the new kids on the block. However, if you stick to a set plan, they will feel shorter.

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