For many organizations that hired people during the pandemic, designing onboarding processes for a remote world presented challenges. As with so many aspects of the sudden pivot to remote work, the onboarding process may have become entirely digital, unmoored from personal interaction or connection. New employees greeted with a firehose of online training and virtual meetings could understandably feel overwhelmed and underprepared. While HR professionals did their best, an impersonal, confusing, or haphazard onboarding process risks hampering new employee engagement.
The first six months of employment are vital to any employee experience, and onboarding is key to making the first six months successful. As organizations now move toward long-term remote or hybrid work models, it’s an excellent time to examine existing remote onboarding processes and ensure they work for the new era.
4 Things to Change About Your Onboarding Process
1. Create Opportunities for Personal Connection
Employee connection is at an all-time low, and when employees don’t feel personally connected to others in the company, it can be easier to leave a position. As pandemic restrictions have eased or almost entirely disappeared, return to personal connection wherever possible. Invite new employees into the office, even if it requires some travel expenses. Assign each new employee a “buddy” who can answer questions and provide support in navigating the company. If hiring many people at once, consider making time for an event at the corporate offices.
2. Stagger Required Checkpoints
Onboarding can begin before the first day of employment with “preboarding.” Get some of the required documentation and processes out of the way before the first day. Stagger training over weeks or even months, if possible—especially if that training is entirely digital. No one wants to spend the first weeks of employment participating in videoconferences and working through online training modules. Spread those deadlines out as much as possible to avoid creating a “firehose” effect.
3. Connect to Company Culture
Connect new employees to the company culture early and often. Send a welcome basket of company swag. Be sure remote employees know where to access approved Zoom backgrounds, e-mail templates, and other company documents and elements so that their interactions are consistent with others inside the organization. Consider creating a “cheat sheet” with unwritten knowledge inside the organization, such as kitchen or breakroom etiquette or a list of common companywide events throughout the year.
4. Make Room for Moments that Matter
As you get to know your new employees better, watch for opportunities to create unique, engaging moments that connect new people to others in the organization. Of course, these moments begin with formal onboarding policies but should continue throughout the employee lifecycle. Celebrate employee wins, whether business-related or personal. Learn about career goals and interests, and connect with internal resources for ongoing development.
While the future of work may have arrived earlier than expected, it doesn’t have to result in an impersonal, disconnected workforce. As companies craft new policies for ongoing remote and hybrid work, it’s vital to include onboarding in the discussions. With a focus on connection and culture, remote onboarding can help set the stage for an engaging and successful employee experience.
Self Check:
- Do we include questions about onboarding in our regular employee surveys? Or do we collect feedback about onboarding from new employees within six months of hire?
- Do we have built-in checkpoints throughout the onboarding process to make sure new hires are connected?
- What is one way we can improve the remote onboarding experience?
