In all honesty, remote onboarding can be a bit of a juggling act. You have to make sure your new staff (or even previous staff) knows exactly what they’re doing; there’s the training, there’s the pressure for frequent communication so they’re not stuck if they need help, and at the same time, you have standard work that you have to do too such as working on your business marketing, focusing on other employees, focusing on the customers, and overall just the basic operations of a business.
Now, it sounds tough, but every business knows there are so many perks to remote work (especially for employees). The problem is the major challenge of general onboarding; it’s smooth sailing afterward, but is there a way to avoid the storm outright at the beginning? Well, here are some ways to overcome the common challenges, so here’s what you need to know.
Master the Art of Remote Onboarding
You Have to Set Clear Expectations from Day One
Starting a new job can be nerve-wracking, especially when you’re doing it from your home office. One of the best ways to ease this transition is to set clear expectations from the get-go.
So, you’re going to want to make sure your new hires know what’s expected of them in terms of job responsibilities, working hours, communication protocols, and team dynamics. This clarity will help them hit the ground running and reduce any initial confusion or anxiety. When it’s a physical office, people can read the room, and they can read the culture. It’s not like that when it’s all remote, so that has to be clear right from the get-go.
Foster a Welcoming Virtual Environment
Hands down, creating a welcoming atmosphere is crucial, even if it’s through a screen. You’ll have to plan a virtual welcome event or team meeting to introduce the new hire to the team. Encourage team members to reach out individually to say hello. Honestly, little gestures like these can make a big difference in helping the new person feel included and valued.
You and Your Team Needs to Provide Comprehensive Training Resources
By all means, when it comes to remote onboarding, having detailed training resources is a lifesaver. At this point, it’s not nice to have, but it’s fully necessary. So, you’re going to want to ensure that your new hires have access to all the necessary tools and information they need to get started. This can include video tutorials, written guides, and interactive training modules. The more comprehensive and accessible these resources are, the easier it will be for new employees to learn the ropes.
How Well-Trained are Your Staff?
So, when it comes to remote onboarding, it’s usually about new hires, right? Well, yes, that’s true, but technically, this can still involve your current staff. Whether they’ve been there six months or one year, this still needs to be addressed too.
Plus, sometimes a company makes changes, such as switching over to new software, new protocols, or even making the decision to change up their marketing such as using HubSpot to its maximum potential. So, with all of that said, you can’t expect your staff (especially remotely) to train new staff if they’re barely trained.
For example, if your company is only finally trying to use HubSpot to its full potential but struggling, how do you expect your staff to know what to do? Of course, HubSpot onboarding services from other professional companies can be a great option (and worth it), but the message here is how do you expect your new staff to understand something when your current staff barely does?
So, make sure your current staff is well-trained and knows how to train properly—not everyone can teach, even if they know how to do something.
Schedule Regular Check-Ins
Usually, after a new staff gets onboarded there’s the check-ins so all parties know that everything is going just fine. So, regular check-ins are essential for keeping the lines of communication open.
Actually, it’s best to schedule frequent one-on-one meetings between the new hire and their manager to discuss progress, answer questions, and provide feedback. These check-ins help ensure that any issues are addressed promptly and that the new employee feels supported throughout their onboarding journey.
Leverage Technology for Collaboration
So, this one is obvious but still deserves attention: technology is your best friend when it comes to remote onboarding. Actually, if your team or even a few people are remote, you need this. Even if no one is remote, you’re most likely still going to need this.
Create Opportunities for Social Interaction
One of the biggest challenges of remote work is the lack of face-to-face interaction. So, to combat this, create opportunities for social interaction among team members. For example, you could look into virtual coffee breaks, online game sessions, or casual chat channels that can help build camaraderie and foster a sense of community within your team.
Assign a Mentor or Buddy
It might be needed, it might not, it really depends honestly. So, if someone is new, as in entry-level, then this could actually be a great idea. So, from the perspective of an entry-level role, offering a mentor or buddy can significantly enhance the onboarding experience. This person can provide guidance, answer questions, and offer insights into the company culture. Basically, having a go-to person can make the new employee feel more comfortable and supported as they navigate their new role.
Encourage Feedback and Adapt
You have to keep in mind that remote onboarding is a continuously evolving process. For the most part, remote work is still extremely new, so everyone is trying to figure out what exactly works best. But usually, feedback helps the most.
So, you’re going to want to just encourage new hires to provide feedback on their onboarding experience. Use this feedback to make improvements and adapt your onboarding process as needed. Plus, being open to change and willing to make adjustments will help ensure that your onboarding process remains effective and efficient.
Maintain Transparency and Open Communication
Alright, this one might be obvious, but if your business is still really new at hiring remotely (such as your business is brand new and everyone is remote), then it’s best to understand that transparency and open communication are key to successful remote onboarding. You need to keep new hires informed about company updates, changes in procedures, and other relevant information.
By all means, you need to have an open-door policy where employees feel comfortable reaching out with questions or concerns, which can help foster a positive and productive work environment. A lot of companies will state they have this when, in reality, they don’t- so it needs to be true!
Cultivate a Positive Company Culture
So, this piggybacks on what’s being said above, but even in a remote setting, company culture plays a vital role in employee satisfaction and engagement. Promote a positive company culture by clearly communicating your organization’s values, mission, and goals. So, you’ll need to encourage employees to embody these values in their daily work and interactions. No matter what size or industry your business is, there’s a culture, but is it a good one?
Offer Flexible Onboarding Schedules
For the most part, flexibility can make a big difference in the remote onboarding process. It’s really important to just understand that new hires might need time to adjust to their new roles and schedules. A lot is happening so fast, and you really don’t want to overwhelm them- besides, getting too overwhelmed too fast can harm retention rates too.
Personalize the Onboarding Experience
What might have worked for one person might not work for someone else. Sometimes cookie-cutter approaches work, but it’s not always the case, especially when everything is being done remotely! so, you’re going to want to personalize the onboarding process for each person, they may have a different way of learning than others. Plus, you need to think about their role and their career goals too- generally speaking, personalization can make the onboarding experience more engaging and relevant.
