Remote onboarding: tips for a digital restart
The first day at a new company is always exciting. If remote onboarding is added to the mix, some new employees may feel lost. To prevent this from happening, we have summarized 6 helpful tips. How to ensure well-organized remote onboarding.
Employees should feel comfortable
Even before the first day of work, it is advisable to send a welcome package to the new colleague for perfect remote onboarding. This way, the new team member receives a few goodies to welcome them before they start.
This immediately creates a value of integration and the new team member feels comfortable. The contents of such a welcome package can include the following things, for example:
- Ballpoint pen
- Notebook
- Snacks
- Shirt / Sweater
- Coffee cup or to-go cup
Communication
Communication is an important topic, especially now during home office hours. Here, too, you should welcome new team members openly. Talk to them on the phone or in virtual meetings. Take away the newcomers’ fears and clarify all important questions together with the HR department.
Another idea is to send the new team members an email with a nice video message in advance. Tell them how much you are looking forward to the start.
Provide equipment in good time
The best way for remote onboarding is, of course, to have all equipment ready before the start of the first working day and all software and tools installed. After all, your new colleagues can’t just knock on the door of the IT department from home.
You can send by post or courier all the necessary hardware such as a laptop, keyboard, mouse and, if required, headphones. Of course, you need to make sure you send the package on time, as there can always be delays in delivery.
An onboarding mentor
Whether in the home office or in the office, it is always helpful to appoint a mentor for the new employee. This creates a closer bond, especially during remote onboarding. In addition, the new team colleague has a contact person for questions.
The great thing about this is that new colleagues can also be taken by the hand virtually. Take them along to important meetings or a digital coffee chat. Measures like these help new employees join the team more quickly.
Regular check-ins
Despite or even because of the physical separation, there are many impressions that affect new colleagues. These need to be processed and you can help with this if you are in regular contact with your new team members.
Set up regular short meetings to exchange ideas: 15 minutes is completely sufficient. Of course, you don’t have to do this every day, but twice a week, for example. Take Tuesday and Thursday, for example.
It also shows the new employee that you care about them. This can have a positive influence on the onboarding process.
Provide motivation
Motivation is also a major challenge, especially during remote onboarding.
When you start a new job under normal circumstances, you are usually inspired by the atmosphere in the office. This is no longer the case at the moment due to working from home.
As an employer, you need to counteract this and inspire your new colleagues from afar. Give your employees a good feeling. They need to feel valued. Be attentive, listen to them, answer new colleagues’ questions and be approachable for them.
Conclusion on remote onboarding
The be-all and end-all of remote onboarding is communication. As you cannot sit right next to your new employee and therefore cannot see them all the time, it is important to communicate with them at all times.
Give him the opportunity to ask questions as often as he wants and be as present as possible for him.
If you can do this, they will certainly have a positive memory of the remote onboarding process.
