Onboarding new employees is important for many different reasons. An organized process helps the new hire truly feel a part of the team, and gets them productive and contributing to your organization as quickly as possible.
However, this effort obviously becomes more difficult during the current pandemic still affecting the business world.
With a goal of starting a new hire on the right foot in a pandemic, here are a few best practices for your company’s remote onboarding process. Leverage these ideas to ensure any new employee quickly starts making an impact on your company’s operations. It’s a great way for quickly achieving ROI on your organization’s staffing investment.
3 Tips For Onboarding New Remote Employees
Make Sure Your New Employee Has the Tech for Success at Home
You probably interviewed your new employee remotely, so their home office is likely well-appointed with the webcam and other tools they need to succeed. Still, you must ensure they get access to the online HR forms, employee handbook, and technical documentation required as part of the onboarding process. If they are having a company PC delivered, make sure the IT team is able to help them get all the applications and other software required for new hires.
Choose a Veteran Employee as a Mentor
Remote employees need close mentorship more so than those able to work within an office environment. After all, it’s difficult to truly feel part of the team if there’s little social interaction. That fact makes it important to have a fellow employee – preferably someone on their project team – to serve as a mentor throughout the onboarding process. The new hire then has a single point of contact to get questions answered and to learn more about the company culture.
Short Term Goals Remain Important for Any Onboarding Process
The new employee’s manager needs to craft a few short-term goals to provide a sense of direction for their first few months with your organization. Include actual project work so the new hire quickly gains a sense of accomplishment. The manager also needs to hold regular status meetings – on a weekly basis makes sense – to ensure they are making good progress towards meeting their assigned goals.
Speaking of regular meetings, videoconferencing becomes critical when working remotely, as it provides that essential face-to-face contact. Give the new hire a chance to speak up during employee meetings so everyone gets a chance to get to know them better.
Looking for the Right Person to Join Your Team?
If your company needs advice on hiring great tech talent, speak with the expert team at The CERES Group. As one of the top IT staffing agencies in Boston, we provide the best candidates able to make a difference for you. Schedule a meeting with us soon!