A Guide to Setting Up a Remote Employee for Success
Adding a new face, new skills and a new personality to the mix is an exciting time for any business. However, creating a seamless onboarding process is only one of the many challenges businesses face when expanding their workforce. As we’ve adapted to the dynamics of remote work over the past two years, companies are finding new ways to onboard team members from the comfort of their own homes. To ensure the successful transition of a new remote employee, it is important to carry out the process efficiently.
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New employees take time to adjust to their new positions, so try to have a structure in place before they begin. This could include setting up an email account, adding them to the payroll and making sure any essential “work-from-home” items are sent to them even before they begin their first day. By minimizing time spent on administrative duties and focusing on workflow expectations, remote working adjustments and creating connections between employees, your new hire will become comfortable in their new role.
Start Off On the Right Foot
Imagine yourself in the new employee’s shoes and think about the nerves you felt when you started your job. Starting a new journey with a team you are not familiar with can be quite overwhelming. Adding to the pressure is the fact that you’re beginning this adventure alone, at home. Helping your new employee feel comfortable will ease their transition into the new “workplace.” By scheduling one-on-one video calls between them and each co-worker, it will allow your employee to feel welcome and gain confidence from the start. Identifying a dedicated onboarding team member to act as an informal mentor for a new hire is also crucial when onboarding remotely. This informal mentor is ideally someone who can answer questions, proactively reach out to the new hire, and be their go-to point of contact.
Describe the Company Culture and Work Processes
As a result of fewer in-person interactions when working from home, company culture is often perceived as non-existent. Be sure to provide explicit guidance to your new hire on norms that are often taken for granted — such as the company’s work style, level of formality, dress code, virtual etiquette on video conferences and working hours — to get them on the same page with the company’s priorities.
The new hire will gain an understanding of the team dynamics and workflow by participating in a mixture of formal and informal discussions. Meetings with co-workers one-on-one is a great way to build trust and rapport; however, it is equally important for your new hire to be involved in group discussions from the start to help them understand how work gets done.
Establishing clear expectations and responsibilities is critical to helping a new hire prioritize and accomplish their tasks. As a key driver of momentum from the get-go, onboarding goes beyond the first week. Throughout the onboarding process, you should lay a foundation for ongoing professional development that continuously strengthens your employees’ organizational alignment as well as their relationships with one another and overall performance in their roles.
To speak with a BG professional, contact us at connect@thebelfortgroup.com.