Remote work may have declined slightly since the height of the pandemic, but in many industries, it’s here to stay. According to the Pew Research Center, “41% of those with jobs that can be done remotely are working a hybrid schedule,” while 35% work from home full time. That equals around 22 million remote workers in the U.S. alone.
While video calls and virtual meetings have become a standard part of the employee experience, onboarding remote employees can still present some challenges. From document management to virtual team building, you’ll need to use the right tools to provide a positive experience and foster organic connections.
Here’s how to create a memorable onboarding experience for new remote employees and help them feel like a part of the team from Day One.
Remote onboarding is the process of welcoming new team members to your company over the internet, rather than on-site. This could be because your new hire lives in a different location or maybe they just intend to work from home or another remote setting. This could be by choice or perhaps you have a fully remote workforce.
A typical onboarding checklist includes things like new hire training, an orientation to the physical work environment, and an introduction to the rest of your team. The main difference between onboarding in-person employees and remote team members is that for your remote workers, all of your onboarding documents and training sessions will be delivered virtually.
While the majority of onboarding happens between the first day and first week on the job, your onboarding plan should extend for as long as it takes your new employee to adapt to their new role and understand the nuances of your company culture.
Virtual onboarding has its benefits compared to face-to-face onboarding: After all, you can implement employee onboarding automation from Day One. But there are a few key challenges to prepare for when onboarding remote employees, such as:
Many remote employees will be familiar with video conferencing platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams and messaging tools like Slack. For those who aren’t, you might need to spend more time getting them up to speed so they can hit the ground running.
It’s important to use the right HR tech and make sure that your orientation videos and training modules are compatible with multiple devices and operating systems.
No matter how welcoming your virtual team is to new hires, they may find it harder to get the support they need from colleagues during the onboarding process. Remote workers can’t easily shadow a colleague or turn to a coworker to ask questions.
Assigning an onboarding buddy and scheduling regular check-ins can go a long way toward making them feel at home in the virtual workspace.
Remote work often implies having a flexible schedule, but that isn’t always the case. If you want your new hires to be available during specific business hours, you’ll need to set clear expectations upfront and have a way to track employee attendance.
Consider using project management software to assign tasks and track milestones. The more transparent the process is, the more employees will feel like the workload is distributed fairly across your remote team.
It’s possible to overcome the challenges of remote onboarding with the right technology and the help of HR automation software. Follow these best practices to streamline your remote onboarding process and help your new hires settle into their new job.
Begin onboarding remote employees well before their first day on the job by sending them a welcome email — and ideally a tangible onboarding package. Your welcome email should contain an introduction from their manager or supervisor, a reminder of their start date, and links to any onboarding resources they need to look over.
The welcome package can include a branded mug, T-shirt, and other swag to help them feel like part of the team and show them they’re appreciated.
Before onboarding remote employees, it’s important to have a clear remote work policy — even if only some of your team members work remotely. Establish whether eligibility to work remotely is determined by location, seniority, job description, or other factors, and whether to offer job-based compensation or location-based pay.
Some companies have a hybrid work policy that allows their employees to work from home some of the time, while others have a fully remote workforce with no in-person workspace whatsoever. Either is fine, but spell it out in your employee handbook and provide a formal remote work agreement that employees have to review and sign during the onboarding process.
Are your remote employees expected to use their own equipment on the job, or will you be providing them with a mobile device or company-owned laptop? If so, deliver it early so they have time to set it up. If you won’t be providing equipment, consider offering a work-from-home stipend that employees can put toward a home office setup.
Use AI-driven chat and ticket management tools like RapidBee to provide a customized employee journey and resolve common employee relations issues promptly. The sooner your new hires learn how to navigate your internal apps and systems, the faster they can resolve their own issues without contacting the human resources team.
Some remote workers never meet their colleagues face to face, and that’s OK. Others might prefer to come into the office once in a while. When onboarding remote employees, consider hosting a happy hour or meet and greet — this way, new team members have a chance to get to know their colleagues.
If distance is an issue, start off team meetings with a virtual icebreaker, or schedule a company retreat once or twice a year to build company culture.
Onboarding usually involves an orientation to the work environment, while training is more focused on developing the skills a new hire will need to do their job. More and more organizations are integrating training into the onboarding process so they can provide a custom onboarding journey and track employee progress.
By using an AI-powered platform like RapidBee, you can deliver training modules, track certifications, and send out automated renewal reminders — helping you maintain HR compliance and increase retention throughout the employee lifecycle.
Onboarding remote employees can be a lengthy process that extends beyond the new employee’s first week on the job. Schedule one-on-one check-ins with their onboarding buddy or mentor so they can have private conversations to address any concerns.
As they settle in, use performance review templates to track performance metrics and provide ongoing professional support. Not only does this benefit individual employees, it helps you determine whether or not your onboarding program has been successful and how you can improve it for future hires.
The employee onboarding process involves multiple steps, including introductions, technical support, mentorship, training modules, and team-building exercises. When it comes to onboarding remote employees, you have to do it all virtually. Sending out a welcome package, having an established remote work policy, and using onboarding automation can all make a difference.
RapidBee’s AI-powered platform revolutionizes the onboarding process with custom training journeys, automated workflows, and progress tracking. Plus, with integrated document management and an AI-driven employee support center, you can gather onboarding documents and provide instant responses to employee queries.
RapidBee is compatible with a wide range of platforms, including Workday and ADP, allowing for seamless integration with your existing HR ecosystem.
Request a demo today to see how it works!