Remote onboarding is becoming increasingly common in organizations around the world. With the rise of remote work, many companies are discovering the importance of making their new employees feel welcome and productive from day one.
With a good onboarding process,
69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for at least three years, so we invite you to read on to discover best practices and learn how to make your new employees feel welcome and productive from day one.
What is Onboarding?
Onboarding is the process of introducing a newly hired employee to an organization. After selection and hiring, it is necessary to start with a welcoming, attractive and clarifying process.
When an organization wants to onboard people, they need to think carefully about the profile. They need people who are a perfect fit for the culture of their organization, so they need to identify in advance the behaviors, values, and competencies that are required.
Good training will turn the new hire into a new brand
ambassador, ensuring that employees are aligned with the company's goals and will do everything possible to achieve them successfully.
What is remote onboarding?
Remote onboarding refers to the same process of onboarding a newly hired employee. However, in this case, the onboarding is done remotely with the teleworker, adapting the onboarding tools and processes to the new digital context.
Thanks to this type of remote process, the globalization of talent is promoted, making it possible to find profiles anywhere in the world to meet recruitment needs. It also broadens the horizon of business opportunities and the ability to compete in new markets.
What factors affect remote onboarding?
There are a number of operational factors that affect remote onboarding and must be considered for the process to be effective:
· Compliance.- It is critical to be aware of local laws related to remote work taxes and remote employee compensation and benefits, which are often different from what is customary for in-person employees.
· Productivity.- A well-structured remote onboarding program allows new employees to get up to speed faster, reducing the time it takes to become productive.
· Team collaboration.- Effective remote onboarding should encourage and structure communication and cohesion across regions and time zones. It is key to helping new hires integrate with their immediate team and the broader global organization, creating a cohesive and well-aligned workforce.
· Brand Image.- A thorough remote onboarding process has a positive impact on an organization's international reputation. It demonstrates to new employees, both onsite and remote, that the company is organized, considerate, and an attractive place to work.
We must also pay full attention to the more humanistic factors:
· Social beings.- Interacting with others on a social level is recognized as a factor in maintaining mental health and is inherent to human beings, although individual differences may exist.
· Cultural orientation.- The sense of belonging to a group is also an essential factor related to human psychological well-being.
· Cultural differences.- It is very important to adapt the remote onboarding plan to respect and celebrate cultural differences. This helps new international employees feel valued and understood. We need to foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels part of the overall company culture, whether they interact in person or remotely.
Remote onboarding step-by-step guide
· Create a digital communication plan.- Effective communication is critical for a remote team, and a solid plan can prevent confusion and feelings of isolation. Provide communication tools so they can communicate at any time, and establish clear guidelines for communication, including who to contact for what, when, and through what channels.
· Provide ongoing support and development opportunities.- Onboarding should not be viewed as a one-time event. Rather, it is the beginning of an ongoing process in which continuous support and development should be provided by fostering a culture of growth and collaboration that extends beyond the initial onboarding phase.
· Encourage interpersonal relationships for onboarding.- online mentoring, video introductions, virtual lunches, welcome kits that fly halfway around the world... Include concrete actions that encourage bonding with remote colleagues and a necessary effort that directly impacts our ability to retain talent through our onboarding process.
· Invest (time and money) in technology.- Implementing the right technology and infrastructure can contribute to a smooth and efficient remote onboarding process. Since remote employees do not have the traditional/direct support of being in the office, it is necessary to compensate with resources that adapt to their situation and facilitate a smooth process from HR.
Free onboarding assessment template
At Hrider, we have a model library so that if you don't want to design your own evaluation model, you can use one of the ones our HR and talent management experts have created for you. Here is a template to evaluate onboarding in your organization!