How Can You Effectively Onboard Remote Employees?
When it comes to onboarding remote employees, the wisdom of founders and HR experts is invaluable. From facilitating cross-departmental introductions to setting clear communication guidelines, we’ve gathered five pieces of advice to help you create an effective remote onboarding experience.
- Facilitate Cross-Departmental Introductions
- Implement a Virtual Buddy System
- Prioritize Connection and Support
- Establish a Comprehensive Onboarding Plan
- Set Clear Communication Guidelines
Facilitate Cross-Departmental Introductions
In the first two weeks, I like to set up as many one-on-one introductory meetings with leads from other departments and key stakeholders for the incoming role. Not only does this give the new starter a chance to meet important decision-makers and learn about the business, but it also helps them build relationships and rapport with people quickly. Remote workers can often become siloed within departments and teams outside of their own, so encouraging cross-departmental interaction early on can be a great way to set the groundwork for good future collaboration.
James Waite
Founder, Remoteopia
Implement a Virtual Buddy System
From my very own experience, one unique piece of advice for effectively onboarding remote employees is to create a virtual buddy system. Pairing new hires with seasoned team members can be incredibly beneficial. These buddies can guide them through their first few weeks, making them feel connected and providing a point of contact for any questions or concerns.
The buddy can introduce the new hire to the team culture, share insights about workflows, and offer advice on using the company’s digital tools. This personal connection can help alleviate the isolation that remote employees often feel.
Regular check-ins between the buddy and the new hire can further foster a sense of belonging and ensure any issues are quickly addressed. This approach creates a supportive environment and helps new employees integrate smoothly into the team.
Phil McParlane
Founder & CEO, 4DayWeekJobs
Prioritize Connection and Support
Remote work can feel isolating, so I find that prioritizing areas such as helping new team members connect with colleagues and knowing where to seek advice during onboarding is vital. This could involve virtual team lunches, buddy programs, or encouraging informal chats using communication tools.
Chris Percival
Founder & Managing Director, CJPI
Establish a Comprehensive Onboarding Plan
There are a few essential things to consider:
- Determining whether a new hire is a good fit for the company’s culture. This is where we all should start.
- Make the new hire feel like they are an integral part of the team and have a voice from the very beginning.
- Setting up virtual training with a “buddy system” in place where a new hire is paired with another employee to shadow/learn by actively listening.
- Put in place an itemized onboarding plan with an emphasis on cross-departmental collaboration.
- Host weekly meetings to check in and sync on the progress and training path and to go over feedback.
Dominika Weston
Talent Manager, GLOBO
Set Clear Communication Guidelines
Please ensure clear communication structures and rules from the start; Slack, Zoom, and other project management software should be in place, and clear guidelines should be communicated about when and how remote workers can use them. In my experience, knowing exactly when and how to speak during the first few days offers security to new hires and lets them know that they can ask questions and clarify matters at all times if it’s unclear. This specification in the communications strategy at my company has helped reduce the overall stress of onboarding and integrate new joiners more effectively with their teams.
Sunaree Komolchomalee
Head of Human Resources, Cupid Digital PR Agency
Submit Your Answer
Would you like to submit an alternate answer to the question, “What’s one piece of advice you’d give for effectively onboarding remote employees based on your own experience?”