Your onboarding process plays a significant role in a new hire’s future success. Particularly when the employee is filling a remote position. When done properly, onboarding can boost retention and increase the speed at which an incoming employee reaches full productivity. Essentially, it provides the new hire with a solid foundation. One upon which they can continue to build in the weeks, months, and, potentially, years to come.
If you want to make sure your remote onboarding process is as strong as possible.
Here are some tips for improving it.
Start Before Day One
Your remote onboarding process shouldn’t begin on the new hire’s first day. Instead, it needs to start well in advance. Thus, ensuring that certain preparatory steps are handled, and critical work items can be received before they start in the position.
Ideally, you want to prepare the employee’s team for their arrival. This will ensure they know what responsibilities the person will have and how they fit into the bigger picture. Additionally, introduce the incoming employee to their team members. Preferably during a video call where they can put faces to names – providing them the same insights.
It’s also wise to send any tech equipment or required paperwork in advance, ensuring they’ll have it before their first day. Ready any digital documents and electronic signature systems, as well, expediting that portion of the process.
Create (and Share) Plan Based on Your Expectations
Having a plan for the employee’s first 90 days in the role is wise. It allows you to provide the new hire with an actionable roadmap, increasing the odds that they’ll make progress in a timely manner.
Additionally, this creates an opportunity to define and discuss your expectations in a concrete fashion. The incoming employee will know precisely what they need to handle and when, eliminating much of the ambiguity that can come with starting in any new position, especially with remote jobs.
Schedule Regular Check-in Meetings
One of the biggest challenges of onboarding a remote employee is the inability to simply drop by their desk and see how they are progressing. However, you can overcome this challenge by formally scheduling regular one-on-one check-in meetings.
During these meetings, you can gauge their progress, provide feedback, and answer questions that may have arisen since the last meeting. In the end, this creates there’s a continuous dialog, allowing both parties to be informed and the new hire to feel supported.
Encourage Above-and-Beyond Communication
Along with regular meetings, you also want to encourage the new hire to communicate as often as possible. Overcommunication in the early days can help everyone familiarize themselves with each other, easing the transition.
As time passes, scaling back communication can always be an option. It’s just wise to go above-and-beyond initially, ensuring that a lack of communication is never a hindrance during the critical early days.
Are You Looking to Expand Your Remote Team?
Having a high-performing remote team is crucial to maintaining productivity and achieving company goals. If you need to find top talent for your open remote positions, Selectek can help. Contact us today.
