In hybrid settings, expecting users to navigate new tools without proper guidance can be an arduous task leading to a litany of mistakes down the line. Setting your company up with a digital adoption platform will not only provide on-screen guidance but can ensure the user has a measurable and human error-free method of explaining them thoroughly well beyond the onboarding process. Additionally, it provides quizzes and in-depth information that one can revert back to at a later time if they need to go back and further digest the new knowledge without bothering a team leader for more explanation. Finally, the company itself can rely on the platform as a metric by which to measure how adept your team is at adopting these tools and handling the remote workstyle.
Check-in with your employees to understand how they're feeling about the job. For example, send quick surveys at the end of their first month and then their trial period. You can ask questions related to the company culture, how confident they feel at the job, do they feel they are getting enough support, etc. Surveys tend to be less personal than one-on-one conversations, so an employee might feel more comfortable sharing their real opinion. With the information from surveys, you can personalize the onboarding process for everyone while improving your overall strategy based on collective feedback.
Create a schedule that allows you to onboard more than one employee at a time. It helps new hires get to know each other, connect with staff from other teams, and meet those individuals who work remotely most of the time. It’s similar to the first day of “school” - you get to meet the other students in class. You meet co-workers, who become friends, and these become the people you collaborate with and can depend on.
It's easy to have someone onboard and have all of their interactions be online. It's important to add a non-virtual element so that there's more to their experience than sitting in front of a computer screen. Have new team members come in for one day to meet others or pick up their equipment. Or send them a swag box as a welcome gift. Have lunch delivered to their house so they can participate in a virtual lunch hour with other new team members. Give them some sort of a physical experience to reduce some of the "virtual distance" they may experience as a new employee.
When onboarding new employees that are working hybrid, it’s vital that they have the right equipment at home as well in the office. Simply asking them if they have a computer at home is not enough. You need to ensure they have a computer that is capable of running programs they will need to complete their work. Make sure you know the specifications of their existing equipment if you are not going to be providing any equipment. You can also supply them with a laptop or other equipment that is portable between the office and their home.
One best practice for employee onboarding in a hybrid workplace is to implement an "onboarding buddy program". This means simply assigning each new employee an onboarding buddy - the first point of contact. These experienced employees assist and navigate the new hires during their first weeks in a company. Whether working from the office or home, onboarding buddies are there to support new employees. Their job is to answer all questions, explain the position requirements and provide insight into the written and unwritten rules of the office. Onboarding buddies make the process of adjusting to a new job easier, They ensure that the employee does not feel left behind without support and any plan of action.
When people think of onboarding, they often think of the technical aspects of the job. However, the social aspects of the process are just as important. To help new employees feel like they belong in your remote workplace, create a socialization plan. This plan should include activities such as virtual happy hours and water cooler conversations. It should also include opportunities for employees to get to know one another on a personal level.
Our company have developed a self-guided onboarding experience for new hires to compliment the more traditional onboarding sessions that everyone goes through. It’s built around a series of questions they need to investigate related to the work of the organization as a whole. In order to find answers to these questions they set up meetings with team members within their direct team and across the wider organization. An example question could be “why is customer service so crucial to our business?” In order to find the answer, the new hire would need to set up a meeting with someone in the customer service department. This onboarding experience reflects my belief that every employee needs to understand, at least at a higher level, the different aspects of our business. I’ve found that this technique leads to more confident and independent new employees, and helps them to quickly integrate into the wider organization.
The most challenging part of integrating a new team member in a hybrid workplace is communicating your workplace culture and helping them form bonds and connections with coworkers. Both of these are crucial to make new hires feel included and like they belong in your company, and have a significant impact on how likely they are to stick around long-term. While it is important that new hires understand how to do their job and use company systems, the majority of your onboarding should be focused on these more intangible aspects of the role, things that can’t be conveyed in training manuals or explained in an email.
If you've made the switch to a hybrid workplace, with workers coming into the office part time, full time, or not at all - now is a good time to review your onboarding process. One thing we've found has helped new hires, is trying to give everyone the same experience when they onboard - whether they work in the office or from home. One method we've employed are virtual meet and greets with new hires via video calls. When remote employees first join, they may not get the same experience from home as it would be in the office with tours and walk-ups. A virtual meet and greet let's new hires meet the team and to put a face to the people they'll be working with. Another powerful tool for hybrid teams are branded backgrounds for Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, etc. With company branded backgrounds, clients and partners will have the same experience communicating with you whether you are in the office or working from home. Be sure to design and distribute branded backgrounds to new hires.
The onboarding phase is crucial as it is the first impression employees will have of your company, and it has an impact on how your employees view the organization in the long term. Doing it in a hybrid workplace can be more challenging, and that is the reason why HR should plan the pre-onboarding process. This moment is crucial to introduce new hires to the company’s culture and establish first interactions with collogues, thus beginning to feel part of your company. Start with a welcome email, and set meetings to introduce the new hire helping to become more familiar with the company and the workplace.
Make a pleasant long-term impression: Onboarding, in my opinion, is more than just greeting new employees; it is also about selling the company to them. Job seeking and selecting an organization to work for can be difficult and time consuming. The induction process allows the employer to confirm that your new hire made the proper decision.
In any workplace, networking is important. In the remote workplace, it is even more so. That's because, without face-to-face interactions, it can be more difficult to build relationships. As such, encourage networking among your employees. One way to do this is to create opportunities for them, such as virtual networking events. You can also encourage employees to connect with one another on social media or via email.
Onboarding is not only a time to learn job duties but also to integrate with a team. Look for opportunities to meet each other! Ask colleagues for help, missing resources, or even their job responsibilities. It will give you great insight into workplace culture and ensures thriving relationships.
Make it simple to ask questions: Make it simple for people to ask questions, in my opinion. This is critical for new employees and will encourage them to feel comfortable asking questions. This is where a digital workspace comes in handy. It gives people a single location to gather information regarding things like benefits, equipment, pay, and so on. This form of always-on support is especially useful when working remotely.
Make a plan: A strategy for the first month of a new employee's employment, in my opinion, helps them get on track and keeps them from feeling overwhelmed by having too much information to take at once. A timetable or plan that is personalized to a new employee's personal skills as well as the requirements of their work is even more beneficial. A well-thought-out onboarding strategy gives employees the confidence and assistance they need to feel at ease and empowered at work.
People have a lot to contend with when they’re new to the company, even when they’re working remotely. Instruction videos are a good way to get new employees to learn the ropes. Videos can be used for anything from filling a time sheet, going over benefit packages, learning new software, etc. The videos that are available may need to be viewed more than once, so providing new employees with easy access to them is recommended.
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Make use of a digital platform: You'll need to make sure employees have everything they need for day-to-day work, just like you would with any other onboarding procedure. Remote workers will require not just a place to work from, but also remote access to all of your company's resources via their laptops and required software/hardware. A digital platform, in my opinion, helps distant workers virtually navigate the business – and a well-designed digital employee experience may also inspire and excite.
Even if you train your hybrid employees in the office, you should still provide them with written instructions that they can go back to when they are working at home. Of course, you should welcome questions through Slack when hybrid employees are working from home, but with these written instructions, those working from home will have an easier time figuring out the answers to their questions, especially since communication can be delayed when working remotely.
Working in a hybrid environment can feel isolating, so using a buddy system for new hires can help them feel more connected during their onboarding process. Assign another employee who has been with the company for a while to help guide them through their first few weeks. This can help new hires have a mentor to talk to about issues they’re encountering or how they’re feeling about the onboarding process.