As a seasoned manager, you’ve welcomed plenty of new employees. However, effective employee onboarding for remote workers is new to you.
Whether your new hire will be working remotely forever or just in interim, it’s still important to give them a thorough introduction to your company. Here’s some advice to help you make them feel like part of the team in no time at all.
Five Tips to Onboard Remote Employees
Make Signing Paperwork Easy
Starting a new job is exciting, but filling out the mounds of paperwork that come with it isn’t. Make the process as simple as possible by investing in e-signature software like DocuSign or HelloSign. This will allow new hires to easily sign and share documents with you electronically, instead of going through the hassle of having to scan them or print them and put them in the mail.
Review Communication Tools
Communication is important at every company, but getting in the swing of things can be much more difficult for remote workers. People can easily feel isolated if they don’t know the most effective ways to reach out to both you and their peers, so explain your company’s best practices. For example, maybe they should instant message their peers with questions, if most people don’t check email frequently throughout the day.
Set Up Introductory Video Meetings
They might not be working in the same physical location, but that doesn’t mean new hires can’t have face-to-face meetings with their new colleagues. Thanks to video conferencing software like Zoom and Skype, you can help new employees put a face to a name with welcome meetings. This will help them feel more connected to their peers, which is really important when working remotely.
Send Them Company Swag
Give new employees team spirit by sending them fun company swag. This will make them feel appreciated and proud to be part of the team. It might seem like a small gesture, but receiving a t-shirt or a coffee mug emblazoned with your company name and logo in the mail is really exciting for a new employee.
Establish Goals and Expectations
Just as you would with any new hire, it’s important to get on the same page with your expectations for them. Create a 30-60-90 day plan that outlines the goals you’ve set for them, so they know how to gauge their success. This will help them stay on track and know exactly what they should be doing each day.
Wish you had more time to update your onboarding procedures? ECS offers a full suite of affordable employer of record services to recruiters and employers. Contact us today to discuss a partnership!