January 2021
5 Practical Tips for Improving the Onboarding Experience for Remote Employees
Onboarding is the process of integrating a new employee into an organization by helping them understand the culture and what will be expected of them in their role. The first impressions an employee forms as they meet and speak with their new team members will have lasting effects. In fact, research cited in the Partnership for Public Service report Getting on Board revealed that an effective onboarding process can boost employee retention by up to 25 percent.
Leaders in public sector human resources also stress the particular importance of quality onboarding for integrating new hires into the culture of the organization. The latest update to our HR20/20 Report identifies culture as one of five key areas for HR professional to focus on to maximize the impact of their work in their organization. The report describes culture as having a “fundamental impact in that it influences the relationships employees have with leaders and coworkers, the work that is performed and the way in which it is performed, and the type and quality of connection to the organization that is experienced.”
In other words, understanding and integrating into workplace culture will affect every aspect of an employee’s time with the organization.
But what does it look like to virtually integrate someone into a team’s culture? Without a physical space to gather, how do managers and HR teams ensure new hires receive the tools, knowledge and social experience to understand their role and the culture of their organization? Does it even matter when a new employee starts off-site?
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management believes so. The agency made this clear on March 24, 2020, when it issued guidance for onboarding new federal hires who could not work in their offices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of that document focuses on the administrative tasks of bringing on a new hire. Here are five specific things you should do.
Set Up a Digital Presence Ahead of Time
Instead of having a new hire spend their first virtual day waiting for IT to activate their email and network accounts, make sure that is all taken care of beforehand. If possible, share login information with the employee a few days ahead of their start date to allow them time to familiarize themselves with the organization’s virtual workspace.
Regardless, dedicate some time on the first day to acclimating the remote hire to their new virtual work environment. This can be more challenging for some people than others because public sector employees tend to be older, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimating that 73 percent are over the age of 35. Even if getting a new remote employee up and running goes smoothly, be prepared to schedule further training sessions or to pair them up with an experienced coworker who knows the technology inside out.
Orient People to Their Place in the Larger Organization
The nebulous nature of virtual work makes it harder for new hires to understand how their role fits into the larger organization. First, there is no physical workplace in which the employee can visualize themselves.
The physical disconnect is exacerbated by the unlikelihood of having spontaneous interactions with coworkers. Working remotely lowers employees’ chances to engage in casual conversations, especially with colleagues who are on other teams or who work for different branches.
Address this early in the onboarding process. Instead of simply attaching the org chart to the employee handbook and telling the new employee to study everything on their own, dedicate time to explaining how their work ties into the larger organization and its mission.
Communicate Before, During and After Each Stage of the Onboarding Process
Tell the new hire what each onboarding task entails beforehand. Doing this helps reduce the uncertainty of starting a new job. Dividing the onboarding process into well-defined stages also allows you to revise and reschedule as required.
Give the employee sufficient time to complete each task, and schedule sessions for asking and answering questions. If it ever feels like you are overcommunicating, recognize that you are intentionally doing the casual check-ins you would conduct if you and the new employee were in the office. Stopping by just to say goodbye at the end of their first day will not happen remotely unless you make it happen.
Last, take time to discuss learning styles and communication preferences. Since you will not be able to pop by their desk for a quick chat, learn the best way to reach them remotely. Set a communication standard during the onboarding process that includes frequent meetings and discuss when to transition to a permanent communication schedule.
Set Goals and Standards Together
At all times, creating short-term, reachable goals helps boost employees’ morale and engagement. During the onboarding process, establish deadlines for completing tasks and collaborate on setting incremental goals for the projects the new employee will be working on.
Asked what works in this regard, Nancy Piatt, the HR manager for the Fayette County, Ky., Clerk’s Office, described encouraging managers to establish short- and long-term goals with their new hires.
“What makes an employee’s first few days more meaningful is to know that he or she will be doing work that contributes to the organization’s overall success,” said Piatt. “To that end, have 30- and 90-day goals ready for the new employee. That can help him or her to embrace quickly how their work matters.”
Cultivate a Sense of Belonging
A survey of IPMA-HR members conducted during April 2020 revealed that more than 40 percent of respondents felt isolated while working from home during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lesson is that cultivating a sense of belonging for remote employees is important.
Spend time during the onboarding process introducing the new hire to all the people they will be working closely with. This does much to establish professional relationships. Encourage rapport by prompting the coworkers to discuss their hobbies and life beyond the job.
Consider creating a buddy program through which experienced employees are paired with new hires and required to check-in with their buddy several times during onboarding. Research cited by the authors of a Harvard Business Review article published online on June 8, 2019, showed that 73 percent of new hires who met with their onboarding buddy 2-3 times in their first 3 months reported that the meetings helped them become productive in their new role.
Fostering a sense of belonging, cultivating engagement and spurring retention do not happen only during onboarding, of course. Each is its own ongoing challenge for managers and HR teams. But starting off with a strong plan that demonstrates to new hires that they are valued team members whose success matters to the organization from day one puts employees and the organization on the proper path.
01 January 2021
Category
HR News Article