In this blog, we’re discussing some of the top challenges a new remote employee might face with virtual onboarding and how organizations can help set them up for success—starting as early in the process as the job posting.
What Is Remote Onboarding?
Onboarding remote employees requires a few key elements, such as introducing, integrating and orienting a worker with a company’s culture, policies and procedures. This happens either entirely or partially through virtual means, rather than in person.
Remote workers have become much more typical over the last handful of years, with approximately 22 million employed adults working from home 100 percent of the time. With the rise of remote work and distributed teams, many companies have had to adapt their traditional onboarding processes. The process usually involves using various digital tools and platforms to facilitate orientation sessions, training modules, meetings, access to company resources and documentation and more.
Even remote onboarding, which you’d expect to be a fairly uniform process across the board given the inherent limitations, can look different from one organization to the next. However, there are a few main components and onboarding best practices that are to be expected, such as:
Virtual orientation sessions: Introduction to company culture, values, mission and policies through online presentations or videos.
Digital training materials: Access to online courses, tutorials and documentation to learn about job responsibilities, software tools and processes.
Virtual meetings: Scheduled video calls with managers, remote team members and HR representatives to discuss job expectations, goals and performance evaluation criteria.
Digital communication channels: Utilizing email, instant messaging platforms and project management tools for ongoing communication, collaboration and feedback.
Remote access to resources: Provision of necessary equipment, software and access to company databases.
Regular check-ins: Scheduled virtual meetings to assess progress, address concerns and provide additional support as needed.
These could be considered the bare minimum requirements of an onboarding plan. However, to reap the benefits of a truly effective strategy, including better employee retention and a more meaningful employee experience, it’s important to understand common challenges first.
Top Challenges With Remote Onboarding
Surprisingly, only about 12 percent of employees in the U.S. say that their organizations have a good onboarding process — so getting virtual onboarding right can really set you apart from your competition. With an ever-expanding remote workforce, being able to adapt to this new normal will only strengthen company culture over time.
Remote onboarding isn’t without its challenges, just like its face-to-face counterpart. To facilitate the most meaningful remote onboarding experience for new employees, being aware of common challenges is key to developing strategies to overcome them and can help both you and remote hires succeed.
For context, here are a few typical challenges with remote onboarding processes:
Technological barriers
Some candidates, especially older generations, may not be as comfortable with certain technologies as others. Remote onboarding sessions should provide training to help get tech-averse employees up to speed.
Limited personal interaction
Remote onboarding lacks the face-to-face interaction indicative of more traditional working arrangements, where it’s easier to build relationships between new hires and colleagues. In a virtual environment, it can be more challenging for new employees to feel connected to the company culture and other team members.
Lack of supervision
Without direct supervision and timely feedback on their initial performance, new employees may struggle to effectively learn and adapt to their roles.
Disengagement
Remote work can be isolating, especially for new hires who may feel disconnected from their peers and the organization itself. Without the informal interactions and socialization opportunities provided by an office environment, new employees may struggle to integrate and engage with their teams.
Difficulty building trust and rapport
Establishing trust and rapport between new hires and their managers and colleagues can be more challenging in a remote environment. Building strong relationships in these virtual settings requires an intentional effort to foster open communication, collaboration and camaraderie.
Remote Onboarding Checklist: Building An Effective Plan
As an employer interested in hiring remote employees, you should be committed to facilitating success for each new hire in your remote environment.
That means providing the appropriate tools, software, and support that remote workers need to thrive in their new roles. At a high level, that effort also includes committing to and/or developing:
Clear communication: Provide clear instructions and expectations for the remote onboarding process, including timelines, objectives and resources. Regularly communicate with new hires through various digital channels to ensure they feel informed and supported.
A structured onboarding plan: Develop a comprehensive onboarding plan that outlines the training modules, orientation sessions and milestones new hires will complete during their first weeks and months on the job. Break down tasks into manageable steps and provide access to relevant resources and materials.
Feedback and evaluation: Solicit feedback from new hires about their remote onboarding experience to identify areas for improvement and ensure ongoing optimization of the process. Evaluate the effectiveness of the onboarding program based on new hires’ performance, engagement and satisfaction levels.
A Remote Onboarding Checklist For New Remote Hires
Now that you know what your organization should have in place for the best chance at successful virtual onboarding, here’s a checklist that you can provide to employees ahead of the remote onboarding process to ensure they’re fully prepared:
Test your internet connection to ensure it’s stable and reliable.
Ensure you have all the necessary hardware (computer, headset, etc.) and software (messaging apps, project management platforms, etc.) If provided by the company, be sure to reach out to get an idea of when you can expect the equipment to arrive if it hasn’t been made clear.
Confirm contact information with HR and that you have access to all necessary apps and programs.
Designate a quiet workspace in your home without distractions.
Familiarize yourself with the organization’s culture, values and professional standards so you know what to expect as you start the transition.
Prepare to introduce yourself to each new team member you meet.
Remote Onboarding Made Simpler with Applicantstack
Applicantstack streamlines onboarding tasks to get new remote hires integrated into your organization quickly and effectively.
Our software has everything you (and your remote employees) need to succeed, all in one place. Import hires, upload forms, create tasks, set reminders and so much more in a centralized platform that’s easy to use.
Starting any new job is like drinking from a firehose for at least the first few days. Onboarding a new employee means a huge data dump of company values and culture, job responsibilities, department procedures, and all the administrative tasks of setting up payroll and benefits. Remote employees face an extra hurdle in that all of their onboarding has to be done through virtual or text communication. Still, there are plenty of ways to make the virtual onboarding process run smoothly for both employer and employee. Here are some of our best tips for remote onboarding.
Why Include Remote Employees in the Onboarding Process?
Research suggests that around 86 percent of employees decide whether to stay with the company within the first few months. That means the first introduction and subsequent few weeks of a new employee’s time is crucial to retention. Small businesses in particular may find that the onboarding process ends up taking a backseat to the crush of daily operations.
“You’ll figure it out” may cut it for some self-starters, but other remote workers might need a more deliberate and informative onboarding experience. With onboarding tools built into ApplicantStack, you can set up the process once and go through it with every new hire. Plus, all the paperwork and tasks can be done from anywhere, ensuring that remote employees have access.
Onboarding remote employees takes some extra finesse and attention. Having a new employee follow someone around the office can accomplish in a few hours what a day of virtual meetings can’t quite match. But that’s no reason to give up on giving a remote employee the best possible introduction to the company. It may require some creativity and organization, but the goal of retention and employee satisfaction is worth the effort. ApplicantStack allows you to upload forms, create tasks, generate e-sign documents, and access lots of other helpful tools.
The Basics of Remote Onboarding
Remote and in-person workers want the same things from their job: clearly laid-out responsibilities, pride in their work, recognition for achievement, and a good work-life balance. To make sure that a remote worker feels a part of the company’s mission from day one, they need to be warmly welcomed and provided all the tools that can help them accomplish their work.
A well-structured onboarding program for virtual workers includes:
A clear outline and schedule of activities, like required video conferences with estimated duration and participants, expectation of camera on or off, viewing of pre-recorded content, time set aside to study company documents, participation in chats, introductions to other employees, or a virtual tour of the office
Computers and other required technology in good working order, along with detailed instructions, pre-recorded videos, or live training to set up the equipment properly
Clear policies on required availability via devices: times of day, in periods of time-intensive projects, or weekends and holidays
Links to e-sign necessary administration documents with clear communication on deadlines and functional upload capability for IDs, etc.
Access to supervisors and human resources for questions
Tips for Improving the Virtual Onboarding Process
Since the pandemic changed the work landscape, companies of all sizes have learned to embrace the idea of remote work. Here are some tried and true ways small and large businesses can implement to help your new virtual employee immediately feel like part of the team:
Include supervisors and department heads in the process of developing your company’s onboarding process.
Determine how your existing employees’ time is best used. Does 1-2 full days of onboarding meetings make sense? Or do you set up a week’s worth of half-days to allow supervisors to attend to other work? An onboarding expert at LinkedIn said, “We felt we could best do [onboarding] with shorter bursts spread over a week to allow flexibility with working from home, and then we could adapt as needed.”
Allow for breaks. Employees can feel free to turn off their cameras and stretch, take a short walk, or attend to a personal task. Some companies send a gift card for a virtual lunch break.
Don’t make assumptions about proficiency levels in tech. Offer plentiful training about the software your company uses for an employee who may be coming from a fully in-person job.
Designate an onboarding mentor whom a new employee can ask questions privately, if needed. Introduce the new employee to the mentor early in the process and allow check-in time to clear up any confusion as it happens.
Ship a welcome basket along with a laptop and any other required tech items. Include some useful and some fun items, such as:
A printed copy of the employee handbook that includes information like company values and culture, clear explanations of perks and benefits, bonus or incentive policies, company leave and holidays, and mandatory work hours or meetings.
Logo swag like coffee or water cups, notebooks, pens and pencils, or a framed graphic of the company mission statement
Desk items like ring lights, mouse pads, faux plants, organizing supplies, decorative file folders, or cleaning supplies
Required and bonus tech equipment like a working laptop with one or two chargers, bluetooth headphones, microphones, an external monitor, bluetooth keyboard and mouse, or tablet
Virtual Onboarding Follow-Up
The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a consultancy group, looked at research from Queens University in Canada regarding long-distance relationships. They suggest that some of the data can help managers with the onboarding process and first few weeks for remote workers. After a set amount of time, supervisors should check in with remote workers and assess mutually-agreed upon benchmarks.
Does your remote worker feel like a valuable part of the team?
Do they feel like boundaries of availability via tech are respected?
Were they supplied with all the relevant information from the beginning or have they been blindsided with new data?
Do they feel comfortable bringing up concerns and asking for clarification?
Are supervisors available and responsive?
Many businesses operate now with a combination of in-person and remote workers. Productivity and retention can often be determined by the quality of your onboarding process. A tool like ApplicantStack can help you organize your onboarding process for best success with remote workers.
In the fast-paced world of talent acquisition, building a team that aligns with your organization’s values and mission is crucial. One key element in this process is implementing a robust background screening strategy. To help you seamlessly integrate this essential step into your recruitment and onboarding journey, Verified First and Swipeclock’s solution, ApplicantStack, have collaborated to bring you this ultimate guide. Let’s dive into background screening steps that will elevate your hiring process to new heights.
1. Building Clear Screening Policies: Transparency is Key
Transparency is paramount in any background screening process. Develop clear screening policies that outline disqualification criteria and exceptions. This not only sets expectations for your candidates but also ensures consistency in your decision-making process.
2. Setting the Foundation: Establishing Screening Criteria
Before you embark on the background screening journey, it’s crucial to define the unique screening needs for each position with your organization. This ensures that your screening efforts are targeted and aligned with the responsibilities and access levels associated with each role.
3. Crafting Your Screening Package: A Tailored Approach
Just as each role in your organization is unique, so should be your screening package. Your screening provider should provide a comprehensive suite of screening solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into the ApplicantStack platform. Customize your screening package based on the nature of the role and responsibilities.
4. Prioritizing Compliance and Data Security
Navigate the complex legal landscape of background screening by staying informed about relevant employment laws and regulations, with a particular emphasis on adhering to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Ensure your background screening not only complies with these regulations but also prioritizes data security by choosing solutions committed to the highest standards, such as SOC2. Trust is built on a foundation of security, and during the screening process, prioritize information security diligently to ensure the safeguarded and confidential handling of sensitive information without the need for time-consuming manual audits.
5. Open Communication with Candidates: Enhancing the Candidate Experience
Clearly communicate the background screening steps during the recruitment phase, provide necessary disclosures, and obtain (electronically) written consent. This open communication fosters trust and ensures a positive candidate experience.
6. Integration Excellence: Elevating Your Hiring Flow
Seamlessly elevate your hiring workflow with the integration of Verified First and ApplicantStack. Experience an efficient, automated background screening process that eliminates manual tasks and ensures a smooth transition from screening to subsequent hiring steps. ApplicantStack becomes the central hub for post-screening actions, streamlining the experience for both the hiring team and candidates. Enjoy a cohesive one-click screening workflow, allowing you to focus on securing top talent swiftly and seamlessly.
7. Continuous Improvement: Learning, Growing and Making Informed Decisions
The journey extends beyond a successful hire. Collect feedback from the screening process, learning from insights gained to continuously optimize and enhance background screening procedures. Upon receiving screening results, focus on specific details, such as the nature and severity of incidents, time elapsed since incidents, and overall candidate history. This high-level of visibility enables informed decisions aligned with organizational values and requirements, ensuring a discerning selection process.
Conclusion: Elevate Your Hiring Experience
Integrating Verified First’s background screening within ApplicantStack empowers you to build a safe, reliable, and high-integrity workforce. As you embark on this journey, remember that the end goal is not just screening applicants but creating a robust and secure recruitment and onboarding experience.
Ready to Elevate Your Screening Process?
Unlock the full potential of your recruitment and onboarding process by integrating Verified First with ApplicantStack. Join the community of organizations that prioritize trust, security, and efficiency in their workforce. Start your journey today, and experience the power of the Verified First and ApplicantStack collaboration.
Learn more about Verified First’s integration with ApplicantStack.
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With Thanksgiving coming up, you may be thinking about what you’re thankful for and how those things impact your life. But as a small business owner, it’s worth considering your recruiting process and how it impacts the organization’s ability to grow and succeed. In this article, we’re outlining the benefits of improving how you bring on new hires and why those are worth giving thanks for this holiday season.
Understanding the Onboarding Process
Onboarding is a term that includes all the tasks associated with bringing a new onboard into your organization. It begins when someone accepts an offer, and you start planning for their arrival on the team. Examples of onboarding activities include new-hire orientation, training, support from a mentor, and even a tour of the office or workspace.
Orientation is an important aspect of a new hire’s first day, but it differs from onboarding. When you think about orienting someone to a new role, your mind might imagine stacks of paperwork and an introduction to the company mission and values.
But onboarding goes a step further than orientation, as its purpose is to help a new employee feel comfortable and confident in their new role. This comprehensive process can take up to a year to fully complete, and it should involve many people throughout the company.
Every new hire goes through some type of onboarding process but a more robust experience can have a significant positive impact on retention and satisfaction. Gallup data shows that only 12 percent of employees felt good about their onboarding experience.
Additionally, those in that group were three times more likely to report that they have the best possible job. Less than a third of new hires surveyed felt supported and prepared to excel in a new role. These statistics indicate plenty of room for improvement.
5 Reasons to Give Thanks for Better Onboarding
Now, let’s dive into some of the reasons to give thanks for improved onboarding.
Positive employee experience
In today’s economy, it’s more important than ever to provide a positive experience for your employees. People have more options when it comes to finding work, especially in positions and industries that require fewer skills. Make sure your new hires feel supported and excited about their future with your organization by investing in a positive onboarding process.
Improved engagement
Engagement is one of the most essential aspects of managing a workforce. Engaged employees work harder, are more productive, and contribute significantly to the success of a business. But unfortunately, only 33 percent of American employees report being engaged, and 16 percent report being actively disengaged.
A new hire’s first experience with how your organization engages with them occurs during the recruiting and hiring process. But onboarding also plays a role in the overall experience, which has a direct correlation to engagement.
Enhanced retention
Retaining top talent can be a real challenge but onboarding may be the secret sauce your company is currently not using. Nearly 70 percent of employees are more likely to stick around with an organization if they had a great onboarding experience. When you compare that stat with the overall cost of bringing on a new hire, you can see just how important onboarding is in retention efforts.
Increased productivity
A successful onboarding process can reduce the learning curve for new hires, helping them to feel more confident in their roles. As a result, they can get up and running faster, which means they’re more productive. Great onboarding can also minimize how long it takes to become proficient with different tasks and responsibilities.
Supportive company culture
Regardless of the size of your business, you should recognize the value of building a supportive and positive culture. And employees need to understand the culture and what to expect from the moment they consider working for your organization.
Providing a positive and consistent onboarding process for every new hire goes hand-in-hand with the culture you want to build and cultivate. By contrast, high turnover rates contribute to a toxic culture, making it difficult to get good people to stick around.
ApplicantStack Can Take Your Efforts to the Next Level
Are you already giving thanks for these benefits of better onboarding? Or, could your company’s process still use some work? With ApplicantStack, a powerful hiring and onboarding solution built for small business, you can maximize your efforts without overspending.
This budget-friendly platform is ideal for creating consistency and providing support to new hires being brought on board. Learn more by taking a brief video-based tour.
