5 ways to help you virtually onboard your new team member
The most important thing to do after you make a new hire is to plan out how you will be welcoming, training and onboarding them into the business. When working with remote, virtual team members, it is important to ensure that you are building an open environment for the new employee.
Here are some best ways to onboard your new team member.
Training plan in place
Things can work out better when you keep a plan in place for your new hire’s training and onboarding. This is a good first impression and can allow them to gain confidence right away knowing that you have taken the time to put a solid schedule in place for them to ensure they get started on the right foot. This step shows them that you value things being organised and are taking the time to make them feel comfortable in the business and on the team. Make sure to keep the training period smooth and not jam-packed, as this could lead to them being easily overwhelmed and unable to grasp things fully.
Loop your current team members in
Communication is key to running a successful team, so make sure your current team is in the loop and aware of everything they need to know to help continue to build an amazing team culture. Make sure to meet with your team in advance to fill them in on what your new hire will be handling, especially in terms of what tasks, if any will be redirected and the lines of communication that will be established, well before the start date for your new hire.
It is also important to set five to six key staff who can regularly connect to learn the culture of your organization together via videoconferencing and support each other in figuring out how things are done at your company.
A Welcome Call
A welcome call is such a great way to drum up excitement for your new hire and if you have a bigger team, to introduce your new team member to each of them. It’s important to start building your team culture right away and a welcome call is a great start to making them feel welcome and like part of the family.
Especially with remote teams, this step is vital to be done on a video call with the camera on to mimic a face-to-face meeting with everyone.
Ensure to include the following pieces in your welcome call:
- Introduce the Business and the Team Members
- Give a chance to everyone to introduce themself and explain what their role is on the team
- Overview of what your new hire can expect in the coming weeks, especially if it involves training with other members of the team
Adjust your expectations for their first week
Make sure you are giving your new team member a chance to get accustomed to the way things operate in your company. After walking through their training plan with them you should also adjust your expectations to match. Oftentimes, we are close to everything the way it’s run that we forget what it was like when we were first starting or learning a new skill or even starting a new job.
Alternative training channels
It might seem tricky initially to transfer what would normally be taught in person into a virtual process, but it can be done. Video training sessions can be pre-recorded and made available for the new employee to watch and work through virtually, at their own pace. The beauty of this is once a session has been recorded, it can then be used again in the future for any further recruits. Video training sessions can be pre-recorded and made available for the new employee to watch and work through virtually, at their own pace. The beauty of this is that once a session has been recorded, it can then be used again in the future for any further recruits.
Accessible mode of communication
There will be a ton more questions than normal over the first little while. Make sure you make it clear how you want to address any questions that may arise. Especially with how the line of communication flows – such as if you want everything to be sent via emails, online meeting calls or simply even through the chat box. Make sure you make it easy, accessible and clear for them to understand these lines of communication.
Plan for a Virtual Team Building session
While the employee onboarding process may be different in the virtual world, that doesn’t mean it has to be any less fun. A Virtual Team Building session can help break ice with the team as well as can work as a great introduction to each team member’s working style. It can create a great opportunity for new members to create bonds with the team and can help normalize the onboarding just like old times. Talk with your team to find out what some of their group interests are, and find a way to incorporate those into a group challenge.
