The professional work environment has undergone a major transformation over the past couple of years. While the rate of remote employees was already increasing before the COVID-19 pandemic, work-from-home orders all over the country increased this frequency dramatically. Today, many employers and employees find that having remote workers is more convenient and affordable.
While many job seekers are interested in staying remote and working out of their home offices, there are some challenges that both employers and employees can face. One challenge is that onboarding new employees can be more difficult without in-person interaction. Fortunately, there are various hiring remote employees tips that should be followed to make this process more efficient and help your new employee feel more like a part of the team.
Ensure They Are Welcomed the Right Way
Whenever you bring someone new to your team, you will want them to feel as welcome as possible. Traditionally, this would have meant taking them out to lunch on their first day with the rest of the team. Since you cannot do this for a remote employee, finding other ways to make them feel welcome is important. This can mean hosting virtual calls with your team as an introduction, sending them a gift card for their favorite local restaurant, and encouraging others on your team to contact the hire as well.
Ensure They Have Necessary Equipment
As you are going to bring on a new team member, you also need to ensure that they have the equipment that they need. This will need to include a computer, printer, and other hardware necessary to be successful. Ideally, they should speak with someone with IT to help ensure their computer, network, and other systems are properly up and running.
Schedule a Call To Go Over Company Policies
When someone starts at a new company, they will be starting from scratch when it comes to understanding the company. There are bound to be policies, procedures, and other factors that they simply do not understand. To ensure they can be successful, you should spend time with them training to ensure they have the background they need. Generally, you should expect to spend more time training early until they are fully up and running.
As you are looking to bring on new remote employees to your staff, it is important that you onboard them properly. By following the best ways to hire remote employees and go through an onboarding process, you can help them feel more like a part of your team. This can help smooth any integration and ensure they are continuing to work effectively.