We recently held a discussion on LinkedIn via our company page and decided on the back of this to write a blog which we feel offers sound advice to employers recruiting new people into their organisation virtually.
The prospect of starting a new job can be daunting for some, but when someone doesn’t get the opportunity to meet potential new colleagues and managers as part of the recruitment process, it can feel unnatural and overwhelming. We are still amid a pandemic and many businesses are being forced to use virtual onboarding when someone starts with them. This can make the process more challenging, and therefore making sure your onboarding process is fit for purpose, and effective is a top priority. You may not even have an onboarding process in place, and this gives you the perfect opportunity to get your HR processes updated and intact!
We would suggest putting a virtual onboarding checklist in place for the onboarding process, so you can ensure you cover every aspect of it.
Here are some of our top virtual onboarding ideas to ensure your new employee feels confident and comfortable from the offset.
We have probably all turned up for the first day at a new job and discovered that the company is unprepared for our arrival. You have issues logging in, you don’t have a workstation, or you are left reading company documents for the best part of the day. This experience is off-putting, and it can even lead to recruits leaving the company as quickly as they started. As the employer, you must be prepared, especially when you are onboarding new starts in a virtual setting. Make sure they have a laptop and a proper workstation before their official start date. You should never expect someone to use their own computer for work purposes and if they do not have an adequate chair or desk etc, you should be willing to provide these. A gift box filled with stationery would also be a nice gesture!
The first week should be the time that your new employee settles into the company and takes the opportunity to get to know key people, start by sending an introduction email and setting up video calls with them. Make sure they have someone training them, someone who they can buddy up with during the first couple of weeks, or however long the training will take. It is also worth introducing an instant messaging service (if this is not in place) where colleagues can speak to each other whenever they wish. This is important when employees are working remotely, as they can feel isolated. Make them feel important and valued. You may even want to consider sending them lunch on their first day or a welcome present. These small gestures make a big difference to how a new employee will integrate and feel about their new employer.
When you work in an office, you get a feel for the culture of the company. This can be difficult to gauge when you work remotely. It is, therefore, important that you set expectations, so your new employee is not left wondering what is expected of them. For instance, if they start at 9am, do you expect them to be at their desk and ready to work before this? Do you have set times for lunch, or is it flexible? You may be the type of employer who has a set structure, or you may not be concerned about their working hours and if they achieve their daily targets. These are all aspects to consider and to communicate with your new employee. You can’t expect them to know what you expect if you don’t inform them. It is also a good idea to provide a company handbook and any other relevant information regarding policies and procedures.
As time goes on and the new employee settles in, you will not need to keep checking in, but this is vital during the onboarding process. Make sure you check in every day to ensure they are happy and to give them the opportunity to raise any concerns they may have. Of course, they will have a buddy and colleagues to speak to, but a manager check-in is also important. There is nothing worse for an employee than feeling that they are just being left to ‘sink or swim’. You have invested in the virtual recruitment process, so you should also invest in onboarding. We like Ryan’s take on this:
One of the benefits of working in an office is being able to chat with colleagues and share stories and laughter, this can be difficult when everyone is working remotely. You can ease this by scheduling social breaks, and this is particularly important during the onboarding process. Weekly coffee mornings and/or a Friday night quiz will help ensure your new employee feels welcome and gives them a chance to get to know their colleagues on a social basis too.
My experience with Sitka Recruitment was really positive. The team made me feel really valued and took the time to get to know me and career aspirations. I never once felt pressured, just well supported, listened to and understood. I would definitely recommend Sitka to my friends and colleagues.
Once again thank you for your time and ongoing support. Fantastic service and you made the experience so positive. You’re all clearly passionate about what you do and care about you candidates.
In all honesty I don’t think there was anything Sitka could have done differently. It was a time when we were struggling to get any applicants for various reasons. To find someone as good as we did is testament to the hard work Karen put in. We would never have found that candidate if we hadn’t used an agency like Sitka and Karen.
The recruitment process was excellent. Karen provided me with updates on a regular basis and the level of communication at all points was handled very well. The whole recruitment process was handled extremely efficiently from start to finish.
Trying to find a new role can be quite a daunting experiencing, however what I found working with Karen is that her enthusiasm is infectious. Karen listened to what I had to say and we had a long and productive conversation about what I wanted and whether the role was right for me.
I was thrilled when I was offered my new job, which I felt was down to Sitka’s support and proactivity. Karen kept in contact and made sure I was happy in my new role. This personal and professional service is second to none. I would highly recommend!
Karen was extremely helpful throughout the entire process, providing interview tips, personal help, and preparation before my interview. I felt that Karen genuinely wanted me to do well and get the job that I wanted.