1. Don’t assume your old onboarding plan fits the new world

“Status quo, but remote” doesn’t really fit here. Organizations need to go beyond to make sure that new hires feel welcomed and included in their new role. Change is hard, and it’s even harder when you feel isolated in your home office instead of being able to integrate yourself in the same space as your new team.
It’s time to rethink your entire onboarding process and implement one specifically for remote workers. Work with your HR team to document the entire onboarding process from offer to first day, and think about how it can be adjusted for someone who will be on the other end of the phone call or video meeting at every step.
Provide detailed checklists and itineraries for the new employee so that they don’t feel like they’re at loose ends during their first weeks. If possible, get a list of goals from the new hire’s manager, helping set expectations for the first few months, and encourage the manager to set up regular calls or meetings with the new hire to check in.

2. Dial up the enthusiasm

When you can’t introduce someone around the office and show them all the “good” spots for coffee and coworker chats, it’s crucial to make extra effort when it comes to enthusiasm. To make your new team member feel welcome, set up a specific channel where people can get to know the person, and vice versa. (Slack works great for this—you can have a channel dedicated to having people stop by and greet the newbie.)

3. Send some welcome swag

Chances are you’ll be sending your new hire some kind of welcome packet that includes necessary paperwork and documentation. Don’t stop there—have a “welcome!” gift that goes out to new employees a few days before they start working with you. Maybe it’s some company-branded swag or some fun snacks for their home office—it just has to be something that says you’re looking forward to having this person on your team and aren’t just focused on filling out forms and handing out company policies.
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4. Enlist “buddies” to help make the transition easier

At some point, the onboarding process has to go beyond HR and a welcoming committee. Having a buddy program (where existing employees mentor a new employee) can help make that social transition better and more fulfilling. No matter how old we get it’s always tough to be the new kid in school—and the sooner one can make friends and feel settled, the better. It’s not about matchmaking BFFs, but rather finding sociable, approachable team members who are knowledgeable about the company and happy to share some of their insider intel.
The best part of the buddy system is that it’s free. All it takes is the time investment of recruiting potential buddies and setting up video chats or virtual hangouts for the new colleagues.
Working remotely has changed the work world this year, but it doesn’t have to upset your onboarding game. Putting thoughtful effort into revamping your current onboarding, and going a few steps beyond to make your new team members feel welcomed, valued, and integrated will help all of you make it a positive experience.

The post Remote onboarding: How to make your remote newbies feel welcome appeared first on POST A RESUME HR Consultancy.

Be the messenger

Right now, messaging is everything. People want their employers to cut through the noise and the anxiety and offer a clear path, and as HR you’re in a great position to do just that. People are uncertain about how to come back to work (and even why, in some cases), so effective HR leaders provide a baseline message that carries throughout an organization.
Give members of your organization a vision they can embrace moving forward. It’s likely your organization already has some form of a mission or values statement, but now is the time to revamp that to show where you’re going in the future. No one can see the future, of course, but uncertainty is not the tone you want to strike here. And you don’t want to outline sunshine-y goals that will be difficult, if not impossible.
What you can do is map out a realistic path forward for the next year, two years, and three years. Be realistic. If there’s a vaccine in six months, what does your business look like? If it’s a year or more until there’s a vaccine, how would your company’s main goals change?

Set realistic expectations

No one knows what to expect from the workplace in the near future. Is everyone working remotely? What does an office look like in the era of personal distance and masks? Whatever your plan is for moving forward, make sure you’re being clear with employees what they can expect to see. Maybe that’s only a subset of employees in the office at any given time. Maybe it’s remodeled workspaces to keep everyone distant, with limited contact within the office. Whatever you’re envisioning with your organization’s leadership, be upfront with employees. Regular check-ins and updates can help prepare employees for re-entry.

Focus on the people

A cheesy-but-more-true-than-ever motto throughout this crisis has been, “We’re all in this together.” As things inch back to normal (whatever that may be), don’t let that focus on empathy and collaboration slip away. The strength of a company isn’t always in its balance sheet—you know better than anyone in your organization that its people are the strength.
One way to show your employees that you value them is to give them insight and input into the new world at work. While few organizations are true democracies, people are more likely to engage and accept new protocols if they don’t feel like they’re being lectured from on high. Surveys and opportunities to give feedback can help everyone feel like they’re contributing to the team effort.
Patience will also be key for all organizations. People are facing more challenges at home than ever, and organizations that seem cold and focused on nothing but the business will likely find it difficult to get back up to speed. Communication should focus on well-being and safety, and acknowledge that everyone may be under stress (which rarely brings out the best in any of us). Your messaging should also reinforce the value that team members bring to the whole—no matter what their roles.
For many of us, “success” will include not only resuming (or rebuilding) normal operations, but also finding ways to feel secure and fulfilled in our work again. In HR, you’re the change agents leading everyone back to a work day that has less volatility. If you’re communicating clearly and empathetically and providing a human touchstone for all members of your organization, you’ll be well-equipped to overcome the challenges.

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