A guide to remote on-boarding – What companies need to know

There are many reasons you may be looking to welcome a new member of the team remotely, whether that be due to Coronavirus restrictions, or simply having to branch out further afield to find the right person for the role. Whatever the situation, remote on-boarding is becoming an increasing demand in the workplace, and we’re here to advise you on how to prepare, and ensure new employee(s) receive a warm welcome, even if it can’t be face to face.

• Be prepared for their virtual arrival well in advance

Inarguably, you need the best manpower to ensure your business achieves its goals, and in order to produce great results, your employees need the right equipment for the job. In order to get your new employee ready to hit the ground running, make sure you organize for laptops/computers, a mouse, keyboard, headset if necessary are all shipped out to them ahead of their start date. Ensure your IT team have set up a work email address and direct dial, and ensure communication is sent to all your staff to make them aware of their new colleague. It may also be beneficial for a member of your IT team to arrange a phone call to go through setting their system up ahead of their start date and to iron out any kinks that may come up.

• Set-up a virtual team meeting

This is a bit of a no-brainer. Many companies use the likes of Zoom, Google Teams, or Skype to host weekly team catchups and this is a fantastic way to introduce everyone and touch base on company happenings. This will help put faces to names and allow your newest teammate to get to know who plays what role within the business. Within any role and business, human interaction is the key to success, especially given the current situation, so make the most of it, even if it is a quick 10 minutes on a Monday morning.

• Communication is key

Starting a new job can be daunting at the best of times, so joining a business under such strange circumstances can quite easily, and understandably be overwhelming. A good way to ensure your new employee feels welcome and has adjusted well to their new role is to set up short meetings with various members of each department. At First Recruitment Group, each new starter to the business does exactly this to get to know their peers. It would also no doubt be appreciated to book in a catchup after their first week just to check in and see how they’re getting on, if they have any questions etc.

• Cover the legalities

As with any new start, HR has a responsibility to ensure nothing is missed during the on-boarding process, and regardless of the fact the majority of us are working from home, we must still ensure we cover all bases with new hires. Ensure your new employee signs any paperwork, contract, policies etc before starting. By sending any forms that need completing before their start date, they can get off to a flying start on their first day and won’t be held back by admin work.

• Send a welcome gift

It may seem a little irrelevant, but in times such as these, a small gift goes a long way. As a worldwide community, we’ve learned to appreciate the smaller things in life over the last few months, and so a simple box of chocolates, personalised mug, or even a quick video message of your employees collectively welcoming them to the business. These kinds of videos have become increasingly popular in everyday situations lately, and the response has been incredible.

We hope these tips help you with your on-boarding process. Are you looking for a recruitment agency who can take ownership of recruiting the best candidates to suit your needs? Here at First Recruitment Group, we can take care of all the hard work for you, so you can sit back, relax and look forward to welcoming your team member. Get in touch with our team today on +44(0)1925 907000 or email recruit@firstrg.com to see how we can help you.