Setting Up New Remote Employees for Success

Now that it’s clear remote work is here to stay, many hiring managers are having to grapple with the fact that they will be onboarding new team members remotely. This presents new challenges that traditional onboarding didn’t bring, but that doesn’t mean that onboarding in a digital world can’t be done. For starters, onboarding should start before the new employee’s first day. As soon as they accept the job offer, help them connect to the organization, and feel like part of the family. On their official first day, start quickly and leverage various strategies to help the new hire gain confidence and feel welcome. Introduce them to their teammates and direct managers and help them become acclimated as quickly as possible to mitigate uncertainty. It can also help to have a dedicated onboarding liaison—or an informal mentor—assigned to the new hire that can walk them through some of the more intangible aspects of the company’s culture. Finally, make sure clear expectations are set and demonstrate how the new hire’s work will serve the company’s broader goals and mission. By showing them early on how they fit into the bigger picture, your new remote employee will feel like they belong to something larger than themselves.