Overcoming the Challenges of Retaining New Remote Hires
Employee onboarding is an essential process that helps new hires feel welcome, valued, and prepared to succeed in their new roles. It’s crucial to the success of your new hires and your company. Indeed, research shows that:
- Effective onboarding improves new hire retention by as much as 82%
- New hires are 69% more likely to stay with an employer for three years if they experience great onboarding
Getting your onboarding right is essential. However, when it comes to onboarding remote employees, there are some unique considerations that managers should keep in mind.
In this follow-up to our blog ‘Employee onboarding tips for remote employees’, we discuss further strategies to enhance your recruitment strategy with effective onboarding.
Effective Onboarding of Remote Employees Crucial to Recruitment Strategy
Onboarding is the ideal opportunity for companies to promote and demonstrate their values, their culture, and the way they work.
Effective onboarding can greatly impact a new employee’s engagement and retention, which in turn positively impacts a company’s recruitment and retention strategy. It also helps to ensure that new hires are acclimated to company culture, understand their role, and can hit the ground running.
By investing time and resources into onboarding, companies can create a positive experience that will attract top talent, retain employees, and improve the overall performance of their teams.
Overcoming the Challenges of Onboarding Remote Employees
Okay, so onboarding is critical. But onboarding remote employees can present a number of challenges for managers.
One of the main challenges is the lack of face-to-face interaction and communication. Without the ability to physically meet and interact with new hires, managers may find it more difficult to establish a connection and build trust. This can make it more difficult to communicate expectations, provide feedback, and ensure that new hires are acclimated to company culture.
Another challenge is the lack of access to on-site resources and support. Remote employees may not have the same access to in-person training and support as on-site employees, which can make it more difficult to ensure that they are prepared to succeed in their new roles. Managers may need to rely more heavily on technology and online resources to provide remote employees with the support and training they need.
Additionally, managers may struggle with managing remote employees’ work schedules, and their productivity. With remote employees, there may be less oversight and visibility into their work, making it more difficult for managers to monitor their progress and ensure that they are meeting expectations. Managers may also need to set clear expectations for availability and communication protocols to ensure that remote employees are responsive and accessible when needed.
Furthermore, managers may also find it harder to create a sense of community among remote employees. Remote employees may feel disconnected from the company and their colleagues, which can lead to lower engagement and motivation. Managers will need to actively work to build a sense of community through virtual team-building activities, company-wide meetings, and online forums.
To overcome these challenges, here are some tips for how to onboard remote employees successfully:
· Communicate early and often
The earlier you can begin communicating with new remote hires, the better. Send out a welcome package that includes information about the company and their role, as well as any necessary login information or equipment they will need to get started. Set up regular check-ins to ensure that they have everything they need and to answer any questions they may have.
· Make use of technology
With remote employees, you will have to rely more heavily on technology to communicate and collaborate. Make sure that you have the right tools in place to make this process as smooth as possible. This can include video conferencing software, project management tools, and instant messaging platforms.
· Create a sense of community
Remote employees may not have the same sense of camaraderie that on-site employees have, so it’s important to create a sense of community through virtual means. This can be achieved through virtual team-building activities, regular company-wide meetings, or even an online employee forum.
· Set clear expectations
With remote employees, it’s crucial to set clear expectations from the start. This includes not only job duties and responsibilities, but also communication protocols and expectations for availability.
· Provide ongoing training and support
Remote employees may not have the same access to in-person training and support as on-site employees, so you must provide ongoing training and support through online resources, virtual workshops and webinars, and regular check-ins.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, onboarding remote employees can present some unique challenges, but with the right approach, managers can ensure that new hires feel welcomed, valued, and prepared to succeed in their new roles.
Onboarding remote employees can require additional time, effort, and resources. However, by effectively leveraging technology, creating a sense of community, setting clear expectations, and providing ongoing training and support, managers can successfully onboard remote employees and help them become valuable members of their teams.
Of course, it all starts with hiring the right people… and for that, we are here to help.
To learn how, contact TECHEAD today.