4 Tips to Successfully Onboard and Integrate Employees Working Remotely

It goes without saying that 2020 was as uncommon as it was remarkable in so many ways! It took a great deal of determination, creativity and resilience on our part to get through this unprecedented economic context. It prompted us to reinvent and improve one of the most delicate and structuring stages in the life of a new employee, one that conditions their well-being, performance and loyalty: integration... from a distance!

At DRAKKAR Digital, we have been fortunate enough to welcome more than a dozen new colleagues in 2020, and, naturally, our talent acquisition specialists have supported many clients throughout the process of welcoming new resources. Here are 4 tips that we have implemented:

1. Be prepared

You rarely get the chance to make a good impression twice, and even less so teleworking. That's why, it is good practice to gather your team together to prepare at least two weeks before the new employee's arrival:

• Identify who will greet the new employee face-to-face or virtually throughout their first day to introduce the company, people, premises, telework vs office procedures, tools, etc.
• Gather corporate presentation materials in a digital package (brochure, org chart, planogram, employee manual, directory of senior colleague).
• Plan an onboarding schedule over the first two weeks by identifying key meetings and training periods. Although virtual, these meetings must be properly spaced out in order to avoid an overload of information and overwhelming the employee.
• Anticipate the availability of work tools (computer, cell phone, email, notebooks, connection cable, access codes, etc.).

2. Structure the integration

As a manager, your role is to prepare your employee for their duties. When working from home, it is extremely important to give the employee benchmarks so that they can situate themselves in the learning curve of the organization’s operations.

• Clearly communicate the standards that the teleworking team follows.
• Identify the periods of telework and those at the office.
• Provide the resources and a weekly checklist to guide them in their tasks.
• Organize inclusive activities that promote learning. A brainstorming session is very useful as it combines both theory and practice.

3. Build a relationship of trust

From a distance, nothing is more important than establishing an environment of trust.

• Call the new team member a week before they start their employment, this is a great way to let them know that they are eagerly awaited by all!
• Be available and initiate regular meetings either over coffee or lunch to answer questions or to get feedback.
• Ensure that each team member is a reference for a particular topic.
• Organize a meeting after two months to follow up with the integration.

4. Bring the corporate culture to life

A common mistake made by companies is to focus everything on the first day. It is a crucial moment that needs to be properly addressed. While onboarding is done during the first day, remember that integration is a long-term process.

• Be creative! Discover a virtual way to start a social club.
• Remind the team to be patient and courteous.
• Take the time to share your own experiences with the company.
• Embody the company's values and bring them to life for your new recruit.

Onboarding and integration are two major steps to give your colleague the desire to invest in a long-term collaboration. Although it is essential to formalize a process to make your recruitments examples of remote integration, remember that each person is unique, that you must be flexible and attentive to the needs of your new employees.

At DRAKKAR Digital, in a word, our winning formula for integrating a new employee remotely is "#ADAPTABILITY"!