James Peters is the Founder, President & Chief Revenue Officer at Global Expansion, a leading Employer of Record (EOR) partner.
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Making a good first impression is vital in many parts of our lives, and it's especially critical in business. Considering the super competitive global talent market, a bad first impression as an employer can be the difference between retaining new talent and losing it to a rival firm. Throw in the added complexities of engaging with remote employees and onboarding becomes even more indispensable.
Global teams are essential to a business's growth and productivity. Of the 2023 full-time workforce, 12.7% worked remotely, while 28.2% worked in a hybrid model. Upwork predicts that 22% of the American workforce will be remote by 2025. As talent shortages grow, the need for organizations to source talent from overseas will only grow. Now is the time to create a next-generation onboarding system for remote employees.
3 Benefits Of A Structured Onboarding Program
An effective onboarding experience results in significant benefits for your company. Here are three that are key.
1. Employee Engagement
A great onboarding program helps boost a new hire's confidence. When new remote employees receive the correct training and support, they're immediately engaged. It also helps build a connection between the talent and their new manager and workmates. These relationships are vital for developing committed employees.
2. Increased Productivity
A structured onboarding process gives a new employee a clear understanding of their role and the company’s expectations. This allows them to hit the ground running and become a productive team member from day one.
3. Improved Retention
By providing a positive, supportive and informative onboarding experience, an employee is more likely to stay longer with your organization. A remote employee who feels valued and understands their role is less inclined to seek another opportunity.
Best Practices For Onboarding Remote Talent
Onboarding remote talent isn't easy. But it plays a primary role in turning these employees into fully integrated and highly productive members of your team. Here are some best practices to follow so you can build a successful onboarding program for global remote employees.
Create A Uniform Onboarding Process
First, you need to create an organized, step-by-step guide for onboarding remote employees. This will ensure that all new employees receive the same standard process throughout the hiring journey. A standardized plan prevents your HR team from missing key steps and creates a smooth onboarding experience, which helps reduce the likelihood of new talent leaving early.
Ensure Legal Compliance With Global Regulations
Onboarding new global employees can pose legal challenges. Every country or territory has different labor laws, and they're always evolving. As you hire global talent, you must adhere to all this legislation, making remote onboarding anything but a one-size-fits-all process. Engaging with legal experts may be essential to ensure compliance for each employee at their specific location.
Use Technology To Make Things Efficient
An excellent way to supercharge your onboarding process is by leveraging technology. AI skeptics continue to proclaim that it will be the end of the human aspect of the working world. But I believe it will (and does) enhance our lives, especially when it comes to global recruitment.
Technology speeds up and enhances the entire remote onboarding process. For example, chatbots can provide instant answers to new remote employees in whichever language they require. Key onboarding documents can be signed virtually using secure digital apps, and training can be provided via online education software.
Collect Feedback From Remote Staff
When new employees join your team, it’s an excellent chance to gain fresh insights into your onboarding process. Don’t be scared to ask key questions, such as their reasons for choosing your company and what they think about various aspects of the business.
This information can help you learn which parts of your recruitment process need work and can help build a stronger bond with your remote team.
First Impressions Matter
In the global job market, making a great first impression is really important. When hiring people to work remotely from different countries, ensuring they have a positive start is crucial.
To do this, companies should have a clear, compliant process, use relevant technology and gather valuable feedback. If you do this right, you'll see many benefits, like happier employees, better work results and a higher retention rate. Onboarding remote workers the right way isn't just something you should do. It can truly be a game changer.
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