Remote onboarding has become the norm for many organisations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recent statistics show that online job adverts for homeworking increased at a much faster rate than overall adverts. With so many new employees starting roles from home, remote onboarding can be an invaluable way to get team members up and running.
However, the onboarding process needs to be carefully managed to make sure new hires are effectively integrated into the team.
In this article, we look at remote onboarding best practices to help your organisation get it right – and see how Digital Identity Checks could play a key role in your virtual onboarding process.
What is remote onboarding?
Remote onboarding is simply the process of inducting a new employee into the organisation remotely. This means it’s done via technology, without any in-person interaction.
New remote employees should go through the same onboarding activities as all other employees, even if they’ll be working entirely from home.
How to onboard a new employee
As with in-person onboarding, the remote onboarding process may include things like:
● Completing and signing paperwork, e.g. an employment contract
● Undergoing pre-employment screening checks, such as a DBS Check
● Setting up IT systems and accounts
● Meeting with management
● Introductions to co-workers
● Reading company policies and guidelines
Employee onboarding plays a crucial role in levels of employee engagement, commitment, productivity and retention. Research has shown that for executive employees, a supportive, effective onboarding process can bring new hires up to speed 50% faster.
So, what does a good virtual onboarding process look like? In the next section, we’ll look at how to onboard a new employee effectively.
Remote onboarding best practices
Here are some remote onboarding best practices to ensure you’re providing the right support for your new employees:
1. Send out a welcome pack with a clear onboarding agenda
A welcome pack will help your new hire feel like part of the team straight away and will provide essential information to get things up and running.
The welcome pack should include a clear and structured onboarding agenda, so your new employee knows exactly what’s going to happen and when. It could also include:
- A welcome letter
- The company handbook and other important reading material
- HR documents that need completing and signing
- A gift, like a company-branded mug or T-shirt
2. Carry out screening checks in advance where possible
As a temporary measure during the pandemic, the government allowed employers to carry out Right to Work Checks via video calls. This measure is ending on 30 September 2022.
However, employers now have a new option. Digital Identity Verification, available through uCheck, will help employers carry out screening checks, including verifying employees’ identities for Right to Work Checks and DBS Checks for those who fit the criteria.
It will allow employees to upload documents and verify their identity during the application process, through an easy-to-use app.
This will make the process quick and convenient to begin remotely before the applicant is accepted and starts to work at the company, saving valuable employer and employee time for other key onboarding activities.
3. Arrange virtual training sessions
A few virtual training sessions, using videos, presentations or online tutorials, will enable your new employee to familiarise themselves with their new role in their own time.
One-to-one video calls can also be helpful in training new employees to use any specific software or systems that they’ll be using.
4. Schedule informal meet-ups with co-workers
Give your new employees an opportunity to integrate into the social side of the company by arranging informal meet-and-greets with the team.
This will allow them to get to know their colleagues in a less intimidating way, and assimilate into the company culture.
Remote onboarding: a conclusion
Starting any new position can be daunting, especially when you’re remote. Creating a solid process for onboarding remote employees will make sure they get all they need to perform in their new roles.
But successful virtual onboarding can demand lots of time from your team, so it’s essential to make savings where you can – like with fast and secure Digital Identity Verification.
If you’d like to know more about our Digital Identity Verification service, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’re always happy to help.
