Engagement

How To Effectively Engage a New Hire Remotely

Anthony Cotter

Creative Director

19 Apr 2020

Onboarding and trying to engage a new hire remotely might seem particularly challenging in the current environment, writes Workvivo’s Amy O’Connor.

However, recruitment hasn’t ceased and you may have team members who either just came on-board and are now remote working or are due to start soon. 

From understanding priorities to getting to know their colleagues, a new team member can struggle to work as effectively.

This is where intranets and employee apps are ultra-effective – providing an intuitive platform for communicating with colleagues and storing knowledge. They also act as a central hub for getting to know the values and culture of a new workplace.  

We’ve put together some tips to ensure you can effectively engage a new hire so they are empowered to hit the ground running. 

Bring them into the team as early as possible 

The last thing you want is for new hires to feel isolated so make it your mission from the very beginning to make them feel part of the team. 

A social communication platform can be a natural space to introduce new team members and get everyone chatting together. As soon as they accept the role, have them set up their new profile on the platform – and make sure they include a photo. 

Many of our customers have used our Spaces feature to create ‘New Starters’ communities, where new team members can intro themselves, chat to other new recruits and be welcomed by their colleagues. This can also be an informal space to share useful information and chat through any questions. 

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You can also assign them a ‘buddy’ – a less-intimidating peer who they can go to with any ‘obvious’ questions.  

Have a clear on-boarding process

If you don’t already, have a very clear on-boarding process that is written down and includes information such as team structures and where they can access relevant documents. 

Make sure your new hires are set up to work effectively at home and that they have all the relevant software and passwords. 

There can be a lot of information to take in the first few days so create a central home for resources such as people directories, timetables, and tasks so they can refer back, as and when needed. 

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Build your online workplace culture 

Make the most of the tech tools you have to ensure your online spaces are reflective of your core values. 

If recognition of successes is an important facet of your organization’s culture, give new employees a public shout-out early-on for a particular job well done. Connecting these shout-outs to an organizational goal or value will also make them more tangible for those starting out.

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Finally, create opportunities for everyone to socialise virtually so they can get to know their new colleagues outside of work.

Employee engagement is an ongoing process, so be sure to check-in consistently in the weeks and months after their initial welcome to find out how they are adjusting. Pulse surveys are a useful way to get regular feedback, both from the new employee and their teammates, which can help you adjust your approach. 

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Employees that are effectively engaged as they are onboarded will find their experience less overwhelming and will be more likely to reach their full potential sooner.

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