Communicate the outcome of the probationary period clearly and professionally. Celebrate their success and discuss future goals if the employee’s employment is confirmed. If termination is necessary, handle the process with sensitivity and professionalism, providing clear reasons and support as needed. Impact Groups are employee-led groups dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion within a company. These groups, formally recognized and supported by the organization, provide a space for colleagues to connect around shared backgrounds, interests, or goals.

After the first 30 days, help employees see what their next steps will be with structured development plans. Follow these steps throughout the onboarding process to create an environment where a new employee can perform well. Without the shared space of an office and teammates a few feet away, onboarding as a new remote employee can be isolating.

• Whether you’re part of a remote team or a hybrid one, having functional,…
• The 5,000-page online handbook is constantly updated as employees find gaps, new tools, or more efficient ways of getting work done.
• In this article, we cut through the noise and share the 15 most effective onboarding best practices to help you set up your employees for long-term success.
• Kamy Anderson is a Senior Writer specializing in online learning and training.

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A new hire’s first week is mostly a continuation of their first day as they’re still familiarizing themselves with their role, team, and work environment. During this time, they will have individual meetings with direct colleagues, a deeper learning of the systems and tools they need to use, and regular check-ins with their direct manager and hiring manager. The second buddy is called the culture buddy, who is typically is on a different team from the new hire. They chat weekly with the new employee and provide additional context about the company’s history, norms, and culture. This section examines various employee onboarding process examples, each covering a different part of the overall onboarding process.

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Wherever possible, companies embraced remote work to keep their employees safe and their businesses open during… Remote work has become the default for many teams, and for good reason — it’s efficient, flexible, and often more productive t… When you’ve got a complex operation, break it down into one video per task or process. That way, your new hires and existing team members have an easy way to go back and review a specific task element. This way, you’re developing a training program that builds institutional knowledge and limits roadblocks.

The role buddy is usually a peer on the new employee’s team who arranges a Zoom meeting with them once or twice weekly. They are supposed to answer any role- and task-related questions the new employee may have. When developing an onboarding buddy system, start by setting the criteria for selecting buddies and pairing them with new hires (e.g., similar roles or backgrounds). Ensure the buddies you select receive training and a checklist of tasks to prepare them for their roles. remote onboarding best practices Arrange a meeting with them to discuss the contract shortly after they’ve signed and submitted it. The meeting can take place virtually or in person, depending on where the new employee is based and their personal preference.

Top Recruitment Trends for 2025: Key Hiring Trends Shaping Talent Acquisition

This practice is a strategic element of remote employee onboarding that promotes communication, engagement, and adaptation. By conducting these check-ins, organizations can enhance the onboarding experience, integrate remote employees effectively, and lay the foundation for a successful and mutually beneficial working relationship. It ensures that remote employees are aware of their rights and responsibilities, covering aspects such as data protection, confidentiality, and overtime compensation.

What are some common remote onboarding challenges?

It is often overly focused on just driving efficiency, losing sight of its overall aim and the impact it has on employees. Efficiency in the process does not lead to productivity — fostering a connection and engagement ensures they are equipped and enabled to contribute.” To ensure that onboarding programs are effective, nonprofits must establish metrics for measuring success. This involves collecting data on various aspects of the onboarding experience, such as employee retention rates, job satisfaction levels, and overall performance outcomes. Surveys and feedback forms can be valuable tools for gauging new hires’ perceptions of the onboarding process and identifying areas for improvement. By leveraging Staffbase’s all-in-one communication platform, companies can confidently onboard remote employees, ensuring a smooth transition and long-term success.

Involving seniors/TLs helps in delivering clear instructions on the job role. Plus, they can give more information on company culture and expected behaviors. Train your new hires on the job roles and responsibilities so that they know what is expected of them.

Turn the list of tools and steps to access them into a core part of your remote employee onboarding checklist. Your remote employee onboarding checklist should cover a comprehensive list of the tools and resources a new hire needs to do their job effectively. If you’re pulling a blank, there’s plenty of software that can help you identify productive and unproductive websites and apps. In this post, we’ll look at some strategies needed to onboard teams successfully in today’s remote work era. Like many other crucial aspects of a business, onboarding needs a refresher for the remote work era.

Build a remote buddy system

Weeks two through four should include meaningful work, feedback cycles, and more social and cross-functional exposure. This is where the employee starts to see how their work connects to larger goals. The first week should gently move your new hire from introductions into actual work. It’s where they begin to understand team rhythms, navigate tools, and try small tasks.

This allows them to create first-time connections as well as get familiar with the office environment. By the end of a virtual employee’s onboarding experience, they should feel comfortable with their entire team, knowledgeable about their tools and tech, and excited to settle into their role. Using this solution, you can create onboarding training courses, provide anytime, anywhere access, and view insightful reports & analytics to make your onboarding a success. You can easily administer onboarding across teams and departments and get your new remote hires off to a great start. When you keep all these key points in mind, remote employee onboarding will become less challenging and more manageable.

• To ensure a seamless experience while reinforcing company culture and improving employee engagement, it’s necessary to have a step-by-step remote onboarding plan.
• This helps everyone involved in the onboarding process understand what is expected of them and when it should be done by.
• It outlines guidelines related to work hours, communication channels, data security, and performance expectations.

If your HR management can’t help them achieve this, you risk losing top talent and racking up expenses to do so – upwards of $30,000 to $45,000 for each replacement. Leveraging new hire and mentor feedback through surveys and analytics drives process refinement. It ensures that each subsequent onboarding unit benefits from lessons learned.

Gamify LMS modules, celebrate onboarding milestones, and create team rituals for new hires. Remote onboarding should emphasize digital tools and intentional touchpoints. Ideally, onboarding transitions into continuous learning and career development. Support new hires with upskilling and reskilling opportunities that align with their role and career goals. Ongoing development keeps employees engaged, adaptable, and ready for what’s next. Onboarding training software like TalentLMS supports this process by offering personalized learning, scheduling introductory calls, and tracking new hire progress with real-time insights.

Real-World Example: GitLab’s Remote Onboarding Process

Without the ability to meet face-to-face, how do you ensure the person you’re hiring is who they say they are? And how can you create a seamless onboarding experience while safeguarding sensitive company data? The onboarding process must be interactive and informative to keep remote employees engaged.

Supports Remote Work

When executed well, your remote onboarding process should be the start of a continuous developmental foundation that boosts your employee’s growth and strengthens their cultural alignment. It serves as a foundation for talent engagement, operational success, and organizational culture-building from day one. The right combination of planning, tools, training, and ongoing support prepares new joiners for their roles. It also fosters collaboration, productivity, and satisfaction within remote teams. With its innovative HRMS, BIPO equips businesses to implement comprehensive virtual onboarding programs.