Onboarding in Corona times: 6 tips to make it work

A real challenge - that's how many new employees and HR managers felt about the initial period when they started their jobs in recent months. Quite a few candidates already had to conduct their job interviews online and get to know their new colleagues virtually because of the pandemic. Sometimes it was not even possible to visit the workplace. At the same time, HR teams all over the world were forced to throw established procedures for onboarding and training new employees out the window.

Onboarding in Corona times: Everything is different

The first day in a new job: What used to involve filling out HR forms, orientation meetings, handshakes and lunch with the supervisor and the team, now happens differently. Many new hires start their jobs without meeting their colleagues in person or even setting foot in their offices. The home office has become permanent and may remain so in parts.

Even though there has been a trend towards the virtual in HR processes in recent years, a large proportion of companies with a traditional working model have had to change their processes on an ad hoc basis. This is because Corona forced HR departments to reinvent their onboarding processes and train their employees remotely. This situation presents a whole new set of challenges for you as an HR manager. With no change in sight for the time being, you must learn to adapt to the current circumstances. But this situation also presents opportunities for integrative, individualized and future-oriented onboarding. Find out here how you can make remote onboarding successful from day one - even for completely inexperienced employees:

Tip 1: Assess personality type of new employees

Proven induction processes cannot be changed overnight. Sure, many things go smoothly, but there are also obstacles and initial difficulties. As so often in this case, early, regular communication is helpful in identifying problems and getting them out of the way.

A virtual work environment is not for everyone. Extroverts often miss the opportunity to exchange ideas with their colleagues. Introverts, on the other hand (who, according to Surveys who make up 48 percent of the workforce) may be intimidated by video calls in larger groups. The same applies to the differences between occupational groups, some of which are very differently versed in digital onboarding.

If you get to know your employees quickly, you can adjust to their preferences in terms of learning, communication and social behavior at an early stage. But even though the newcomers will certainly benefit from the many virtual meetings that are scheduled especially for them - everyone needs a screen break now and then. That's why some downtime should be factored in when planning virtual training sessions to prevent video conference fatigue. It is equally important to ensure that the new employees are well networked. For this purpose, 1:1 meetings spread over the first few weeks are a good way of doing this, which would otherwise have taken place in the coffee kitchen.

Tip 2: Accept longer training period and learning curve

Since new employees do not meet colleagues in the office, they can hardly get to know them spontaneously. This means they need more organized help and a longer settling-in period. This includes letting them look over their shoulder virtually. It is important to accept this longer learning curve and to explicitly generate such opportunities to support the newcomers during the familiarization process.

In addition, there is the feeling of isolation and loneliness in the pandemic. Even if the new job is exciting, many employees struggle with additional private challenges during the inherently intense orientation phase. Supervisors and HR departments should show understanding during these times.

Tip 3: Communicate corporate culture

Shared goals, values and perceptions - all this shapes the corporate culture. It influences how decisions are made, how measures are prioritized, and how results are achieved. It also determines the working environment, even if the workplace is not physically located in the company.

So don't just provide your new teammates with the usual guides and company presentations in advance, but make this culture as directly tangible as possible, for example through small virtual events at which experienced employees inspire the new ones. This not only helps them understand their employer's corporate culture. It also gives them a sense of where their place is in this fabric and how they can contribute.

Tip 4: Build team affiliation

Building a relationship with colleagues is important for job performance and satisfaction, but also for the employee experience overall. To make the new hire feel welcome in the home office, hold one-on-one or group calls with teammates and other key employees.

Getting used to the job involves more than just working through the daily tasks and duties. Therefore, make an effort to give new employees an authentic impression of their new working environment. You have a number of ways to do this: Each team member can impart important tips for everyday work, which doesn't happen in formal training sessions. One helps with accessing important data sources, the other simulates a real situation. A virtual tour of the future office can also help for the first impression.

In addition, there is the conveyance of cordiality: Whether it is a welcome card with the signatures of all colleagues, a voucher or a coffee mug with the company logo - a small gift ensures that people feel they belong, even at a distance.

Tip 5: Make employees "IT fit

Technology is particularly important at the moment. Therefore, provide your freshly arrived colleagues in the home office with suitable tools from the very beginning. Show them that they are a priority: Get them all the devices they need to start their jobs: Cell phone, laptop or basic accessories like mouse, keyboard or monitor and good headphones.

It's also critical to provide access to all relevant systems, portals and programs that employees need to work effectively: for example, a corporate email account, group messaging platforms and video conferencing software. Put them in touch with the IT department in case questions arise or training is needed. That way, your new employees will feel supported and valued.

Tip 6: Obtain feedback continuously

It's never too early to lend an ear to your employees. Share with them about onboarding and get to know if they have everything they need. Actively ask them at specific times how they're doing. Did the latest training answer all their questions? Did they meet all of their key colleagues at their round of introductions and know who to contact for what concerns? Periodically look at how your new colleagues' opinions are evolving on various aspects of the initial phase. All of this will provide you with important information about what works in the onboarding process, what has the greatest impact, and where the biggest "experience gaps" exist. In other words, where employees have had a completely different experience than the one you wanted to provide them. Through continuous feedback, HR can understand how new employees are doing in the home office - and develop concrete levers for improvement.

To the author:
Dr. Roland Abel is Head of Growth & Strategy - Employee Experience (EX) DACH of Qualtrics and assists Qualtrics clients with experience data collection. He has over twelve years of experience in the field of employee experience.