Attention: 5 mistakes in online onboarding

Those who have opted for online onboarding are taking a step in the right direction. Nevertheless, there are still some pitfalls that HR departments and managers can stumble over when making optimal use of onboarding software. You can find out what these are and how to avoid them here.

1. Waiting too long to start

If the new employee starts on the first of the month, that does not mean that the preparations for online onboarding also start on that day. A lead time is necessary for both sides to be able to start the onboarding phase well. After all, nothing seems more unprofessional than having to clarify responsibilities on the first day of work or the connection not being established because the new employee is missing access.

On the other hand, the new colleague can prepare for the first day if important information about the process and the organization is made available to them in advance. This way, the first day of online onboarding can be used productively right away.

2. Unclear responsibilities

Even if online onboarding initially seems like a “light” version of an on-site onboarding process: organization is much more important in this digital process than in person and requires the commitment of the respective manager. Even in online onboarding, they have the task of offering new employees orientation, introducing the team, and defining the goals of the collaboration.

A big mistake in online onboarding is not recognizing this responsibility and simply adding new colleagues to team meetings in the first week of work without welcoming the person personally beforehand.

This is necessary, on the one hand, to give new employees a secure feeling: they know their manager and therefore the person they can approach for questions or feedback. On the other hand, it is appreciative to take the time for new team members to guide them through the first important phase of online onboarding.

3. Lack of feedback

Where am I in the onboarding process? Where do I need to work harder? What impression do my supervisors have of me? Even in online onboarding, a feedback meeting should be on the agenda about every four weeks. This allows employers to get an up-to-date impression of how well new employees have integrated into the team and, if necessary, identify training or communication needs.

On the other hand, an onboarding process can also offer exciting insights from the company's side. New employees have a fresh perspective on the team, processes, and the organizational culture. Very few dare to communicate their impressions in the first phase of onboarding – and before you know it, the new colleague is part of the structure and has lost that very impartial view.

A lack of a feedback culture in online onboarding is therefore also a real loss for the company.

4. Unclear goals and expectations

Online onboarding is still new territory for many companies, which is why they often focus on technical aspects during implementation. What information and access must remote employees be given in order to work well? In which central location do we manage documents and how-tos that employees in the home office have access to? How and where do we conduct meetings during the introductory phase?

However, what is often neglected is the second important level: connecting with the employee emotionally and in a future-oriented manner. During the starting phase, the expectations for the collaboration should be defined on both sides.

If there are misunderstandings here, problems are inevitable. In the best case, the manager takes the time to work out the goals and expectations of a collaboration with the new employee individually and also within the team – so that everyone is heading in the same direction.

If you want to prevent these mistakes in online onboarding, then use our keelearning onboarding software. We would be happy to introduce it to you and answer your questions in a personal conversation.