Successful remote onboarding is not rocket science, but it still needs to be done right. After all, one topic is becoming increasingly relevant in the working world: remote work. Since the coronavirus pandemic, a clear trend has emerged. Employees value the flexibility of working from anywhere. In this article, we give you tips on how to succeed with onboarding and which tools simplify this process. This way, new team members are guaranteed a successful start.

The 4 biggest challenges in remote onboarding

A personal welcome, small talk over a coffee or lunch with new colleagues – it is not always easy to offer remote employees an equivalent experience. Due to physical distance, the personal interaction on a social and emotional level is simply missing. This presents companies with the following challenges during digital onboarding:

Lack of interaction: Those who work from home have no personal interaction with other team members. The daily social experiences of office life are missing.

Technical problems: Remote employees sometimes have difficulty accessing necessary resources or struggle with technical issues.

Unclear communication: New team members sometimes do not know how they should communicate with their team. Email, messaging tools, or video calls?

Poor introduction: Without a thorough onboarding program, remote employees have difficulty finding their way in the company and feeling welcome.

The right solution for every problem in remote onboarding

Although remote onboarding offers many advantages, it is also associated with challenges. These are the four most common pitfalls:

Lack of interaction

Plan regular meetings and conversations with remote employees to promote interaction and engagement. Virtual team-building activities such as games, virtual coffee breaks, or shared online lunches help new team members feel more comfortable in the company.

Technical problems

Ensure that remote employees have the necessary tools and resources to do their job properly. Use e-learning programs to familiarize employees with the technology. Cloud solutions are very useful for giving remote employees access to the necessary tools and systems.

Unclear communication

Give remote employees a clear understanding of their tasks and responsibilities. How do you ensure that everyone is on the same page? Simple! Create a manual or documentation that precisely describes work processes and instructions. This document will serve as a guide for all new employees in the future.

Poor introduction

Avoid poor onboarding by taking enough time for your new employees. Schedule a training day to explain the work processes and activities to your new team members in detail. With strategic e-learning content, you can be sure that your employees will find their way around quickly.

How e-learning platforms and onboarding apps help with remote onboarding

E-learning and onboarding apps are great tools to make it easier for new employees to get started at the company. Too expensive, too much effort? Wrong! We refute the most common arguments against e-learning.

With e-learning, companies can offer training, courses, and tutorials online. These can be accessed by new employees anytime and anywhere. This is particularly practical because it saves time and resources. Physical training sessions or on-site trainers are not necessary.

Onboarding apps, on the other hand, help to optimize the process of onboarding new employees. Important information such as company policies, organizational structures, and work processes – all in one app. Questions are often answered automatically as a result.

Conclusion: Many advantages with fewer resources

Thanks to remote onboarding, you enjoy numerous benefits while saving time and money. That sounds almost too good to be true. But that is precisely why remote onboarding is becoming increasingly popular. It offers you more flexibility. You can recruit employees globally and thus focus more on skills and "soft skills," instead of considering factors like commute time.

Through e-learning and onboarding apps, companies can save time and money, while employees are simultaneously and effectively prepared for their work. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved! We will show you how it works. Arrange a free and non-binding consultation.