[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith the coronavirus pandemic forcing companies to shut their doors to prevent the spread of this deadly disease, more and more businesses are relying on telecommuting. While this shift in how business is done has been a challenge, many companies switching to remote work have fallen into a routine that’s working and still profitable. However, one problem that continues to remain is training new hires once they’ve been selected for the job.
Onboarding new hires in-person at the office is easy, as you’re able to work face-to-face and explain daily processes much easier. Behind a screen, onboarding a new hire becomes much trickier. Fortunately, there are ways you can ensure your new hire is ready to hit the ground running. Check out our new hire checklist for onboarding remote new hires below.
1. Hire a qualified candidate
Before onboarding takes place, you want to make sure the candidate you hire is qualified and has the necessary skills needed to complete the job efficiently. Traditionally, new hires could easily be trained in-person to catch them up to speed. However, when they’re forced to work remotely, getting a new hire on track can be challenging. Hiring a candidate with the right amount of experience and skills can make the onboarding process much smoother.
To ensure your candidate is up to par, make sure you host multiple rounds of interviews, have them complete a performance task, and conduct a background check. If you’re in a rush trying to hire a new employee, you may be wondering, “how long for background check?” Luckily, most background checks today can take as little as a few minutes, while others may take a few days or even weeks.
2. Get the paperwork done
Once you’ve made your hire, your next line of business is getting all of the paperwork filled out and completed. In-person, this typically isn’t an issue. However, having paperwork filled out remotely can be a problem, since most states require physical verification of physical documents. To get around this, use services like HelloSign that are legally-binding. You may even need to hire a notary to visit your new hire to ensure their paperwork is accurately filled out.
3. Send the equipment
To ensure your new employee is ready to work from home on their first day, you want to make sure they have all the necessary equipment, such as a phone, laptop, keyboard, dual monitor, and HDMI cords. To get your new hire ready, send all the equipment they may need to their house before their first official day. This will allow them to set up their at-home workplace and get everything up and running before their first day of official work. They’ll also be able to reach out to you beforehand in case any of the equipment doesn’t work or is malfunctioning. Don’t forget to preinstall any software or programs they may need to get the job done, too.
4. Set up a video conference platform
Because your new hire is working remotely, you won’t be able to communicate with them face-to-face. That said, you’re going to need a video conference platform that allows you to see each other’s faces and interact in a more authentic way besides a telephone call. Additionally, a video conferencing platform will also allow you to share your computer’s screen to walk them through different processes of your company, such as how time tracking software works or how to use a specific program.
A video conferencing platform will also allow your new remote worker to meet the rest of the team. Schedule a team or all-hands meeting on their first day so they can introduce themselves to their new coworkers. You can also host a virtual happy hour after work for more casual conversations and even play online games. You’ll also need your video conferencing platform in the future to hold one-on-one meetings, have client calls, or just check in.
Getting started
The idea of onboarding a new hire can be stressful in itself. Add a remote hire into the mix, and this could seem even more daunting. However, with this new hire checklist, you’ll be able to transition your new remote hire into their role with ease.
