Last updated on April 4th, 2024 at 10:00 am
Statistics show that the number of employees working remotely has grown by 44%. Onboarding thousands of remote employees can be a challenging task for companies. This is especially true if they are following the traditional onboarding process, which is lengthy.
Remote employees use a variety of unmanaged devices. On top of that, they have many questions regarding company procedures. It's a challenge for the HR and IT teams to be flexible and answer every query personally. When their concerns are not answered, employees find it hard to navigate the company's systems.
A report says that around 77% of people have experienced VPN issues. While 65% complained about the poor quality of video calls, 50% faced issues with Wi-Fi connections. The increased burden on the HR and IT teams led to the introduction of self-service support for new hires. Developing effective tech and domain onboarding programmes could solve all these problems.
What are digital onboarding programmes?
Onboarding employees is a complex task. The new employees should be introduced to the company culture, procedures and workflows within the organisation. Then, there are several legal and taxation procedures. Technology has come in handy for HR managers in the form of digital onboarding programmes. With the help of digital tools, the onboarding process has become so much easier.
Traditional onboarding requires employees to be physically present and participate in training programmes. This isn't possible in the case of remote employees. Moreover, it is a time-consuming process. That's why companies prefer using digital tools to onboard new hires and improve efficiency.
Every successful digital onboarding will meet the following requirements:
- Compliance - This involves finishing paperwork and learning the basic rules of organisations. For instance, using a digital signature, new hires can confirm that they have watched the material detailing organisational rules.
- Clarification - Here, new hires should understand their job role and the projects they will work on. Video conferences and webinars simplify this process for remote employees.
- Culture - Digitally conveying what the company stands for and the rules to be followed. Along with that, a mentor is assigned to help employees assimilate into the culture.
- Connection - Encouraging the employees to develop and nurture work relationships using collaboration tools.
How to create a digital onboarding process?
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Analyse the current onboarding process
Assess the current process and look for areas of improvement. Talk to the recent hires and understand the difficulties they faced. Remember, with digital onboarding, companies can repurpose videos and documents. It is more user-friendly and efficient than traditional onboarding.
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Create a standard onboarding process
Once the company identifies effective practices, it's time to streamline. Automation simplifies onboarding, allowing new employees to complete paperwork and tutorials effortlessly. For common queries, they can turn to the FAQ page for quick solutions.
- Ask for feedback
Request and analyse the feedback from new employees. Understand which tools have helped them learn about the job role and company rules. Look for any difficulties that they encountered. Use this information to simplify and improve the process.
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Customise
Every employee has their own learning style. Offer options like introduction videos, digital documents or virtual meetings, allowing them to choose the material that suits them best.
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Set timelines and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
It's crucial to track the progress of new hires. Ensure that the timelines and expectations are clearly communicated. Track their KPIs and check how they are adjusting to their job role. Conduct a monthly call to clarify doubts, answer questions and guide.
Final verdict
In today's fast-paced business world, time is precious. Lengthy onboarding programmes are no longer viable. Organisations seeking efficient and remote onboarding turn to digital solutions. Embracing digital onboarding programmes is the key to swiftly integrating new hires and driving success.
Visit Imarticus Learning to learn more about digital onboarding programmes.
