The exponential growth of the pandemic sweeping over the world is terrifying. The coronavirus outbreak has been wreaking havoc on not only the health and safety of millions, but it has been hurting job growth as well. It has forced many businesses to go from simply discussing remote work plans to rapidly put them into action. As a result, millions of individuals who may have never regularly worked from home have been suddenly forced into their home offices. In addition, a growing number of American companies are clamping down on their hiring and budgets as well, which can make it challenging for those looking for work. In fact, Moody’s Analytics estimates nearly 80 million jobs in the United States economy are a moderate to high risk right now – yikes!
With that being said, not every company can afford to completely halt their hiring efforts as certain roles are essential to sustaining and growing the business, regardless of these uncertain times. Take the information technology department for example. Without employees that specialize in IT which is responsible for the architecture, hardware, software, and networking of computers in the company, a business will not run efficiently. The IT department is essentially the backbone of any flourishing company as this department plays a critical role in ensuring that employees have the tools they need in order to do their job. If employees are not able to do their job, the business won’t run properly. Needless to say, the IT department is important! But how do you onboard new IT employees when working remotely?
Establish Personal Connections
Traditionally, on an employee’s first day, they would be given a tour of the office and introduced to all their wonderful co-workers and new team members. Establishing these connections is an integral part of the onboarding process and shouldn’t be forgotten just because there is no physical office to tour at the moment.
Use teleconferencing to set up virtual meetings. By leveraging this technology, welcome introductions can be just as effortless and seamless as they would be in person, allowing new IT hires to connect and engage with their new employer and team members.
Design a Roadmap for Success
It is easy to let the onboarding process fizzle out when you are not physically in the office after a new hire’s first couple of days. To prevent this, establish a “meet-and-greet” roadmap that stretches out over several weeks that can help connect new IT employees with other teammates to build their internal networks while working remotely. This will also help them learn more about the company and its culture by talking to other individuals working in different departments and gain a greater understanding of the responsibilities of their colleagues.
Build an Engaging Virtual Culture
Speaking about culture…working remote doesn’t mean company culture goes out the window. In fact, the culture of the company expands well beyond the walls of an office and is even more crucial during the transition to a remote environment. However, for new IT hires, explaining a company’s organizational behaviors and values can be difficult when they are isolated at home. Establish ongoing check-ins with your new IT employees to maintain the culture and keep remote workers engaged, connected, and motivated. This can mean office-wide virtual meetings, daily standups, regular video updates, virtual team celebrations, or weekly check-ins.
Today is a challenging time for businesses, especially when it comes down to technical hiring. If you are looking to onboard IT employees while working remotely, be sure to establish personal connections, a roadmap for success, and build an engaging virtual culture to welcome them to the company!