Whilst a return to the office is on the cards for not too far in the future, the realisation that remote working is not only comparable with, but in many cases, advantageous to working in an office environment, has been amongst the biggest revelations of the past year for many smaller businesses.
With a hybrid work model on the cards, and more firms realising remote employment opportunities widens the available talent pool, we’d expect to see a greater number of employees in the future on boarded remotely, and who may never even step in the same building as those they’re working for.
The team here at Nutbourne act as a managed service provider in London; we wanted to explore how best to bring people on via a completely digital environment.
Ask For Feedback
Starting somewhere new is almost always an at least somewhat daunting proposition for new employees. It can feel like you don’t have a voice, and if you’re unhappy with things, you’re less likely to vocalise those grievances for fear of being uprooted before you’ve even got going, so to speak. In other words, unless you ask, the chances are you won’t get feedback in terms of how your on boarding process has been perceived, overall.
This not only benefits your employees, though, but it makes smart business sense, too. If your on boarding processes don’t hit the mark with one remote employee, there’s a good chance those same mistakes will be repeated with remote employees in the future. Getting feedback early on, therefore, helps mitigate this risk.
Digital Handbook Of Onboarding Materials
The first week at any new job is overwhelming; you’re having information thrown at you left, right and centre and all the whilst you’re trying to make a good impression on your new boss and colleagues. In the office, you’d typically give your new employee a binder or folder complete with all the pertinent information about starting in their new position.
It seems an obvious thing, but with remote employees, remembering to send through that document is often forgotten about! So, compile a digital version of the on boarding materials and send it through with any introductory/first day emails. Once they’ve got it? They’ve got it.
Teach Your New Employee Your Company’s Cybersecurity Protocols
Working remotely puts your company’s information at more risk; with a greater number of endpoints and an expansion of your network much further afield than simply your office’s four walls, it’s vital that new employees understand the correct protocols in terms of company cybersecurity. In your on boarding document should be a list of appropriate resources, such as tips on password etiquette, the use of multi-factor authentication, how to set up web filtering, etc. so that they’re a secure part of your company, from a digital perspective, almost as soon as they join.
Don’t Neglect The Social Aspect!
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest differences between physically and remotely starting somewhere is the relatively diminished opportunities for social interaction with your fellow colleagues.
Whereas idle banter and chat gets banded around most offices throughout the day, and whilst in an office you’ve got your lunch breaks to catch up with other employees about topics both work-related and otherwise, there just isn’t that kind of opportunity when you’re working elsewhere, usually from home.
It’s important that your remote employees don’t feel left out, especially if they’ve only just joined. To combat this, we’d suggest the occasional virtual after-work drinks, potentially having a facetime over lunch break and simply remembering to make more of an effort to integrate new employees socially as well as work-wise, even if it’s more difficult than it would be in person.
The extra effort will pay off as your new team member will feel better valued, and this leads to smoother employee relations and a reduced chance of office politics in the long-run.
Contact Us
So, if you’d like to find out more about our work as a managed service provider in London, then get in touch! Contact Nutbourne today on +44 (0) 203 137 7273. Alternatively, you can fill out one of our online enquiry forms or chat to us online.