Make Onboarding Count, Whether Remote, Hybrid or In Office

2019 was a simpler time. Roughly 95% of the U.S. working population worked from a central office, making it relatively easy to create a great onboarding experience. With only 5% of workers working remotely, the employee experience revolved around the shared experience of those working in the office.

If organizations didn’t take care of those on-premises workers, it wasn’t because they couldn’t — it’s because they weren’t trying.

The situation is different today. Remote and hybrid work has become the norm for many employees. After the record highs of remote work during the pandemic, we have likely stabilized at our current level of remote and in-person work for the foreseeable future.

It’s critical for companies to adapt their employee onboarding processes accordingly.

Remote and Hybrid Onboarding Can't Be an Afterthought

As someone who was onboarded as a remote-only employee before 2020, believe me when I say companies only did so much. That was part of remote work pre-pandemic: you had to be self-sufficient from day one. While I met the team in person on occasion, there were also months at a time when I might not see anyone from work. It could be lonely and isolating.

Such benign neglect doesn’t cut it anymore. What was acceptable when everyone was trying to piece together a great employee experience during the chaos of the pandemic shouldn’t be how we drive onboarding success going forward.

Hybrid work is different because even the episodic contact you get while in person can make up for not having a completely formalized onboarding program. The people you bump into in the office leads to establishing connections across the company, which is hard to replicate in a formal introductory call on Zoom. Still, a hybrid onboarding program requires more planning and intention to ensure the in-person time is used effectively to build these connections.

Another challenge is the reliance on technology. Remote onboarding depends on video conferencing, virtual training platforms and other digital tools. Hybrid onboarding is also dependent on many of the same tools. While these technologies enable remote collaboration, they can also be overwhelming for new hires who are unfamiliar with the technology or who may experience technical difficulties.

Related Article: Balancing the Tech and the Human When Onboarding

What Effective Onboarding Looks Like Today

I’m an experience maximalist, which means maximizing the experience for the situation.

It also means the onboarding experience won't be the same for everyone. While some might object to such an approach, it creates a better onboarding process for everyone provided you account for a few key differences.

In-person onboarding can continue as is. Training, group lunches and communicating cultural artifacts to new employees is easy when everyone is in the same location at the same time. Leaning into the advantages of in-person gatherings just makes sense, especially if you’re competing for talent aware of the advantages of alternative working arrangements.

Hybrid onboarding requires coordination with both the incoming employee, the team and any other people the new hire will be working with to ensure they connect in person. Often with hybrid onboarding, you might have a person come into an office for the first week or two so they can meet all of the groups they’ll work with before transitioning to hybrid. As with in-person onboarding, you can maximize that experience by ensuring that everyone is at the office for critical cultural events. But unlike in-person-only onboarding, you’ll also want to cover and prepare for working from home, ensuring they have everything they need to be successful. Creating clear expectations about hybrid work and how to manage it when at home versus in the office is a key difference.

Remote onboarding calls for a higher level of orchestration than hybrid or in-person onboarding. Unlike an office experience, where conversations may take place organically, that’s not the case for remote. Unless it's scheduled or planned, it will likely not happen in a remote work onboarding. That means you have to plan things like critical team meetings, technology and company training, and cultural touchstones. Some organizations may also incorporate travel to a headquarters to take advantage of that concentrated time together, which requires even more planning.

In spite of the differences, there are certain constants that any onboarding program should have regardless of where you work.

Clear Communication and Expectations — New hires need clear instructions, expectations and goals to help them understand their roles and responsibilities, as well as how their work aligns with the rest of the organization. Regular check-ins and open communication channels are essential to address any questions or concerns.
Training and Resources — Virtual and on-premises training programs should cover everything from job-specific skills to company policies and procedures. Providing access to multiple types of resources and training materials ensures that new employees can learn at their own pace and refer back to information when needed.
Buddy or mentor system — Pairing new hires with an experienced employee who can guide them through the onboarding process can be immensely beneficial. This mentor or buddy can provide support, answer questions and help foster a sense of connection within the team, regardless of where people are working.
Continuous feedback and evaluation — Regular feedback and evaluation ensure new employees are making progress and receiving the support they need. Managers should schedule regular check-ins to provide constructive feedback and address any concerns or challenges.

Remote, hybrid and in-person work all have an end goal of getting people up to speed quickly and seamlessly.

Related Article: Take Your Onboarding Program Beyond Day One

Where Technology Fits in Onboarding

Technology helps deliver a great, consistent onboarding experience in a few ways.

Companies are already using tools that help onboard new people. Your HRIS or payroll system likely has some features that help secure critical paperwork and signatures. Learning platforms that help people get up to speed are another generalist tool in use here. Collaboration and communication tools provide critical infrastructures so people can work better together, regardless of their location.

Specialty onboarding solutions like Enboarder or WorkBright are some of the newer offerings. Enboarder offers a broader set of tools for employee development to continue onboarding beyond the first few weeks, while WorkBright streamlines the complexity of keeping track of all the tasks involved in setting up a new hire. A number of onboarding options, from the simple to the complex, are available for companies that want to create a standout experience.

Just remember: whatever technology you choose must align with the onboarding experience you want to create — and not the other way around.

As remote and hybrid work environments become more prevalent and companies have solidified their approach to work, it’s time to make permanent changes to the way we think about onboarding and how technology can assist.

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