5 Tips On How To Master Remote Onboarding
Joining a team completely remote is nothing new in the ‘new normal’. Some tips and tricks from newbies who started in a WFH environment to help make this experience a smooth one.
Include new joiners in your team routines early on and provide space for meet & greets
The earlier the better. Include new joiners directly in your team calls and project sessions to get them up to speed and experience the team dynamic first-hand. Our weekly Monday Morning Meetings provide a first opportunity to introduce oneself and to get on board of processes and tools. Schedule meet & greet calls and individual 1:1 sessions with colleagues from various departments early to help understand everyone’s roles and responsibilities.
Christina (UI Design Intern): I was invited to the weekly Monday Morning Meeting right away, where I was able to get a few more insights on what projects people are working on and in which phase we are currently in. Even though I didn’t know the projects back then, it was great to listen to some casual chats and have a glimpse of the dynamic at MING Labs.
Franco (Marketing Intern): Through meeting with the marketing team within the first day on Slack, I was able to familiarize myself with all the types of marketing tasks and social platforms utilized at MING. And through emails, I was able to virtually introduce myself to members across all our offices, and gain a deeper insight into the type of work carried out at the company.
Make room for informal 1:1s and try to mimic in-person settings as much as possible
Small talk is important as a team’s performance level also depends on growing the team culture. In addition to regular team sessions, we introduced the Global MING-ling as a company-wide initiative that randomly matches 2 people for a coffee chat. This gives the opportunity to connect with people outside of your department and location.
In a remote setting, the chitchats that we know from our office days are lost and we have to actively create opportunities for us to get to know each other on an informal basis. And actively make an effort to create and deepen relationships.
Informal chats contribute to lifting morale and promoting well-being at work, which in turn makes for higher-performing employees.
Yun (UX Designer): Indeed, working remotely makes us lose the chance for small talks, which I find really important to get to know someone. But the 1:1 coffee chat within the company helped a lot. I enjoyed meeting with other designers who share similar backgrounds or profiles but had different past experiences. I think remote check-ins can never replace in person meet ups to be honest, but I enjoyed the recently proposed idea that lets us meet up with others from another office :)
Julia (Junior Business Designer): I recommend using every way possible to make interactions as personal and “normal” as possible. So switching on cameras and making time to introduce each other personally goes a long way in getting to know who you’re working with and making collaboration more comfortable.
Yue (Senior Business Designer): The Global MING-ing is also helpful to get to know other colleagues from different places. I think 1:1 remotely is a lot better to connect with each other than a group chat remotely, as people might not be used yet to casually meet in a group online.
Consider the human connection and show more empathy
Getting pulled into ongoing projects can feel like jumping into cold water. At the beginning, schedules are often packed with project calls and introduction sessions. Be sure to check-in regularly with the newbie and provide support where needed, keeping in mind that these are more difficult times for everyone.
Christina: I’d definitely say that reaching out to people and having regular check-ins is the most important part. Small talk is one of the things which usually doesn’t happen that easily during remote settings. That’s why I really loved the 1:1 calls and the welcome lunch. I also enjoy the Slack workspace.
Yue: I think one important thing for remote working is that we should not forget the human touch with each other. To be more understandable and more patient with our clients and colleagues. Remote comms sometimes can be difficult, we need to be more active to reach out to each other as well as show our respect and care.
Yun: Even though we cannot meet up in person and get to know each other better in these weird times, by respecting each other and being open-minded, we can still make the work atmosphere enjoyable.
Have a buddy to turn to when you have questions
Want to avoid feeling lost? Assign a buddy! The buddy should help to familiarize the newbie with their new environment, people, and tools. A knowledge platform with information about the company, its people and processes can also be helpful here to look-up things when needed. Define concrete people with specific responsibilities to ensure the new joiner has people to turn to for different concerns.
Julia: Having a buddy also reduces the pressure of figuring things out by myself as I knew I could always ask if I had a question. The many 1:1 talks quickly gave me the feeling of being integrated into the whole team.
Normalize taking breaks and asking for help
Christina: We should normalize asking for help and be understanding of one another and support each other. At my university we had something like a “sparring partner”, this person could be someone who has nothing to do with your project, but checks in from time to time to look at your work with a fresh set of eyes.
Oh, and another tip is to catch as much sun as possible. We should try to stay active, make regular breaks and go for a walk. Sometimes it is good to distance yourself to clear your mind. I have had my best ideas during random small talks, walks or showers.
Julia: One thing I’ve also noticed is that using emojis in chats (when appropriate of course) makes chats seem less serious and immediately gives the conversation a more friendly note.
Summing Up
Working remotely is one thing, but welcoming a new joiner into a different environment and introducing tools and people is a whole other story. And onboarding not only involves background checks to integrate new people into a team, but also getting to know others as humans too.
Catching up with our MING-ions who went through our remote onboarding process made us realize the importance of regular check-ins to provide an environment that allows for frequent questions, breaks to recharge and informal conversations to establish a human connection. Keep in mind that everyone deals with different circumstances that might require different approaches to your remote work setup. Once this is guaranteed, your new team members will feel welcome in no time.
Related Reading: How To Collaborate While Working Remotely
