How to Introduce New Team Members Remotely

“The coronavirus pandemic has completely changed the way that we work and most computer-based businesses turned to remote working a long time ago. After nearly a whole year in lockdown, we have now got used to the idea of remote working and some businesses are seeing this as a viable option in the future. It means that you can save on renting expensive office spaces and your staff can get more time to themselves and avoid stressful commutes. The coronavirus pandemic is far from over yet though and with many businesses forced to work remotely for now, you might be taking on new staff. We have put together a guide on how to introduce new team members remotely if your business is working from home.

Team Video Call
One way to introduce a new team member is to get your whole team to join a Zoom call and introduce themselves individually. This is a great way for your new team member to get an overview of everyone who works at the business and what their role is. If your new team member then has to ask for help or collaborate they will at least know a bit about each person before they get started. Once everyone has introduced themselves, your new team member can then say a bit about themselves too so people can get to know them a bit. This should help to get your new team member starting to integrate into the team remotely and get familiar with their colleagues.

Onboarding Call
You should also make their first day feel welcoming by getting an appropriate team member to do an onboarding call with them. This is something you would usually do in the office so you shouldn’t let your new team member miss out on a personal onboarding because you’re working remotely. Instead of emailing them the information they need, get on a Zoom or Microsoft Teams call to talk them through things face to face. There are likely shared documents they will need and processes you will want to go through with them over the call. They can then ask questions in person without feeling overwhelmed or waiting for an email response on questions you have asked them.

Welcome Package
Starting a new job is daunting in any circumstances but it can be even more alienating working remotely on a new job. A great way to make your new staff member feel at ease is to arrange a welcome package to be delivered to their home address. This could be anything from company branded items, such as pens and notepads, to packs of coffee or tea. It’s just a small touch to show that you care about your employees and want them to feel included as part of your team.

Book Regular Catch-Up Calls
Working remotely has been a change for everyone but it will feel really strange joining a new company and rarely having contact with anyone there. It is important that you schedule regular calls with new employees to make sure they feel included in the team and know that you care. You should call them at the end of their first day and then some time throughout that week too just to make sure they’re getting on alright. This can make all the difference in making someone feel like they are included in the team and boost their morale.

Apply This to the Rest of Your Team
These tasks are perfect starting points for introducing new team members remotely, but it should also be part of your plan for the rest of your team. Working from home has been very strange for everyone and long standing team members can end up feeling isolated too. It can also lead to thoughts of pastures new and your employees might be thinking about looking for a new job in lockdown. In order to ease some of this stress it is important that you try and keep a team ethos and healthy workplace culture. Arranging team calls for social time like payday beers or just for a group chat can be a great way to do this!
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