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Remote Onboarding: Starting a New Venture from Home

Written by: Evie Courtier
Published on: 7 Sep 2022

Remote working

Starting a new job is daunting at any stage of your career. Whether you’re at the beginning of your finance or accountancy working life, or a seasoned professional embarking on a new venture, it’s safe to say that the changing landscape of the post-pandemic recruitment market will impact onboarding remote employees.  

Remote onboarding in a hybrid world presents a new set of challenges for candidates and managers alike, from integrating into company culture to adjusting to a new form of online communication. Our own job board reveals a plethora of remote working careers, with 46.24% of Senior Financial Accountants offering hybrid/remote roles. As the leading specialist accountancy job site, with an experienced and engaged audience, GAAPweb has a wealth of knowledge to share about combating the challenges of remote onboarding. 

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    Integrating Company Culture:  

    Company culture plays an integral part in any role; the blend of people and work-life balance not only attracts candidates to jobs but benefits employee retention in the long term. The importance of work culture was truly felt mid-pandemic, with 32% of respondents within our initial 2020 Work from Home Survey revealing that not seeing colleagues daily was the biggest challenge of remote working.  

    Fortunately, the period of post-pandemic reconstruction gives us greater freedoms to utilize. Inviting new starters into the office for a meeting or social gathering prior to their start date creates a warm welcome and gives reassurance to new employees that they are part of something. Putting a face to a name makes the process of messaging a colleague later down the line, that little bit easier.  

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    Taking an Active Approach to Pre-Boarding:  

    When onboarding new staff remotely managers need to ensure that they have all their IT kit and other essentials such as a chair and desk set up and ready to go. For starters, it lessens the logistical bureaucracy of day one and reduces apprehension.  

    If you’re a new starter, it’s a good idea to take time to familiarise yourself with your new colleagues and the inner workings of the IT equipment. Pre-boarding is as physical as it is mental; by acquainting yourself with the company basics prior to starting, you’ll go into day one feeling more confident. 

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    Curating a Work from Home Space:  

    This year, 21% of our Salary Survey respondents declared that they now have a permanent hybrid working policy in place. Whether your role is fully remote or part hybrid, it’s essential to create an environment at home where you feel productive and at ease.  

    It’s easy for remote employees to feel isolated and have a sense of imposter syndrome when starting a new role, so it’s vital that you create a space where you feel confident and settled. Working from home doesn’t have to limit the office lifestyle – pop up a calendar to stay on top of your day, choose a plant to bring the outside in, or find a new coaster for your daily coffee.  

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    Communication is Key:  

    As the old age adage states, communication is key. Think of the small personal touches that would usually occur on day one in an office and implement them. Cement the ‘integration process’, by scheduling check-in calls, as well as introduction calls across the different teams. Remote onboarding does not have to be a lonely process; the power of technology allows us to communicate worldwide. If in doubt, simply pick up the phone.  

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    Writing a Reference Guide:   

    Remote onboarding requires you to be your own advocate. Both employee and employer must put in an equal amount of effort to thrive throughout the process. Creating a reference guide, encompassing notes from all introductory calls and training sessions, tips for the job and a schedule of what’s expected helps to cement an understanding of your new role. There can be an overwhelming amount of information to take in when starting a new venture, so having it all in one place, as a Remote onboarding checklist, is a quick fix. 

Learning how to onboard a new employee remotely will ensure a successful remote working relationship. Remote working has been shown to increase productivity, decrease absenteeism and reduce turnover; so, refining your onboarding process is imperative to secure and retain new talent. Starting a new venture from home comes with its own set of challenges for managers and new starters alike, yet by taking the right actions, remote onboarding will feel like a natural and engaging process.