How to Set Up a New Remote Employee for Success

Remote operations have risen in popularity over the last several years. This isn’t just due to the distancing necessities of the pandemic, either. Businesses have begun to discover the significant benefits this approach has to offer. There’s the potential for greater productivity and your company can access a truly global talent pool.

However, this doesn’t mean your business will automatically gain these advantages. You need to provide your remote workers with the support and resources that can empower them to thrive and innovate. This has to begin from the onboarding process onwards.

Let’s dive a little deeper into how to set up a new remote employee for success. 

Help Them to Understand the Organizational Structure

With in-person operations, the structure of a business is somewhat immediately apparent. There are delineated departments and a clearly defined hierarchy in the organization. Indeed, part of the induction process is usually to take new hires on a tour of the workplace so they can understand not just the layout of the office but also where each department sits in the order of operations.

This element tends to be missing from the onboarding of remote employees. It’s important for human resources (HR) staff or direct managers to provide them with a clear understanding of the structure of the organization. You’ll find this helps employees gain a more solid concept of how they fit into your company and how their efforts impact the holistic efficacy of operations.

Often, the most effective way to communicate this is with visual tools. Organizational flowcharts that illustrate a step-by-step process give employees clarity on how the business functions. Each department, role, and task in the chart extends onto the next point along the line, showing how every worker and action has a practical place in positive outcomes. The same tool can also be useful in providing a flow of accountability, so new remote workers know who has responsibility for what activity in any given situation.

Provide Them with a Mentor

One of the most valuable forms of workplace guidance is mentorship. When new hires and more experienced workers operate within the same physical space, there tend to be more natural opportunities for meaningful mentorship relationships to thrive. This helps workers to build their skills and make progress, while also benefiting the company through greater retention, engagement, and loyalty. 

When it comes to remote employees, your company needs to be more intentional here. Make it a part of the pre-onboarding procedure to review current members of staff for appropriate assignments as mentors. Establish who has the knowledge to match your new hire’s ambitions for their career. Ensure mentor and mentee have compatible personalities.

Intentional communication is key here, too. Make introductions to the new remote hire’s mentor on the first day of work. Have the mentor provide clarity to the new hire about the channels best to contact them through and the times they’re available for questions. Create a formal schedule for the mentor and mentee to check in with each other on a weekly basis by video call.

Include Them in Company Culture

There’s no doubt remote work can be isolating. In traditional workspaces, everyone is in the same general area and they get to experience camaraderie, address challenges, and celebrate achievements together. The vibrant and inclusive culture of an organization is one of the elements that can keep workers engaged. As such, it’s vital to make remote workers part of the company culture from day one.

Even if they are the only remote member of staff, include them in team meetings at the start of the day. Create communal message channels intended solely for casual chat. This provides an analog for casual conversations that can help a team bond and strengthen the culture in physical offices. Make certain there are similar rewards and perks for your home working staff to those available for traditional workers. For birthdays and holidays, have treats delivered for all remote staff and find ways to have fun through virtual games and video calls.

Teach Them Cybersecurity Best Practices

Cybercrime is a serious risk for all organizations. The methods hackers are utilizing are increasingly sophisticated and intended for a wide variety of targets. However, remote workers can be more vulnerable. They’re not always protected by the same high level of security usually found in offices and they may not be fully aware of the behavior they should employ.

It is in the best interests of your workers, the company, and your stakeholders to make certain new remote employees receive regular cybersecurity training. This should involve education on how to spot phishing emails and ransomware risks, alongside how to respond to these when they occur. Your business should provide clarity on good password protocols and wherever possible provide access to virtual private networks (VPNs). 

It’s also vital to keep workers up-to-date on methods that are particularly relevant for remote operations. When employees are working from home, the cameras on their laptops can be hacked if there are insufficient security measures in place. This means bad actors can hijack webcam feeds and sensitive video calls for the purposes of industrial espionage and insider trading. Ensure new remote workers are aware of this risk and are diligent in updating their webcam and home Wi-Fi security settings. Giving workers the knowledge and tools to be effective here minimizes the risks for everyone.

Conclusion

With remote work on the rise, it is important to provide guidance to your new remote hires. Give them clarity on how they interact with the organizational structure and be intentional with mentorship arrangements. Making efforts to include them in company culture can ensure they are able to build strong bonds beneficial to everyone. Remember that helping them minimize cybersecurity risks in their home office protects the wider business from threats. There are some significant benefits to remote work, but to take advantage of them you need to set your remote workers up for success.