A recent report suggests that over 36 million Americans will be working remotely by 2025. Although there are many benefits associated with remote work, ranging from greater productivity to decreased turnover among employees, it also presents some new challenges, like shifting from in-person onboarding to remote. The question becomes how HR teams can help new candidates settle in and keep them engaged in remote work environments when everything is structured for in-person hiring? Here are some tips to help answer this question.
Bridge the Remote Gap
The term virtual continues to trend in 2021. From training to meetings, virtual learning and video teleconferencing are the best tools for bridging the gap between remote workers and management. Employers will have to convert physical copies of training manuals, employee handbooks, and standard operating procedures to a digital format that can be accessed via employee portals remotely. Then, you have to ensure that employees have the requisite hardware and software to perform job functions in a hybrid workplace. It’s still essential for new hires to meet colleagues and company leaders early in the hiring process, so introductions should be promoted via virtual happy hours, lunches, etc. Architecture recruiters encourage new hires to create short biographical profiles on video and share them with new colleagues.
Keep it Fun
A majority of remote workers share the same complaint about the onboarding process…it’s too robotic. Learning and socialization should be the main priorities during the hiring process. Here are some creative ideas to help keep employees engaged in a hybrid workplace.
- Send new employee welcome kits. Can include standard office supplies, treats, etc.
- Assign virtual mentors. Effective for sharing organizational culture.
- Share and solicit feedback regularly. New hires surveys can help you learn what is missing from the onboarding process.
- Assign a scavenger hunt. Helps expose new employees to all areas of a business.
Keeping the hiring process fun can be a great way to overcome the lack of social connection that remote workers feel now.
Using the right tools and technology, hiring managers can bridge the gap between remote workers and traditional office employees. Introductions, training, and socialization are just some of the things that can be accomplished now virtually. But, it takes a proactive approach to keep the flow of information in a hybrid workplace consistent. As we continue to learn innovative ways to keep remote workers engaged, stay tuned for more tips concerning this topic and other trends from around the architecture industry.
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