Canadian HR Reporter

www.hrreporter.com 23 know how many businesses don' t have a s tandardized onboarding procedure — even pre-COVID. Make sure the new hire: is introduced to their team; understands to whom they report; is clear on the duties of any of their direct reports; is walked through the company handbook; and clearly understands their work, key performance indicators (KPIs) and office culture expectations. Set daily check-ins: Nipping potential problems or miscommunications in the bud will save you and your team time and money down the road. Every company is unique, so don't assume a new hire does things the same way you expect. Set a meeting rhythm that allows for transparent, frequent communication. Set new employees up for success: This can be as simple as making sure that they have the equipment they need at their home office and giving them a direct contact in IT for support getting set up. However, this also means having someone walk them through shared folders and resources so they can flourish. Use video when possible: Yes, Slack is a wonderful tool that keeps people current process: What parts of this will be the same as an in-office interview? What parts are different? Be clear with the candidate about expectations. Be clear with the candidate about what they can expect during the interview and any steps to follow. After the interview: As with the pre-interview prep, try to maintain the normalcy of how post-interview followup is usually run at your company. Any shortlisted talent should be contacted with the standard next steps, and successful talent should follow the onboarding process. Consider taking a blended learning approach to your onboarding process. Remote onboarding The beginning of a team member's time at a new company sets a critical foundation for their success and happiness. Again, employers want to ensure newcomers have the most personal experience possible even though they aren't physically in the workspace. Here are a few ways to ensure that happens: Have a set onboarding plan for your team: You'd be surprised to connected. But for an employee who hasn't had much facetime, it can be very impersonal. Save them the guesswork from written texts, requests and tone by having current team members book video calls as often as possible. Allow your team to get to know the new hire as personally as possible. Engage current teams: Onboarding should be a team task. Most positions require contact with multiple team members, cross-depar tment. G e t employees on board with onboarding to support and personalize the process for each new hire. When it comes to working from home, the best action is over-communication between you and your team members. If your expectations are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., state that. If you're willing to be flexible so that parents can balance homeschooling and meals or employees While first impressions might not happen face to face, employers should strive for the same professionalism and structure that were the norm before the pandemic. can get outside for walks and exercise, be clear on what flexibility means. Not shockingly, it all comes down to communication. Employees are expected to communicate their working hours, what exactly they're working on and how team members can access shared documents, files and folders they may need. Flexibility is great, but be sure to have short-term success markers and KPIs set up to ensure productivity stays on track. CHRR Nicole Davidson is founder and CEO of Beacon HR in Vancouver. For more information, visit www. beacon-hr.com/covid-19 using the access code beaconhr for a complimentary guide.

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