International remote teams are a wonder of the new world. Only with today's level of collaboration technology can teams across borders work together efficiently. Many international remote teams are made up of top-talent people who bring excellent skills and experiences to the virtual table. However, building this kind of teamwork requires excellent remote onboarding tools and technology. Introducing new remote hires to your tech stack and workflow can help them rapidly become valued team members.
1. Ensure Each Team Member Has the Right Hardware
- Laptop or Computer and Peripherals
- High-Speed Internet Connection
- Secure Wi-Fi Hotspot
- Printer and Other Necessities
2. Connect on the Cloud
- Cloud Storage and Document Sharing
- Project and Collaboration Software
- Project Management and Task Tracking
- Video Conferencing
- Team Chat Channels
3. Provide a Virtual Employee Handbook
The employee handbook is a comprehensive guide to company policies, resources, and procedures. It also helps employees get familiar with the company, how to follow the rules, and what is expected of them. However, for remote employees, you don't have to mail or have them print a physical handbook — provide a virtual employee handbook instead. The best virtual employee handbook also functions as an online information center. It is searchable, connected by internal links, and easy to read one subject or policy-set at a time. Creating these resources for remote employees will support self-onboarding and also provide all employees with convenient, online access to the complete employee handbook, making policies and guidelines easy to reference for everyone across the company.4. Establish a Self-Onboarding Checklist
Self-onboarding is also a great way to empower remote employees to dive into their introduction to the company and its resources. Many tasks are easier to do DIY without step-by-step guidance in the middle of a conversation. Making an email address, building accounts for online platforms, filling out their profile on various accounts, connecting their paycheck financials — these are tasks easier to do solo. The best way to help is to provide a comprehensive self-onboarding checklist. Include links to each platform and sign-up page, and provide specific instructions on connecting their accounts to the company's team or organization accounts on each platform.
5. Schedule Virtual Remote Onboarding Meetings
Of course, only some elements of remote onboarding can be taken care of DIY. There will always be a hands-on element to introducing a new employee to the job. This process has also traditionally been done in person with the new employee's manager or mentor, walking them through the introductions and showing them the ropes. When doing remote onboarding, you'll need virtual onboarding meetings. Schedule video conferencing meetings where you can chat and talk face-to-face about each next step. Make sure your screen sharing is also working, and take turns sharing screens to show them what to do and confirm that they are navigating the process smoothly.6. Assign a Remote Onboarding Buddy or Mentor
Everyone benefits from having an onboarding buddy. This is someone they share a workflow with, who is familiar with all or most of their job tasks, and someone they can feel comfortable asking a ton of questions over the first few weeks. An onboarding buddy is a partner instead of a boss, and can also become your new hire's first work friend. However, the right person depends on the structure of your team. This person could be an equal on the team, the next most recent hire, or a team senior who can act as a mentor.7. Provide an LMS Platform With Useful Courses and Tutorials
Integrate remote onboarding with your company's learning management system (LMS) platform. Include useful courses in technologies, tools, and procedures that will become a part of the new employee's workflow. Your company can also make custom courses, tutorials, and micro-learning lessons that can help streamline each remote hire's onboarding experience.
