Employee Onboarding Checklist for Remote Workers

Preboarding: Providing the Foundation

Preboarding includes new hire paperwork, welcome materials, and the steps to provide the necessary tools for the job. This first step can be time-consuming, requiring a well-defined system to ensure all requirements are completed.

The organization of your preboarding process sets the tone for the entire onboarding experience. If done well, onboarding can increase new hire productivity by 70% and retention by 82%. This success depends on how you structure these preliminary requirements.

New Hire Paperwork

When possible, send all new hire forms before employees start their official first day. This allows employees to begin interacting with their peers sooner so they can get integrated into the company culture quicker.

Self-onboarding software and e-sign tools allow remote workers to complete this paperwork without the need to travel to the office. Make sure you are aware of state and federal laws regarding employee paperwork.

For example, employers must pay non-exempt employees for the time spent completing the required paperwork. You’ll also want to pay attention to all requirements regarding I-9 forms as there are specific requirements for completing these forms remotely.

Equipment Setup

Make sure all accounts are set up and all programs are installed and up-to-date before sending equipment to remote employees. Also, make sure to give plenty of time for equipment to reach employees in time for their first day of work.

Include steps in your employee onboarding checklist to ensure remote employees have access to all tools needed, including laptops, keyboards, headsets, etc. You might also consider sending company-branded office supplies such as notebooks and pens to provide a personal welcoming touch.

If you are unable to send equipment, provide a stipend or a gift card to help them purchase the needed materials. Ensure that employees are not required to pay out of pocket for any equipment or tools required to complete their job.

Company Policies

Preboarding also includes important policy and company culture information. Provide handbooks and important processes on their first day and encourage them to review these documents carefully. This preboarding documentation also includes the company mission, values, and goals, information about their specific role, key projects they will be involved with, and information on team structure.

When sending the company policy information, include a first-day itinerary to help them prepare for what to expect when they join the team. Make sure the schedule is set up to give them time to review this itinerary and prepare any questions they have. Also, give them advanced notice of any introduction requirements so they have time to think about what they want to say to introduce themselves.

Orientation: Developing Connections

The paperwork involved with the first day can be overwhelming, so make sure to schedule some time for a virtual meeting to discuss the company policies, missions, goals, and values. Provide an overview of what is involved with this documentation and encourage them to ask questions so you can clarify all expectations.

Getting to Know the Team

Your employee onboarding checklist should also include opportunities for new hires to get to know the team they will be working with. Preferably on the first day, but at least within the first week, make sure to schedule a virtual team meeting to introduce everyone and get more in-depth on team and role expectations. Consider using icebreakers at the beginning of the meeting to help everyone get to know each other with less stress.

A team lunch is another useful way to provide an informal way for teams to get to know each other. With remote employees, this can be trickier, but you can send a gift card for remote employees to order takeout and join a virtual lunch. This provides a relaxed setting to learn more about the company and team culture.

Training: Building Skills

Onboarding and ongoing training programs should be targeted to employees based on roles and experience levels. With onboarding training consider what aspects of the role within your company will be new to the employee, what tools are out of their experience, and how much experience they have in your industry and the role. You should also consider new hires’ employment goals to look at training options moving forward that will help them grow.

Creating a formalized onboarding training program will help to tailor training options based on teams and departments. Create a training portal or use a learning management system (LMS) to give remote workers access to recorded training, user guides, and FAQs to help them as they get started. An LMS will also allow you to track progress and ensure new employees are completing the required training.

Mentorship Programs

Providing a dedicated person to help new employees navigate training helps ensure they have someone to reach out to with any questions or issues. For remote workers, make sure this person is easily available through chat or video tools to guide new hires. This person can also help ease new hires into job responsibilities.

Prioritize Training

During onboarding training, provide information about tools, software, and processes they need to know to get started in their role. Don’t overwhelm them with training when they first join your team. Break training up into manageable chunks based on their progression. Introduce new tools and skills needed based on when these requirements will be necessary.

Prioritize essential skills when employees first start. Ease them into their role and provide a progression that makes it easier for them to get started and grow.  Build on this introductory training to provide training on advanced tools or skills necessary as they get better acquainted with their new role.

Tools and Technology: Ensuring Productivity

For remote workers, review all tools that are necessary for employees to complete their work and connect with the company and their team. Make sure all tools are set up before the first day to ensure employees can access all necessary tools without disruption.

Provide login information with the welcome packet for all systems and software and make sure all necessary tools are installed on work computers. This includes email, project management tools, meeting tools, chat programs, document systems, CRM access, etc.

Ongoing Support: Ensuring Long-Term Success

Mentors aren’t just for the onboarding process. Encourage ongoing communication with mentors to guide the new hire during the first several months in their new role.

Make sure to also schedule regular check-ins with team managers to discuss progress and address any concerns. When an employee first starts it’s useful to schedule meetings at least weekly to check in, but this can be adjusted based on employee needs.

Encourage Engagement

It can be daunting when starting at a new company, so make sure to encourage new employees to actively participate in virtual meetings, company forums, and social groups. Make sure your organization provides a safe environment for remote workers to be involved and feel engaged with the company.

Review Progress

Continue to review employee progress to identify any needs or concerns. You can also look for opportunities for new training based on their needs, skills, and career goals. Employee development should be an ongoing process.

Get Feedback

You should always look for ways to improve the onboarding process to ensure new hire success. Seeking feedback should not be left off the employee onboarding checklist. Ask for feedback throughout the onboarding experience and encourage frank answers.

A good practice is to provide a post-onboarding survey that allows you to gather new feedback once the employee is integrated into the company. Use this feedback to review processes and find ways to make onboarding more valuable.

Setting New Hires Up for Success

By focusing on preparation, connection, and support, companies can create an employee onboarding checklist that helps remote workers feel engaged, encouraged, and aligned with company goals. The goal of this process is to set new hires up to succeed in their new role.

Check out our remote work self-assessment tool to ensure your employees are set up with everything they need to maintain productivity when working remotely.

Written by: Penny Clark