A new employee’s induction is what sets them up for success. In fact, a poor induction may set off alarm bells in an employee’s mind and give them a strong and early sense that they have made a bad decision.
Inducting an offshore employee is no different. There are many different ways to induct remote employees:
- Thanks to amazing Cloud technology, online induction is something we guide our clients through every day.
- We also often welcome clients to our office in Manila, where they can use our training facilities to induct staff in person.
- Others choose to fly in their new recruits to onsite locations, giving all their employees a team building opportunity. You can read an employee’s account of their own experience here.
Regardless of the direction, there are certain things an effective induction must cover.
Here are the ten essentials:
1. A very warm welcome. Your new offshore staff needs to feel like a central part of your team, not a contracted and foreign extension. Start with a warm welcome and spend some time getting to know your new recruit. If you can’t do it in person, you can still organize for a welcome cupcake and coffee waiting on their desk ahead of a video call!
2. Introduce anyone they may come across or need in the first two weeks of their employment Other introductions can follow when they’re feeling more comfortable and settled.
3. An agenda. Outline exactly what the first two weeks will look like. Be sure to include pre-scheduled meetings with others on the team so they too have the chance to form a relationship and understand where they fit in the business. If you’re inducting remotely, then insist on the use of video and phone for these meetings – do not settle on email introductions or conversations. Get personal, fast!
4. Provide all the company or client background reading essentials so your employee can get an understanding of who they will be working with.
5. What are your company policies – give them a copy to get familiar with.
6. Tools of the trade. Give them a run down on the tools they need to do their job. Ensure their logins are ready to go and give them a step by step run down if they have not used any particular tool before. If you’re training remotely – you can use screen sharing to do this.
7. Outline the procedures they need to follow.
8. Their workload & workflow. The agenda should include the work they’ll need to complete in their first two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, the new employee should again be given an outline of exactly what it is they need to be working on from that point forward with a clear idea of expectations. Don’t just give a run down in a five-minute phone call – give them a document with clear and specific instructions.
9. Give them full permission to ask questions, seek help and make mistakes. This will take the edge off and ensure they’re able to do their best work, early.
10. Constantly check-in. Don’t expect them to take you up on your offer to ask questions and make mistakes… Constantly check-in and see if they have questions or things they’d like to clarify. Offer to look over things – your new employee may not be comfortable to interrupt you during the day. If you have set the expectation early that you will be doing this – then the employee won’t feel like you’re ‘monitoring’ them.
These simple ten steps will help your new offshore employee feel settled and empowered to do their job well.
Got more questions about onboarding? Check our FAQ page here!
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An Australian Business Process Offshoring (BPO) organization focused on supporting small to medium businesses, Staff Domain, Inc. is committed to helping its partners overseas achieve cost savings and rapid growth through end-to-end offshore recruitment and operational management.
Based in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines, and with offices in the United States, Australia and Hong Kong, Staff Domain boasts the best talent who take pride in the work and the professional choices they make. The company’s state-of-the-art facility exceeds the expectations of working professionals and ensures productivity—a space where smart professionals and businesses can
Got more questions about onboarding? Check our FAQ page here
