It is an understatement to say that most companies have been affected by the worldwide pandemic. Hiring, Interviewing and Onboarding during such an uncertain period can be a hard thing, but Netwoven has been able to keep business running “as usual”. Interviewing virtually is not a new concept, but if you have never hired an employee virtually, interviewing and onboarding may be a new challenge to tackle.
Significant changes have been implemented in terms of orientation, on the job training, employee engagement activities and IT setup for new hires. Onboarding of course has become entirely virtual, during these testing periods. The first day and the first week are very essential for every new hire and onboarding process. I believe that the first impression is a lasting impression. That’s why we need to pay close attention to the smallest details.
Here are some tips that will help interested applicants, and others:
Virtual Interviewing
We use MS Teams as a platform to meet our applicants. There are a lot of online meeting platforms out there too. However; MS Teams stands distinctly apart on most fronts.
It is helpful to have an introductory meeting with the interested applicants to set expectations of how the interview process will work at Netwoven.
Virtual interviews are no different than in-person interviews. Though it may seem more casual, it’s important to treat them just like you would at the office. We made sure our interviewers cut out all the distractions, chose quiet space to avoid any disturbances to the candidate, gave the candidate undivided attention and make direct eye contact if it was a video call.
Making Job Offers
The hiring team spends time interviewing on behavioral and value fitment, apart from just job role requirements. It would also be good to ensure the potential candidate’s ability to work, communicate and deliver effectively, when Working from Home (WfH) for prolonged periods of time. An extended and exciting opportunity exists for strategic hires, especially now that many companies globally are churning their talent pool.
Just as the interviewing process, job offers are made and onboarding is virtual too.
Virtual Onboarding
The process stays the same, the procedures and means have changed.
Create connections
Traditionally on an employee’s first day, they would be shown around the office and introduced to their coworkers and new team members. We foster these connections by introducing and welcoming the new employee to all team members via Yammer and email. We also pair up the new employee with team members they will work closely with, to create virtual mentoring – so they can kick-start connections with other employees and limit any feelings of isolation new hire might have.
Adjust the current onboarding
We rolled out all typical information given out on the first day at a slower pace. We made sure the employee gets enough time to complete the documentation, ask questions as remote environments can get overwhelming if the new hire comes in with certain expectations. It is a good idea to consider making changes to the online onboarding process as it will give the new employee time to absorb the information and ask questions as needed.
Establish check-ins
It is important to keep new hires engaged, motivated and connected. We have managers complete weekly check-ins with our new employees. The key is to help develop a regular schedule for interaction and open the line of communication, so no one feels alone or lost in their new role. This will help create a path of success for the future.
Organizations and individuals were forced to quickly adapt for a prolonged WFH situation. Post lockdown, both companies and employees will be looking to take advantage of the benefits of WFH while balancing them with a ‘back to normal’ routine to deal with the disadvantages. Organizations with robust abilities to hire, train, engage and retain a remote talent pool will lead the growth in terms of capability.
