Growing Virtually: How to Build, Onboard, and Support Your Remote Team

“Recruitment has changed a bit right now. I seem to have more luck getting a response from people I reach out to, since everyone is at home right now.”says Jeremy Lumsden, Versature’s Recruiting Consultant.

BUILD

“Tell me, or whatever recruiters you are working with, how your skills can fit our openings and organization.”

Building your workforce can take on one of two scenarios. On one hand, it could consist of locating a variety of candidates of different backgrounds who are currently employed, but rather unsure about stability in their current position or within their industry. On the other hand, there are candidates who are unemployed due to COVID-19 or other factors. Communicating the stability of your organization with different candidates always has a great effect on those who are looking for specific qualities and values in an employer, and can instill trust within your sample of prospects. It’s also safe to say that searching for those who are already searching for you usually results in a more committed, more confident and greater prepared candidate, rather than hunting those who put in minimum efforts. Video chat interviews, longer conversations and overall extra touch points reign well with remote recruiting, since in-person gatherings are much harder to accomplish when looking for the right fit.

ONBOARD

“Part of onboarding an employee into any department involves having them sit with and learning from other departments so that our new employees have a sense of the entire business as a whole and how it works together at Versature. Constant communication is a huge factor. The advantage of remote onboarding is that a motivated hire can access all the material with minimal distractions!”

Obviously, onboarding will be different, but not impossible. In many ways, onboarding is the first opportunity in creating a hard working, motivated teammate. This is where you as an employer may even feel more pressure than your new hire, which makes sense. At Versature, we rely heavily on video conferencing, instant message communication, starter kits and any extra equipment being sent through delivery services. By setting up virtual meetings with department directors, assigning a mentor, scheduling one-on-one and group virtual training meetings are just a few ways we tackle remote onboarding. Being connected to someone who can answer questions is of utmost importance, and is also at the center of our business. Work your new hire up slowly by first assigning them tasks that are low-level, non-foreign for them to acclimate themselves to the new job. As time passes and the team starts to form, that is when you transition from light tasks to normal tasks, and the transition from onboarding to supporting begins.

SUPPORT

“Versature is in a great position in this respect. The company has a strong sense of culture and it gives me a lot of examples to talk about.”

Whether it's daily company video meetings beginning with personal achievements or news, TGIF virtual cocktail hours, post-meeting virtual contests with prizes, we like to mix it up. Trying to re-create an office environment is no easy feat (especially with a vibrant office culture like Versature’s), but thankfully with today’s technology, a bit of effort and a hint of creativity go a long way. This isn’t only used for office fun, but also for teammates that request assistance at any point of their new journey. Solidifying a company-wide connection to new hires is vital. Working from home carries certain benefits that we are noticing and take advantage of, including working in a comfortable environment, avoiding external factors that sometimes reduce motivation, and using a business voice over internet protocol phone service that is ready to plug in right from the beginning.

Prepare your business for a seamless and effective remote work setup with net2phone Canada's award-winning phone service!