For employees, it is important of eLearning in Remote Onboarding. Instead of going the traditional way of listing out the importance, what if we use a scenario instead? Don’t fret, the title isn’t misleading in any way, and you shall get to know that as you continue reading.
This is about a company called XYZ, that started its operations a few years back. At the end of 2020, it finally gained a foothold and decided to begin its global operations. They were all set to get started with the office spaces, recruitment, etc. all in place and that was when the announcement for a global lockdown came in. For a company that was testing its waters in a new territory, it became a tough task for XYZ company to manage the recruits. However, being bold in their choices, they looked for ready-to-use solutions. This is where they started collaborating with other firms that had expertise in handling remote onboarding. Things were not very smooth initially as procuring/delivering the hardware requirements, assembling, and creating a workable remote environment setup for all the new hires at different locations was a logistically difficult task. But, having managed that with the help of some incredible connections and flexible offerings like Device as a Service (DaaS), XYZ company was now ready for remote onboarding. The device setup itself was done remotely, through eLearning tutorials, remote access, and calls with the IT team.
The first step for onboarding was to welcome the newly joined employees to the company. On a regular day, this would be done face-to-face by the HR personnel, however, with a remote setup, this needed to be an interactive and friendly welcome. In came eLearning, a pre-recorded introduction video with interesting bits about the organization and a personalized welcome message from the company head. However, that being too formal, a web conference to initiate introductions with the team, immediate head, etc. eased the stiffness of the otherwise remote interaction. In addition to this, they were also given a walkthrough of the virtual recreation of the office space, a wonderful amalgamation of VR and learning that allowed the newly hired employees to see the office they were a part of.
Following the grand welcome, the new hires were taken into an engaging journey, where they could gain clarity about the company’s values- the eLearning modules covered topics like customer focus, attention to detail, and also covered office code of conduct regarding communication, commitment, inclusiveness, information security, etc. In addition to online courses, Virtual instructor-led training was used too to cover various topics.
The initial few days of onboarding are critical in terms of creating a welcoming environment for the new hires to work in. While the whole remote onboarding may not be as good as actual interaction, it can be digitally compensated to a certain extent. This is just the approach that the XYZ company used to the fullest. Right from individual introductions to cross-team interactions, everything was done through video conferencing, and to make the understanding easier, a visual hierarchy of the organization was shared online as PDFs, parallax, and interactives, allowing the new hires to learn more about their teammates and the other members of the organization. Simple tasks were assigned to keep them engaged and test their level of expertise in various fields too. In addition, there were tea-time team discussions to give them a better idea about the culture and workflow.
A balanced blend of technology and digital tools was utilized to assist the newly hired members of the organization. While different members of the existing teams were asked to give a run-through about the tools and systems through video conferencing, the detailed training was provided in form of eLearning modules: microlearning nuggets, videos, etc.
The value addition that eLearning provided was tremendous, as it gave the learners the flexibility to utilize their time optimally. It also gave them the freedom to stop, repeat, and understand at their own pace and access documents and supportive learning modules for additional understanding. The XYZ company’s remote onboarding process also relied on regular checks, in terms of course progression and assessments to understand where additional help was required. As onboarding is all about initiating a connection, instilling a commitment, and building collaboration, the quirky inputs from various members of the existing team allowed the new hires to feel more at ease during the whole process.
This is just an example that shows why eLearning is of importance in the remote onboarding of employees. With the right technology, time, and learning partner, much more can be done using eLearning. After all, it is all about how you put it to use.
What are your thoughts? Do share your opinions below.
