Hiring remote international workers can bring many benefits to your company. This includes having a bigger pool of talent to choose from, saving money on operating expenses, and increasing productivity within your teams. But after you have finally hired the right people, the next step would be to ensure that they ease into your day to day seamlessly. How do you do it when your employees are thousands of miles away? You need to create a remote onboarding process that merges the benefits of offshoring with a quality in-house experience.

In this article, we talk about the best remote onboarding process strategies for overseas hires, the challenges and wins met along the way, and how the right offshoring partner can help make this entire process much easier.

Remote Onboarding Best Practices

Remote onboarding can be very different from what your company is typically used to, especially if you have been operating out of an office and are used to in-person communications. With the help of technology, you can replicate the feel of an in-house training program that will leave your new hires inspired and eager to get started. Here are some of the best practices to consider when onboarding remote employees.

Give remote international hires a big welcome.

Since the new international hire won’t be meeting anyone in person, it’s important to schedule the entire team on a video call during their first day to meet their coworkers. This helps the new hire to start building relationships immediately.

Assign a mentor or a welcome buddy.

Assigning a mentor to assist the international hire through the first couple of weeks is essential to them feeling situated in their new role. They can ask the mentor any question about the company or their work without feeling like they’re bothering a supervisor. A mentor also guarantees that they have a coworker to count on if they’re feeling isolated.

Provide the new hire with a detailed training schedule.

During the remote onboarding sessions, the employee will experience how the company functions, so it’s important for them to have a well-planned and detailed schedule. This can include training on technology or programs the company uses, sitting in on coworkers’ meetings or phone calls, and meeting employees from different departments.

Include programs and activities that make virtual onboarding a positive experience.

Onboarding remote employees can be draining, especially since everyone will be seated in front of the computer most of the time. Breaking the day up with virtual team lunches or a post-work happy hour can boost morale during a demanding time. International hires should know that their company wants them to feel at ease through the remote onboarding process.

Ensure that the remote hire has the right technology.

The overseas hire should have all of the same equipment and access to programs as everyone else to ensure efficiency and productivity. Information on how to use the equipment and programs should be readily available since it’s such an essential part of remote working.

Challenges to Onboarding Remote Employees

As much as onboarding remote staff is fun, it also has some challenges. It’s important to highlight where the potential roadblocks are to ensure that the new hires will have a positive onboarding experience.

Feeling Isolated

Remote onboarding can be rewarding, but there’s also the risk that the employee would feel isolated. Open communication through instant messenger and video calls, in addition to regular check ins, are essential so that the new staff feels welcome and involved in company affairs.

Adopting the Company Culture

Grasping and understanding the company culture is challenging when you aren’t surrounded by it in an office setting. It can be difficult to pick up nuances and connections through online communication. In addition, joining in on office jokes and banter could take a while, not only because the person is new but because computers also separate them.

Different Time Zones

Remote international hires are likely going to be in a different time zone than the main group of employees — and this can be tough. Try to be available to these employees as much as possible and give them tasks that they are able to complete independently from everyone else.

Checklist for Remote Onboarding International Hires

To make the remote onboarding process easier and to ensure that nothing is missed, we’ve prepared a checklist for you to follow.

1. Create their schedule for the first week so they learn essential skills for their role while also giving them breaks and check-ins throughout the process.
2. Send them all necessary technology and access to online platforms, along with detailed instructions for logging into their computer, software, and work emails.
3. Schedule a team video call so they can meet their new coworkers and learn more about the team culture.
4. Assign a mentor who will help them feel comfortable and answer any questions they might have during orientation and training.
5. Meet with the employee during their onboarding process to explain their role and identify what tasks you expect them to complete.
6. Schedule check-ins throughout the onboarding to give feedback on their work and help them set goals for their first few months.
7. Host a company orientation that explains essential information, like the history and core values of the company.
8. Gather remote onboarding feedback from the international hires so you know what was effective and what wasn’t.

Remote Onboarding is Challenging, But C9 Staff Has Your Back

Hiring overseas talent is both a rewarding and challenging experience, but you can certainly lean more towards the former by partnering with the right offshoring provider. C9 Staff is unrivaled when it comes to hiring remote talent. Our end-to-end managed services streamlines the international hiring process to help you find the best talent at the lowest cost, with little stress on your end. We offer access to highly skilled individuals in the C9 Staff Talent Network, saving you up to 70% on your payroll. Schedule a free consultation today.