Yesterday, we hosted a Virtual Think IT Workshop on the topic, Remote Onboarding, and Training. A huge thank you to our facilitators, Tom Parker, Christi Bahr, and Trevor Matthies at York Solutions for sharing their research and analysis on how remote onboarding and training has affected worker and team performance. They spent time sharing our analysis and recommendations on improving the onboarding experience during these unprecedented times.
Below you will find an overview of the most popular questions from our members and a summary of what was discussed.
If you’re at an organization, what does onboarding contractors look like?
The members agreed that it depends on the contract. If contracts are 12 months or more and the consultant is engaged in the company is if they want to be there long term, organizations like to include them in corporate initiatives. A member also stated that if they have a contractor who is only there for a few months and is not allowed in corporate sales training. Usually, the longer contractors are at an organization, the more likely they will be a cultural fit.
Has recruiting changed during these unprecedented times?
Recruiting has definitely changed during these times. There is such a bigger and more diverse candidate pool now that most companies are having their employees work remotely. Companies can broaden their search to more than just the state where their office sits. Also, because there are more candidates, companies can speed up their decision process.
Do you find that your IT department is the one who is in charge of onboarding?
All departments help in the onboarding process. The IT department usually helps get the consultant’s hardware ready to go. It’s also important for HR to work with new hires so they can understand the company better. The team also plays a part in onboarding as they are the ones who will be helping get the consultants up to speed.
Comments Made on Survey:
- My desk wasn’t set up for a whole week after my start date.
- I never got enough time with my manager
- I was introduced to my team via email
Questions for Next Round of Surveys:
- Age of consultants
- The difference of when you started your job to now
- The difference of when they onboarded in person versus when they onboard remotely
Some ways that York Solutions has adjusted to remote onboarding is by implementing consultant check in’s, requiring videos on for their first month of work during meetings, making sure they have their equipment for their first day, and making this experience as normal as possible. If you were unable to attend, you can view the slide deck here.