Technology Tips for Securely Onboarding Remote Employees in Ohio

Growing your team is an exciting challenge, but the shift towards remote work environments does create more uncertainty when managing new hires. Of course, you’ll want to make your new employee feel welcome and like they are part of the team right off the bat. But, you have an added layer of responsibility from a technology perspective, as your new team member must be prepared and comfortable using your tools and software. Onboarding remote employees in a secure and calculated way will set everyone up for a successful first day.

Your IT Onboarding Checklist For Remote Workers

What steps does your organization need to take before and during your employee’s first week? Below is our recommended onboarding process.

1. Prepare Their Set-Up Before Day One

Start on the right foot by ensuring your remote worker has access to all the hardware and software they need to complete their job. By now, your company may have an onboarding checklist that your IT team completes, but if not, below are some important items to consider or provide for a remote workspace:

• Wi-Fi Capacity
• VPN Needs
• Company Login Credentials
• Access to Company Programs, Tools, Apps, and Other Software

Make sure that you order and ship any hardware well in advance so that you don’t run into any blunders on the first day. Confirm with the new employee that they received their equipment, and see if they need help for the initial set-up. If so, you may need to designate an IT or tech-savvy team member to provide virtual assistance. This would also be a good time to review how to access and use any file-sharing applications, cloud-based software, data encryption tools, etc.

2. Use Video to Explain Company Procedures (and Introduce Employees)

Their start date is here, and while you’ll want to make yourself as available as possible to answer questions, it’s not feasible for you to sit on a video call all day long. So, a great way to help your new employee get up-to-speed is to pre-record training videos to explain company processes. These will create a more well-rounded onboarding experience for your remote employee, as they’ll have a chance to digest some of the training material at their own pace and then come to you later to ask questions.

Video conferencing is also a great way to get your new teammate acclimated to your company culture. This is a space to introduce other employees, conduct check-ins, or serve as the backdrop to a remote happy hour or other networking event.

3. Review Cybersecurity Measures In Place

New remote employees need to be aware of any cybersecurity protocol your company uses to protect against phishing, ransomware, data loss, and more. You can help them out by ensuring their software is up-to-date and by providing any resources your team has on avoiding phishing scams. Then, you’ll want to encourage your employee to utilize strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and a VPN if your team has one set up.

Bonus Tip: Your Onboarding Strategy in a Hybrid Remote Work Environment

Many Ohio companies are shifting towards hybrid environments where employees are in the office a number of times a week. These set-ups vary greatly, as some companies allow for flex schedules, some stagger in-person employees throughout the week, and some leave it up to the employee whether they want to work remotely or not.

If your organization has this sort of arrangement, you should consider completing some of the remote onboarding processes in person. It’s good for your new team member to build relationships with the entire team, and nothing replaces that in-person connection. Keep in mind you’ll still need to ensure they have the right equipment for their home office. Some training could be done through video, but save the more technical processes for an in-office day.

Even as the pandemic restrictions lessen, we can expect remote work environments to stay. It’s reported that 62% of Americans give preference to employers offering remote work. To accommodate this changing workforce, your Ohio business needs custom IT services that enable you to be productive and work safely against frequent cyber threats. Contact Warwick for leading managed IT services in Ohio, including Cleveland, Columbus, and Akron!