Onboarding goes much further than just showing new employees the paperwork and processes that they will be dealing with while on the job. Of course, that’s important, but in order to get the best of your remote software developer you must do more to make them feel at ease and willing to perform to the best of their abilities.
Think of your new software developer as a key component of your company’s machinery, and every component needs time and care to adjust and build up to its capacity. In this process, what you do is crucial as more than half of employers and managers (51.7%) say their biggest challenge with new hires was engagement while nearly the same proportion (49.7%) said onboarding, this according to the Workable Survey 2020. It’s a brave new world and you need to know how to react to it.
So, what should you do to mitigate this situation?
What Are “Soft Skills” and How Important Are They in My New Software Developer?
Pre-onboarding might sound a bit over the top, but think about the impact you can have on your new Software Developer if you have a senior manager or director send them a welcoming letter. It will take only a couple of minutes to write, you can even go with a premade template, but the gesture will surely land with your new employee, making them feel special.
Another thing you can do for pre-onboarding is ask a couple of the people they will be working with directly and set up a Remote Coffee Meeting so they can start getting acquainted with a few people before the dreaded first day. Remember not everyone enjoys the excitement of meeting a whole bunch of new people at the same time, so sending a couple out on a social relations mission could go a long way to relax your new software developer.
During those first few days on the job, do your best to inspire and welcome your new software developer; the last thing you want is to make them feel like they’re filling up a needless position or that they are a forced hire. Guide them through the company’s key employees, if it’s a large corporation, or even the whole staff, if the size of your company allows for it. Make them feel appreciated and wanted, like a part of the team.
Once all the ‘hellos’ have been taken care of, start out your software developer with a blend of essential information, key processes, and meaningful work. The first two so they are well-informed of the company’s ways, the third so they don’t feel like they have to wait endlessly on the bench to get their hands on important business. It’s very demotivating to feel like you’re doing endless clerical work just because you’re the newbie.
Onboarding is one of the most crucial practices for any new member of your team, and it should continue far more than a couple of days. Make team-building sessions a regular thing so they can remain in contact with colleagues; maintain open communication channels, like Slack or whatsapp, and always answer questions diligently; finally, drop in periodically and ask how they feel and how they are doing, stir away from work for a bit and really show interest in their personal well being.
With these practices you can be sure that your software developer will be happy to perform for your company’s objectives and want to stay with you for an extended period. At Developers.Net we take onboarding very seriously, so if you have any questions on this topic, give us a call and let us be a part of your success.
Find out when it may be time to change your software developer here.
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