Keys To Successful Onboarding: Virtual Edition

Starting a new job can feel like you’re tackling an overwhelming amount of change. Starting a new job in the middle of a pandemic … even more so.

It's no secret that working from home is a challenge. In this article, we’ll discuss five effective ways that the Rocket Companies^® has tackled this challenge through the Jumpstart onboarding program and how you can too.

Every presenter wants their audience to walk away having learned something, so being aware of your audience’s needs is essential to achieving this.

“People don’t have attention spans in a virtual space for that long,” said Rock Central Executive Training Consultant Valdet Selimaj. “So, we cut our orientation from an all-day event down to 2 hours.”

Sparing your team members some screen time can combat the “Zoom fatigue” phenomena and will overall make meetings and presentations more digestible and engaging.  

You’ve probably heard the age-old saying that “simplicity is key” at some point in your life. When it comes to remote presentations, however, we really mean it.

“We had to think about what people really need to walk away with today,” Selimaj said. “So, you’re not just sitting there listening to your facilitators for hours on end.”

The best speakers make it clear what their key messages are and for this, keeping things simple is the easiest solution. Why explain something in an hour when it could be condensed into 15 minutes?

Sitting in a video call with 100 – 200 people can be daunting and, what’s worse, alienating. It almost encourages your audience to switch off their webcam and become disengaged – after all, who could notice?

By utilizing Zoom’s breakout room feature or simply organizing smaller video calls, you’re more likely to encourage engagement and leave your audience feeling like they’re part of a team rather than working alone.

“We broke all of our Jumpstarts into smaller sessions because it’s more intimate,” Selimaj explained. “It feels like you’re more connected to people.”

What do Rome and flawless virtual onboarding have in common? Neither are built in a day.

“It’s a lot of feedback,” Selimaj said. “A lot of ‘what do you think?’ and ‘let’s try this.’”

The most valuable resource the Rocket Companies^® has for developing the virtual Jumpstart program is the feedback of those who experienced it. By sending out surveys to recently onboarded talent, Rocket Companies^® has been able to constantly improve the Jumpstart program and make the onboarding process that much better for each group of new team members.

On the opposite end of the onboarding process, new team members can still use this same approach. Asking for feedback about your contributions in a meeting or how effective a presentation was can help you thrive in a virtual space.

2020 has been the year of abrupt change and with it, learning acceptance and adaptation.

“All of a sudden, we’re all working from home,” Selimaj explained. “But we’re still hiring. We still have roles to fill.”

Regardless of whether you’re working from home or social distancing at the office, you still have a job to do. And having an understanding that the same methods used in real-life settings may not translate as well online is the first step to accepting the new environment we’ve been thrust into.

The next step is realizing all the unique opportunities you now have to ensure you’re at your most productive.

Try taking advantage of over-the-phone meetings by getting some fresh air and stretching your legs while on your call. You can also reorganize your home office to personally suit your needs – relocate to a spot in your house with a nice view or simply keep your favorite snacks on hand.

Also, be sure to make the most of video calls. Introduce yourself to any new team members you haven’t had the chance to chat with or organize virtual lunch dates with your team.

It’s these creative silver linings that are important to maintain an optimistic outlook and productive work environment.

Everybody has felt the pressures of sudden change that COVID-19 has brought workplaces across the world. But there are still many ways to stay engaged and connect with others despite the remote setting.

Working remotely is just one of the areas Rocket Careers tackles in helping you prep for your career. If you want more tips, tricks and advice, explore some more of what Rocket Careers has to offer.