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Starting A New Job Remote

Pros and Cons of Onboarding in a New Remote Position + How to Succeed

By Gabrielle MoseleyPublished 2 years ago 6 min read
Top Story - December 2021
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Starting A New Job Remote
Photo by Matteo Jorjoson on Unsplash

Remote VS in office seems like the debate of the century. The pandemic jump started the mass movement of remote work and with large lay offs at the start of the pandemic, employees have had to get use to onboarding remotely for new positions. According to Pew Research Center, 20% of employees worked from home pre-pandemic with 70% shifting to work from home during. Regardless of if you prefer remote or in office, things are still up in the air for employees and employers in relation to Covid-19. With new variants popping up, vaccination regulations (Pro-Vaxxer Here!) and the arrival of flu season it seems employers are faced with having to pivot and adjust with the changes on a daily bases.

At this point in my career, I have had the opportunity to experience in person and remote onboarding. Both experiences come with their own learning curve and challenges. So let's go over some pros and cons of remote onboarding.

Pros VS Cons of Remote Onboarding

Pros:

  • Comfort of your Home: Starting a new job can cause lots of big emotions: nervous, excited, eager, all of the things. Being able to relax in your comfort zone allows you to ease some of these emotions.
  • Faster Learning Curve: Since you are on your own, I believe employees have a chance to complete their onboarding program quicker than they would in office. There are less distractions and interruptions.
  • Prepared for Remote Work: Whether you are onboarding remote temporarily due to office closures or you'll be a full time remote employee, onboarding in a remote environment will prepare you in the case that you have to work from home. Learning to communicate and be productive in onboarding virtually in our ever changing professional environment is a skill you'll always value.

Cons:

  • Technology Setup: While I'd like to believe that we are all up to date with today's technology, we have to admit that some things can still trip us up. Especially when you are dealing with new softwares and logins. In office allows HR and IT to help you set up these essential accounts.
  • Accessibility to Teammates: In an office experience you can easily ask a quick question without feeling like your blowing up your co-workers notifications with little questions. Collaboration in office is one of the biggest perk of the in person experience that you don't get with remote onboarding in my opinion.
  • Co-worker Relationships: While tools like Zoom and Slack have made it easy to chat and see your new co-workers, there is nothing like an in person introduction that allows you to really scout the vibe and absorb the company culture.

Regardless of if you're for or against starting your new job remote sometimes it is out of your hands. Let's set you up for success.

By ian dooley on Unsplash

Tips for Success in Remote Onboarding

1) Engage in Calls

This means yes yes yes keep that camera on. You are meeting your new co-workers for the first time. It's important to put a face to the name. Showing up on camera shows engagement and allows you to connect with your team.

2) Ask Questions

Now is the time to ask questions. All of my HR managers have always told me no question is a bad question and they really mean it! You are just starting out, now is the time for questions. If anything it's great to have questions. If you are like me and don't want to blow up your teams communication channels start by compiling a list of questions. At the end of the day go back and look if those questions are still relevant. If they are send a small batch of them to your manager or a co-worker you feel comfortable with.

3) Set Up Your Work Space Ahead of Time

Prep for a successful day. Your company may start you off with a work from home stipend (score!), but if not no worries you don't need much. I like to buy a brand new set of notebooks and colorful pen set to get me excited to take notes. You're also getting the perk of being in your own home so set up where you're most comfortable and whatever has a suiting background for video calls. Make this space your dedicated work space.

4) Keep a Positive Mindset

Maybe you're bummed that you can't be in-person for your onboarding or change is hard for you - but you can choose to shift your mindset. Take in some of my favorite quotes for inspiration.

“Be positive. Your mind is more powerful than you think. What is down in the well comes up in the bucket. Fill yourself with positive things.” – Tony Dungy

“Your attitude is critical to success. If you expect things to be difficult, it will always be easier to solve problems, overcome adversity, and have an enthusiastic energy about how you go about and enjoy your work.” – Nick Saban

5) Clarify Expectations

This goes hand in hand with asking questions. It is important to clarify expectations from the team in your first week of onboarding. This first week is usually for learning company culture, lingo and protocols. But communication with your manager on the details of expectations for the first week and past that starts you off on a good foot with confidence to move forward in your responsibilities.

6) Get to Know Your Colleagues

Since you do not have the opportunity for small talk and bumping into your new colleagues around the office make good use of those initial video calls. Start your introduction with your name, position and a reminder that you're new to the company. Don't be afraid to show your personality! If you don't know when you'll be able to connect IRL consider asking a co-worker you feel you had a good first connection with to do a virtual coffee meet up or a couple of teammates to do a virtual happy hour.

7) Dress for Success

While working from home has the benefit of staying in your pajamas all day, it can really help shift your mindset to get ready for the day just as you would if you were leaving your home. This doesn't mean toss out your comfy clothes. Rather just make a change from your pajamas. A matching elevated sweat set or my favorite cozy sweater has been my go to. Make sure whatever you pick makes a good first impression for your Zoom calls.

Here is a great article from the Wall Street Journal about dressing for success when it comes to working from home:

We've gone over the good and the bad of onboarding remotely. Honestly it can be a challenge. You are jumping into a new *virtual* room of people and there will be a cultural shift. But we've gone over the tips for success and you are ready to go! Remember in this ever changing work environment you still have the control to make the best of any situation. It's the time to go with the flow and take on your new job head first. Best of luck! I will leave you with my favorite quote.

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out." — Robert Collier

success
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About the Creator

Gabrielle Moseley

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  • Nour Boustani2 years ago

    I like working from home; thank you for sharing these tips, Gabrielle

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