How to Keep Virtual Onboarding Interactive and Engaging?

Virtual onboarding has become an integral part of the hiring process in recent years. Companies are turning to virtual onboarding to provide new hires with a convenient, cost-effective, and safe way to get up to speed. However, virtual onboarding can be a challenge for most of the companies, as it can be difficult to keep the new hire engaged. To ensure that virtual onboarding is a success, employers need to take the time to make the process interactive and engaging. In this article, we’ll discuss some tips for creating the best virtual onboarding experience. Before we get on to that, let us understand what virtual onboarding is and why it is important. 

What is Virtual Onboarding? 

• Virtual onboarding is about integrating new hires into the virtual workplace that operates remotely. New hires get to understand the job roles, responsibilities, and work culture. 

• The goal of virtual onboarding should be to efficiently and quickly integrate the new hire into the team. 
• This is done by making the candidate feel welcome and comfortable in their new work environment. 
• By managing virtual onboarding effectively, the employee, as well as the company experience, can be greatly enhanced. 

Why a Virtual Onboarding Process Matters?

• The onboarding process contributes to the success of an organization. 

• It sets the tone for a fruitful relationship between the employer and the new hire. 
• A virtual onboarding process should aim at bringing the same experience that is felt in an offline onboarding process. 
• A great virtual onboarding process is important because a PWC study determined that the cost of losing a new hire can be as great as 50 to 150% of the annual salary for the job. 
• Having a structured virtual onboarding process will be able to negate such losses. 

What are the Ways to Keep Your Virtual Onboarding Interactive and Engaging? 

Chalking out an Efficient Virtual Onboarding Plan 

• It may not always be possible for hiring managers to keep track of new hires during the virtual onboarding. 

• To avoid this from happening, it is considered ideal to chalk out an effective onboarding plan. Mapping out a plan involves steps taken to make the virtual onboarding experience more interactive and engaging. 
• For example, you may include virtual mentors who will be able to guide the employee with resources and value. Additionally, make video calls a part of the virtual onboarding process. 

Distributing Equipment During Training 

• Provide new hires with the necessary tools and resources that they need to be successful. 
• This may include giving access to company resources like the company intranet and training materials. 
• By gaining access to the intranet, the new hire will be able to gain information about the company like policies, procedures, and processes. 
• Establishing guidelines for new employees working remotely with technology is a crucial step to ensure that the virtual onboarding experience fairs well. 

Get Candidates Familiar with the Work Culture 

Making candidates familiar with the work culture in a virtual onboarding program is quite challenging. Therefore, you must follow some virtual onboarding tips to ensure the same. These are some of how you can familiarize your candidates with a virtual work culture: 

Meet and Greet Sessions 

• You can organize meet and greet sessions for new hires to engage them in their new working environment. 
• During those happy hours, new employees will introduce themselves and get to know each other. 
• They will be sharing information about themselves or their experiences with the organization which will help people feel connected in the new environment. 
• Meet and greet sessions are all about introductory conversations that will help in breaking the ice. 

Sharing Lunches 

• The first day should be meant for making new workplace friends. 
• Sharing lunches virtually also has a great impact on new hires. 

• Nothing is warmer than sharing in a conversation over a meal, even though virtually. New employees can pick their favorite lunches and share their stories and experiences online. 

Internal Newsletter 

• The internal newsletter refers to the system that reinforces a company’s internal communication system. 

• It provides information about recent updates in the company’s policies, services, social events, etc. 
• Such a newsletter makes new hires engaged and is also responsible for boosting performance. 

Having a Cultural Mentor 

• A cultural mentor helps in easing new hires into the workplace and also in reducing isolation, particularly when working from home. 
• They support and encourage new employees and thus create a mentoring culture in the workplace. 
• This makes for the best virtual onboarding experience for a new employee. 

Conducting Orientation in Small Teams 

• Introduce the new hire with an orientation to the company’s policies, procedures, and expectations. 
• This is important to ensure that the new hire understands the rules and regulations of the organization. 
• However, conduct the orientation in small teams so that it doesn’t feel impersonal. 
• New hires might feel left out when there are too many people in an orientation. 

• On the other hand, having a small number of attendees will prove to be quite an engaging virtual onboarding experience as they will be more attentive. 

Consistent Interaction Through Messaging 

• Messages are a great means of communication. 

• Staying in constant touch with new employees is a great way to engage them. 
• This may include virtually communicating about job responsibilities, and tasks, and also helping them out when the situation demands it. 

Incorporating Fun Element into Virtual Onboarding 

• Introducing fun elements into the virtual onboarding process largely comprises gaming and other fun activities. 
• Playing virtual onboarding games together builds relationships and ensures that you have a good time interacting together. 
• Additionally, it involves becoming familiar with the company culture, team dynamics, and the overall working environment. 
• To make your virtual onboarding program a fun and inclusive process, including games like scavenger hunts, trivia, icebreakers, etc. This is one of the best onboarding virtual experiences. 

Including Photo Elements to Better Know Your Co-workers 

• Photo sharing is a fun way to be and get introduced to teammates. 
• Members may get to share images of themselves, their families, pets, travel destinations, and their hobbies. 
• It is easy to remember details about someone when there is a picture involved. 

• Not only will it be easy to remember the names of teammates but the images that they have shared can be used as a great starter to a conversation. 

Introducing Q and A Sessions 

• Sometimes new hires may feel confused and may have a lot of questions in their mind. 

• In such a scenario, it is best to introduce a Q and A session where the doubts of new hires will be clarified. 
• With their questions answered, new employees will be better able to engage themselves and become more interactive. 

Surprising New Hires with Gifting Cards 

• A great virtual onboarding experience is inclusive of pleasant surprises which may include sending gift cards, welcome packages, or other virtual items. 
• Attaching a personalized note to make them feel welcome is a great virtual onboarding tip. 
• It is a remarkable gesture that can keep candidates engaged throughout the virtual onboarding process.  

Encouraging New Hires to Attend Mindfulness Sessions 

• Organizing meditation sessions might seem an offbeat activity for a workplace but the benefits it has to offer are countless. 
• New hires should be asked about how they are handling stress and how those sessions might help them. 
• Science has proven that meditation lowers cortisol (a stress hormone) levels by 50%. 
• Therefore, making it an integral part of a virtual working environment is sure to make new hires feel at ease while working. 

• This will result in higher engagement and will also make them feel happy throughout the day. 

How HireME Makes the Recruitment Process More Engaging? 

• Our recruitment management software, HireME allows employers to manage the complete recruitment cycle from one place, allowing them to offer a seamless onboarding experience to the candidate.  

• Employers can track candidate progress in the recruitment cycle.  
• HireME also provides employers with the ability to track employee engagement and performance throughout the onboarding process. 
• HireME helps to improve candidate experience by allows HR personnel to schedule interviews and invite candidates from within the platform.  
• The pre-employment tests allow employers to know if the candidate is a right fit and the candidates’ portal allows them to have a good experience.  
• And there are more features that will make hiring an easy process for your company.  To know more about HireME, sign up for a free trial or schedule a demo with our team and see a positive change in your recruitment process. 

Final Thought! 

Virtual onboarding is an effective way to provide new hires with a comprehensive and engaging onboarding experience. It is important to provide new hires with the tools, resources, and information they need to be successful in their new role, while also providing an opportunity to get to know their team and company culture. By incorporating virtual games, activities, and videos into the onboarding process, companies can ensure that new hires have a memorable and successful onboarding experience. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

How do I make my virtual onboarding more interactive? 

To make your virtual onboarding more interactive, introduce meet and greet sessions, have lunches virtually, introduce fun games, and Q and A sessions. 

How do you offers an engaging onboarding experience to candidates? 

To make an engaging onboarding, get candidates familiar with the work culture, introduce an internal newsletter, and present new employees with welcome packages. 

What is one thing the company should keep doing in the virtual onboarding process? 

The company should consistently make the new hires feel welcome and make every effort to keep them engaged and interactive. This can be done by engaging them in different fun activities and by helping them out when in need.