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Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1296256
ISTOCK SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 BCBUSINESS 55 s businesses have switched to remote work during the pandemic, those still in hiring mode face challenges when it comes to welcoming new staff. For advice, we turned to Shelagh Levangie, a human resources and recruitment con- sultant with Vancouver-based Harbour West Consulting. On-boarding employees has three main objectives, Levangie explains. "One is acquainting them with the job duties, responsibilities and all that," she says. "Two, you need to build the working relation- ships that they need in order to be effective. And three is building the workplace culture and making them feel part of that team." Doing these things remotely means being much more deliberate, Levangie stresses. On a new employee's first day, she suggests that their manager schedule a series of video meetings to bring them up to speed on the job and prepare them for the next few weeks. The manager should also make sure they have the devices, network access and other tools they need. "They should know when I start, this is my week, these are the tasks I'm working on, these are the meetings I have, and that should all be set up in advance," Levangie says. "What you're trying to avoid is people sitting at their desk at home wondering what they're supposed to be doing and feel- ing very disconnected." Regular check-ins by video are important, too: "You'd defi- nitely be expecting for the first three weeks to meet with them regularly in the mornings and maybe at the end of the day." After that, the manager could switch to sending a daily email. To help build working relationships, book one-on- one meetings between the new hire and everyone in their unit, Levangie sug- gests. And because no one can swivel their chair to talk with a colleague, she notes, some organizations encour- age ongoing chat via Slack or Microsoft Teams. "You're try- ing to facilitate those informal communications." To make your new recruit feel part of the culture, con- sider holding a morning coffee or an afternoon happy hour on your video platform of choice. "It's a team check-in to build a bit of morale, which I think has been really important," Levangie says. And when you welcome someone to the team, don't forget the little touches: "You might want to order a lunch that gets delivered to their house on the first day, or maybe a bottle of Champagne or some wine, or some work- place swag." We like the sound of that. • Helping a new hire settle in from home? Read this first b y N I C K R O C K E L A S K A L E A D E R OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, HOW DO YOU EXPECT WORK TO CHANGE AS A RESULT OF COVID? We'll need to preserve and reimagine all the creative processes that used to take place in offices and in front of white- boards. Being on video all day can be exhausting. Sponta- neous energy is the source of inspiration for many people, so finding the right mix of technology, tools and collabo- ration to support innovation in our teams will be essential to main- taining robust R&D and discovery. – K ARN M ANHAS, founder and CEO, Terramera