Connection is a foundational building block of successful onboarding, but many organizations don’t have a formal system in place to foster the interpersonal relationships that drive business forward. According to TINYpulse’s 2017 Employee Engagement Report, only 24 percent of workers feel connected to their peers. Having disconnected employees negatively impacts workplace happiness, team communication, and overall productivity. Providing for virtual onboarding introductions can address these issues.
Many organizations understand the importance of relationship building, but it’s difficult to establish meaningful ones during onboarding. New hires might talk extensively with the person who conducts the onboarding process, but they aren’t always the employee’s direct manager. It’s also hard for businesses to justify pulling other team members away from their daily tasks to interact with an employee for an extended period of time.
Onboarding an employee from a distance only exacerbates these challenges. While many experts encourage businesses to start the onboarding process prior to Day 1, it’s even harder for new hires to forge meaningful relationships with their peers and manager without face-to-face contact. Video is a logical solution to this problem, but to maximize its impact, onboarding managers must leverage this technology in an active way.
Most organizations already leverage video in different ways for onboarding, but their usage is often limited to passive consumption of information. You need a video assessment solution that enables synchronous and asynchronous video interaction to start building these core relationships before new hires set foot in the office. Here are three ways video assessment helps employees form connections with the entire team during onboarding.
<H2>Virtual introductions
Some onboarding managers use video assessment platforms to set up experiential exercises and measure comprehension, but they can facilitate other processes as well. These solutions typically leverage synchronous and asynchronous video technology, which gives a user the option of interacting with someone in real-time or on their own time
This flexibility helps new hires build connections with members of their team without pulling anyone away from their daily tasks. For example, the onboarding manager might ask employees to record an asynchronous video, when it’s convenient to them, in which they introduce themselves, talk about the work culture, or share a piece of advice. Once employees complete this activity, the new hire would share relevant details about themselves in return. Not only would it would also help them recognize faces and feel more comfortable when they walk in on Day 1 but this gives the entire team a chance to get to know the new hire.
<H2>Live team meetings
A synchronous video exercise comes in handy when the onboarding manager wants to organize a live meeting between the team and a new hire. This type of interaction can replace asynchronous introductions, but there are plenty of other use cases as well. If an organization consists of multiple office locations, it might be beneficial for the new hire to meet people who make key departmental decisions, or who they might work with. Another good way to make new hires feel included is to invite them to a virtual team meeting. This can give them valuable insight into how team members interact, what a typical day looks like, and how the organization operates.
<H2>Coaching and mentoring
Studies have shown that recent college grads crave opportunities to develop their skills, so many organizations have made a concerted effort to promote professional development in the workplace. One of the best ways to do this from an organizational point of view is to assign coaches or mentors. These advisors foster growth by taking a personalized approach to improvement.
Meeting with a mentor in real-time—or even interacting with them via asynchronous video—during the onboarding process shows new hires how much the organization values their personal development. It also gives both parties a head start in getting to know each other and forming a successful partnership.
<H2>Continued employee growth
Building connections within the organization doesn’t stop once onboarding is over. Leveraging a video assessment solution with virtual onboarding introductions or other synchronous elements allows organizations to further the learning experience and foster meaningful interactions for new hires. Whether employees routinely meet with their mentors, complete additional exercises to learn key material, or consistently refer back to recorded videos, video assessment platforms provide the right tools and resources for new hires to grow. This push for continuous improvement is what transforms employees into lifelong learners.