You spend weeks, sometimes months, carefully screening and interviewing to hire the best person for the job. You invest hundreds or even thousands of dollars in this process, from recruitment agencies to ATS software. Naturally, you want to Increase remote employee productivity during onboarding and help the new hire to excel in their role, give 100%, and grow within the company. But much of this success hinges on one critical factor: their onboarding experience.
A great onboarding experience motivates good employees to become even better. On the other hand, a poor one can quickly demoralize and disengage them. First impressions matter for employers too—especially in a remote setting where new hires don’t have the chance to meet colleagues face-to-face or absorb the office culture.
Remote workers rely on technology and structured onboarding to feel included and ready to contribute. Providing them with their devices on time, along with seamless access to IT support and tools, ensures they can focus on their job from day one—rather than dealing with logistical frustrations.
At the heart of maximizing remote employee productivity is a smooth and thoughtful onboarding process.
Table of Contents
What Does a Great Onboarding Process Look Like?
Onboarding is more than a formality; it’s the first real impression a company makes on new employees. And research shows that a strong onboarding process not only boosts employee satisfaction but also increases retention and productivity.
Step 1: Pre-Boarding Preparation
Pre-boarding covers everything that should be in place before your employee’s first day. When done right, it sets them up for success and prevents that all-too-common feeling of confusion in their first week.
- Official Welcome and Next Steps: Send a warm welcome message and provide a detailed list of pre-day-one tasks. Include important information such as the first week’s agenda or access to materials like the company org chart. This helps new hires feel informed and valued.
- Device and Tools Setup: Ensure the necessary equipment (laptop, software, etc.) is delivered before their start date, and pre-install all required software so they can hit the ground running. This includes setting up work accounts, emails, and tools.
- IT and Employee Support: Make it easy for employees to get help with tech or contract issues. A quick response to problems avoids frustration and downtime.
Let’s pause here and discuss device setup.
If you’ve ever had to equip a remote team with devices, you know it’s no easy task—especially with employees scattered across different countries.
However, for many remote companies, device onboarding is a necessary part of their onboarding process – usually the most daunting part of it.
What Is Device Onboarding?
Device onboarding is the process of providing employees with the technology–laptops, monitors, and other tools they need they need to perform their roles effectively. Without timely access to the right devices and software, remote employees can’t hit the ground running.
Worse, delays or technical issues during this phase can frustrate new hires, negatively impacting their excitement and enthusiasm for the job..
Believe it or not, employees often feel a rush of excitement when they receive that physical box containing their work laptop, a sleek welcome note, and perhaps some company-branded swag. It’s a tangible milestone that marks the beginning of their journey with your company. Every new employee wants this moment—it’s not just about the equipment; it’s a symbol of their new professional chapter.
That’s why you often see employees flocking to LinkedIn to show off their new devices and swag packs as they announce their new roles. It’s not just a status update—it’s a moment of pride that reflects positively on both the employee and the company. For the employee, it creates a sense of belonging and excitement to get started. For the company, it enhances the employer brand, making it look like a cool and desirable place to work. In turn, this positive sentiment boosts productivity and engagement right from day one.
But what happens when device onboarding doesn’t go smoothly? When logistics or technical challenges cause delays, it can damage that all-important first impression, costing you the great onboarding experience you want to achieve.
Here’s what you can do to prevent this:
- Determine Device Needs: Identify the types of devices and their specs for different departments. That way, you already know what to get when someone new is hired.
- Align on Budget: Can you afford to buy devices or lease them? Your budget will determine the quality of devices and your options. Confirming your budget helps avoid delays.
- Find a Partner: Work with a reliable partner like Rayda or Hofy to handle device procurement, configuration, and delivery. These partners help keep onboarding on track, provide setup support, and handle customs regulations when shipping devices internationally.
Once your employees receive their fully configured devices, they’re ready to log in and start contributing on day one.
Onboarding: From day 1 to day 30
Onboarding typically lasts around 30 days. During this time, you need to help new hires start strong, stay motivated, and feel supported.
Start with a Structured Orientation
- Company Overview: Give an introduction to the company’s mission, values, culture, an overview of the business and goals. This helps new hires understand the bigger picture and how they fit into it.
- Meet Key Team Members: Arrange virtual or in-person meet-and-greets with colleagues, head of departments, and relevant stakeholders to build early relationships and help employees understand who to go to for what.
- Compliance and Documentation: Ensure all administrative tasks like signing contracts, setting up payroll, and filling out compliance forms are handled efficiently.
- Employee Resources: Ensure new hires know where to find resources (HR information, knowledge base, help desks, etc.).
- Dedicated Buddy or Mentor: Alternatively, you can assign a mentor or onboarding buddy to guide new hires through their first few weeks, answer questions, and provide support. Its best if this person is a peer as it makes it easier for employees to build rapport.
Set Clear Role Expectations
- Job Duties and Objectives: Provide a clear outline of the role, responsibilities, and expectations. Setting SMART goals for the first few months can help new employees know how to start adding value and what success looks like.
- Immediate Impact Projects: Assign meaningful tasks early on to give the new hire a sense of accomplishment and purpose from the start. This is a great place to create magic and increase employee productivity. After they complete an impactful project and are recognized for it, their excitement for making an impact within 30 days fuels their desire to do more.
Cultural Integration
- Team Activities and Socialization: Organize opportunities for new hires to connect with their peers in informal settings like a slack or teams channel where colleagues can talk freely and get to know one another
- Company Culture Exposure: Help new hires immerse themselves in the company culture by promoting participation in events, initiatives, or internal communication channels. If new hires can feel the warmth of the company culture and can have a sense of belonging earlier on, they are more likely to stick around for longer.
Ongoing One-on-one Support
- Regular Check-ins: Schedule one-on-one meetings with managers to review progress, address concerns, and provide feedback. One-on-ones are only effective when the employee can leave it with the following information: “What they are doing well, where they need to improve, the impact of their work so far, and what the ideal next steps are for their growth”.
These regular check-in’s should fuel the employee’s excitement and hunger to crack the next step of growth by working on areas they need to improve on and doubling their impact. But so many people get it wrong and either don’t have the one-on-ones or just make it another conversation about tasks.
Feedback Mechanisms
- Surveys and Feedback Loops: Provide opportunities for new employees to share feedback on the onboarding process. This shows you value their experience and helps improve future onboarding efforts.
- Performance Reviews: Conduct early performance evaluations to assess how the new hire is settling in and where additional support might be needed.
Beyond Day 30: Sustaining Employee Engagement and Productivity
Creating a great employee experience doesn’t stop after the onboarding process ends. Many companies lose momentum after the first 30 days, resulting in employees who plateau or, worse, disengage. However, the true challenge lies in maintaining that early momentum and keeping employees engaged, productive, and invested in their roles.
Here are some critical areas to focus on beyond the onboarding phase to ensure your employees stay motivated and continuously contribute to your company’s success.
1. Continuous Performance Tracking and Support
Effective onboarding sets the stage for success, but without regular performance tracking and support, employees may lose sight of their goals. It’s important to maintain ongoing communication and offer structured opportunities for employees to assess their performance, receive feedback, and grow.
- Regular One-on-One Check-ins: These should happen consistently beyond the first month. Managers should use this time to assess progress, provide guidance, and discuss any roadblocks. These check-ins should be more than just task updates—they should provide employees with clear feedback on their growth and how their work contributes to the bigger picture. Feedback should be constructive and actionable, giving employees a path toward improvement and development.
- SMART Goals: After initial onboarding, revisit goals and expand on them. Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals for each employee that align with both their role and the company’s broader objectives. This gives employees a clear sense of purpose and direction, reducing ambiguity about what’s expected.
- Quarterly Performance Reviews: Formal performance reviews offer a more structured opportunity to evaluate an employee’s progress. These reviews should cover the employee’s achievements, areas for improvement, and plans for professional development. It also allows you to recalibrate goals and responsibilities based on changing business needs or the employee’s growth.
2. Device Management and Maintenance
After the initial setup, it’s crucial to have a long-term plan for managing devices throughout their lifecycle. Devices are essential tools for remote employees, and their performance directly impacts productivity. Poorly maintained devices can lead to frustration, inefficiency, and downtime.
- Software Updates: Ensure devices receive timely operating system and security updates. Outdated software can lead to vulnerabilities that compromise company data, productivity, and employee satisfaction. Automating updates or working with a third-party service to manage this is advisable for remote teams spread across different regions.
- Troubleshooting and IT Support: Set up a streamlined system where employees can quickly access help for device issues. This could be an IT helpdesk with clear SLAs or an outsourced service specializing in remote troubleshooting. If employees spend too much time fixing tech problems, their focus and productivity will suffer.
- Device Monitoring: Implement remote monitoring solutions to proactively check for device health and performance, allowing for preemptive maintenance. This helps avoid sudden malfunctions that can disrupt work.
Keeping employees equipped with functional and reliable devices is essential for long-term productivity. Working with a partner like Rayda, which provides ongoing device management services, ensures that devices are always ready for action.
3. Maintaining High Employee Engagement
High levels of engagement translate into high productivity, creativity, and retention. It’s important to keep employees connected and motivated, especially when working remotely, where they might feel isolated.
- Employee Engagement Surveys: These are a great way to gauge how employees feel about their work environment, management, and tools. Regular pulse surveys can help you assess employee satisfaction and detect any signs of disengagement early on. Use the insights to implement targeted improvements in areas like team communication, professional development opportunities, and workplace culture.
- Opportunities for Professional Development: Remote employees need just as many opportunities for growth as those in-office. Create pathways for continuous learning through mentorship programs, virtual workshops, or providing access to online courses. Employees who feel they are learning and growing within the company are far more likely to stay engaged and committed.
- Recognition Programs: Public recognition of individual and team achievements boosts morale and reinforces a positive workplace culture. Use virtual tools to regularly recognize and celebrate employee achievements—whether it’s through company-wide emails, team meetings, or dedicated recognition channels.
Fostering engagement in remote settings takes extra effort, but the payoff is a more motivated and productive workforce.
4. Work-Life Balance and Employee Well-being
Work-life balance is crucial, particularly in remote environments where employees may struggle to set boundaries between work and personal life. Promoting a healthy work-life balance prevents burnout and ensures long-term productivity.
- Flexible Working Hours: Offering flexibility in when and how employees work can help them balance personal and professional responsibilities. A rigid schedule may not suit everyone, particularly when working across time zones or managing familial responsibilities.
- Mental Health Support: Encourage employees to prioritize their mental health. Offering wellness programs or access to mental health services can go a long way in showing your company cares about its employees’ well-being. Create an open environment where employees feel comfortable discussing workloads or any stressors they are facing.
- Encourage Time Off: Many remote employees feel the pressure to always be available, which can lead to burnout. Regularly encourage employees to take their allotted time off to recharge. A refreshed employee is much more productive than an exhausted one.
Pitfalls of Poor Employee Onboarding
When onboarding is poorly executed, it can have long-lasting negative effects, especially in a remote work environment where employees don’t have the benefit of face-to-face interaction to compensate for gaps in communication or resources. Here’s what can go wrong:
1. Delayed Productivity
If devices or resources are not delivered on time, employees cannot start their tasks as scheduled. This not only frustrates new hires but also disrupts workflows, leading to delayed projects and increased costs for the company.
Solution: Ensure that all logistics, especially device delivery and setup, are completed before the employee’s first day. Having partners like Rayda that specialize in global remote onboarding can streamline this process.
2. Employee Frustration and Disengagement
A disorganized onboarding experience can lead to employees feeling unsupported, which causes frustration and disengagement. Remote employees, in particular, may feel isolated and undervalued, which impacts their ability to contribute effectively.
Solution: Create a structured and repeatable onboarding process that includes early IT support, clear communication of job expectations, and a system for resolving issues promptly. Regular check-ins help catch problems early and show employees you care about their success.
3. Higher Turnover
If the onboarding experience is chaotic, new hires may start looking for the exit early, leading to high turnover rates. Recruiting and training new employees is costly, and poor onboarding wastes these resources.
Solution: Investing in a well-structured onboarding program that includes smooth device onboarding, engaging cultural immersion, and ongoing support reduces the risk of turnover. Employees who feel supported and set up for success are more likely to stay and thrive.
Conclusion:
A smooth, efficient onboarding experience is essential for maximizing remote employee productivity. Beyond onboarding, employers must continue to engage, support, and empower their teams to ensure long-term success.
