In the (post-)coronavirus world, organisations that adapt quickly to remote work will gain a significant competitive advantage—especially when onboarding executives. Fortunately, it is entirely possible to onboard executives successfully in a remote environment, but a few considerations apply:
Prioritse Technology
Discuss what support and IT requirements your new executive will need from day one and ensure everything is set up and tested a few days before their start date. The last thing you want is for your new colleague to spend their first few days resolving tech issues with your IT team. Remember that hardware typically goes from the supplier to IT before being passed to your new manager. If you’re suddenly scaling up remote operations, your existing configuration may not suffice—especially regarding information security.
Handle Legal Formalities
All remote personnel must meet legal and regulatory requirements before starting. Don’t leave this until the last minute, as it can consume valuable time during the first week. Employment contracts and other legal documents are often time-consuming to read, print, scan, and email—so make sure they are completed before the joining date. It’s also helpful to share who is responsible for each part of this process—or ideally, assign a single point of contact for the new executive.
Introduce Team Members
Provide your new colleague with an organisational chart of their direct team as well as broader company team members—highlighting key stakeholders and influencers. This helps them be fully prepared for upcoming introductions.
Schedule Team Meetings
Arrange team meetings and introductions for the first day to speed up the process of meeting key people. Organise introductions with a few team members at a time, always using video rather than just audio. Set up a video call with their direct team separately so the new leader can introduce themselves more personally—and vice versa.
Introduce Peers
Your new leader’s peer network is crucial for navigating the organisation. Arrange individual video introductions, and let your new executive independently navigate those relationships moving forward.
Assign a Mentor
Ideally, this should be someone higher up in the organisational structure. However busy your executives are, find someone willing to act as a sounding board and offer a helping hand. This ensures the new executive is set up for success. This introduction should happen at least a week before the start date.
Be Clear About Culture, Policies, and Goals
Spend some time discussing company culture and policies. Make sure your new executive is keenly aware of the work culture (including any challenges) and any major political or policy issues they need to understand. Be honest—this ensures everyone starts on the same page.
An experienced leader doesn’t need hand-holding, but setting clear goals is still an important part of onboarding. A new executive needs a sense of direction while learning about the people, culture, and business processes. Having set objectives also reduces stress, allowing them to move forward confidently in their new role knowing what’s expected.
Evaluation and Feedback
Regular check-ins are even more important in a remote work environment. Start with daily sessions, then weekly, eventually transitioning to business-as-usual. Open, constructive, and honest communication is crucial on both sides. There will be a lot to discuss and share—it’s important to remember that listening goes a long way.
If something is bothering you, you’re not doing your new leader a favor by keeping quiet. Seek feedback from the mentor, team, and colleagues of the new executive. Ensure this feedback loop is honest and open, and that any issues are addressed discreetly and promptly.
Summary
It may seem like finding the right executive is the hardest part—but in reality, successfully integrating them and achieving the desired results is just as challenging. Remember, you hired someone because change was needed. Now set the stage to implement that change and make them hugely successful. This requires active management. The better you onboard and acclimate someone, the faster they’ll make an impact and deliver the results you’re looking for.
- Forbes Report: The Right Way to Onboard a New (Senior) Executive:
- Cultural and business integration are both essential
- Start onboarding before the first day
- Form a partnership
- Be completely transparent from the beginning
- Make time to discuss company culture and policies
- Assign an executive mentor
- Immediately integrate the executive with relevant staff and colleagues
- Create a 30-60-90 day onboarding plan
- Observe and listen
