Knowing the right onboarding tools to use in your business is key to the successful integration of new hires. Equipped with this knowledge, our aim is that you can choose the tools that will make your job easier, too.
The Need for Specialized Onboarding Tools in Remote Work
Remote onboarding presents unique challenges that traditional in-person onboarding systems may not be able to handle. Specialized onboarding tools can be a game-changer in overcoming these hurdles and providing a smooth integration experience for new hires.
Challenges of Remote Onboarding
- Not being physically present, remote hires can feel more isolated and struggle to build relationships with colleagues.
- Virtual communication can be less natural, and a lack of effective communication can hinder productive collaboration.
- Managers can experience greater difficulty in assessing the progress of virtual team members because of the physical gap. They may also have trouble gauging how well remote hires are grasping information, engaging, and adjusting to the remote work culture.
- Facilitating a consistent onboarding experience across different locations and time zones can be difficult.
How Specialized Onboarding Tools Help
Specialized tools that focus on effective onboarding can spell the difference between the success and failure of your programs. Below are some of the areas they improve.
Connection and Engagement
Tools can make virtual team-building activities not only possible but really engaging. Robust online communities with digital social features help break the ice, foster a sense of belonging, and encourage healthier relationships.
Gamification elements can increase engagement even further, motivating hires throughout the onboarding process.
Communication and Collaboration
Onboarding platforms offer features like video conferencing, instant messaging, and task management tools. These elements streamline communication and collaboration among remote team members, trainers, and managers.
Learning and Progress Tracking
Digital tools provide everyone with access to a centralized repository of training materials and documentation. The tools also track progress through onboarding milestones so you can identify areas needing improvement faster and more easily.
Onboarding Workflows
Onboarding software automates workflows, which ensures a consistent onboarding experience for all hires, regardless of location or manager. This means that everyone gets the necessary information and completes essential tasks.
Learning Paths
Some tools offer features that personalize the onboarding experience based on role and department. This is effective in keeping new hires focused on the most relevant information and skills needed for success.
Types of Onboarding Tools
Onboarding Management Platforms
Centralized onboarding platforms manage the entire process, automate tasks, and provide a structured learning environment with personalized dashboards. They also take care of document management to ensure better legal compliance.
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
LMSs are software applications for delivering learning. Companies use them for educational courses, training programs, and ongoing development programs. They basically cover administering, organizing, tracking, reporting, and automating for learning.
Also referred to as a Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), LMSs offer a library of elearning modules, courses, and assessments. The goal is to deliver structured and measurable training content.
Social Collaboration Tools
Project management and collaboration tools for team integration don’t have to be boring. With social components, collaboration and performance tracking can be less menacing and more enjoyable.
When communication tools have a more social feel, remote hires can more easily maintain connections and build culture. They still work effectively, and maybe even become more productive because they feel less stressed.
Platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams, for example, are both fun and facilitate real-time communication and team building.
Key Features to Look for in Onboarding Tools
The tool you choose should fit your company’s specific needs. These are just a few of our suggestions, so evaluate their importance to you, and choose wisely.
- A user-friendly interface and accessibility is important so new hires focus on important tasks and not learning the tool.
- Having integration capabilities with existing systems helps you to seamlessly go from onboarding to actual work.
- With scalability and customization options, you can easily make the changes you need to continually improve your onboarding program.
- Any tool you use should have robust security and data protection features.
- Look for tools with integrated support features and a resource library for users.
Top Onboarding Tools for Remote Teams
HR Tools
Workday is a cloud-based software platform designed to help medium to large-sized organizations manage human resources and financial processes. It offers a comprehensive suite of features that automate and streamline tasks like payroll, talent management, and financial reporting.
BambooHR is a cloud-based human resources information system (HRIS) specifically for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers a user-friendly platform to manage core HR tasks.
Rippling is an all-in-one, scalable HR platform for small and medium businesses with growth in mind.
Comparative Analysis of Workday, BambooHR, and Rippling
Learning Management Systems
Moodle is an open-source Learning Management System (LMS) for creating online courses, delivering educational content, and tracking learner progress. Youmay need some technical knowledge to operate this platform.
Litmos is a cloud-based Learning Management System (LMS) designed to help organizations deliver and manage online training programs.
Comparative Analysis of Moodle and SAP Litmos
Collaboration Tools
Microsoft Teams is a cloud-based collaboration platform. Although it was designed for businesses using Microsoft 365, anyone can use it. It integrates communication, chat, meetings, file sharing, and task management into a central hub.
Slack is a cloud-based collaboration and communication platform designed to streamline internal communication and teamwork, streamlining workflows.
Comparative Analysis of Microsoft Teams and Slack
Video Conferencing Tools
Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing platform for virtual meetings, webinars, and online events.
Google Meet is a cloud-based video conferencing service from Google. It allows users to conduct virtual meetings and presentations, and collaborate online.
Comparative Analysis of Zoom and Google Meet
Frequently Asked Questions
Can small businesses benefit from investing in onboarding tools, or are they more suited for larger organizations?
Small businesses can reap significant benefits from onboarding tools.
With lean or nonexistent HR departments, they can use tools to automate tasks like paperwork and initial training. This frees up valuable time for managers to focus on other priorities, like providing a more welcoming experience for new hires.
Onboarding tools help companies offer a consistent experience for every new hire. This helps when you have significant time gaps between hires and have different people training them.
New hires can get up to speed quicker when they have easy access to pre-recorded training materials and other resources. This means they can become productive members of the team sooner.
Tools specifically created for onboarding intentionally target the needs of new hires. Using them fosters greater satisfaction and engagement. Studies show that strong onboarding programs can improve retention and productivity significantly.
What’s the average cost range for comprehensive onboarding tools, and are there affordable options for startups?
The cost of these tools varies widely depending mostly on features and number of users.
Some basic tools offer limited features for free so businesses can test them out. As your business grows, you can think about moving to platforms with higher levels of automation and customization. You won’t normally need a special tool until you develop a robust onboarding process.
Other tools have freemium plans that you can upgrade as needed. This is very useful since most businesses will develop onboarding incrementally.
Paid onboarding software typically costs from $30-$50 per user per month. The more comprehensive plans can cost up to $100 or more per user per month. Only use these if you really need the help and it costs less than having a team member handle onboarding.
If you’re concerned about your budget, consider focusing on single-purpose tools that you can use in tandem. Some free tools like Slack or ClickUp actually cover the basics like task management, file sharing, and communication.
You can also use a combination of free tools. For example, a project management tool like Trello is great for task delegation. Then you can use a separate free tool like Google Docs for document sharing.
Can onboarding tools be integrated with freelance management systems for businesses relying on a mix of regular employees and freelance hires?
Integrating onboarding systems with freelance management tools is actually a powerful combination for businesses with hybrid staff.
Integration standardizes onboarding and effectively collects all the important information on each hire. They can then easily find relevant training materials and communicate with each other seamlessly.
We recommend bringing in-person hires into your virtual system in any case. They can always access virtual resources, and it helps them understand their freelance counterparts better.
When you have both teams in one system, you save time and effort while encouraging better compliance. You can also enjoy better collaboration because everyone has access to the same project information, communication channels, and other resources.
Key Features
- Look for tools with customizable onboarding workflows so you can tailor the experience based on roles and project requirements.
- Make sure you have robust and secure document management to store important documents like contracts, NDAs, and tax forms.
- Test the communication tools to see if they meet your chat and video conferencing requirements across locations.
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Conclusion
The right onboarding tools can make a significant difference in the success of your onboarding program. Make sure to carefully outline your needs and look into tools that offer the feature that you need the most. This can ease the burden on you so you can focus on the areas that are most needed.
