Why online onboarding is a good idea
Why online onboarding is a good idea
Due to the pandemic in 2020, online onboarding is no longer a cool culture feature, it is a necessity. In this era where companies are slowly reconsidering in-office operations, numerous virtual tools we used to onboard new employees remain as relevant and useful as ever.
Aside from being adept at bringing dispersed employees closer together in a more flexible way, online onboarding is proving to be faster and more scalable for companies. Hired.com’s State of Remote Work report recently showed that 97% of respondents are happy to be onboarded remotely, as long as they have the tools and support they need. In other words, companies looking to implement an new employee onboarding program should have no reason to fear backlash or disinterest from employees.
In this article, we will explain why online onboarding is here to stay, and how Anderson Studios helps HR teams achieve their online onboarding goals.
1. Online onboarding is cost-effective, fast, and efficient
Digital onboarding leverages online tools and technology to make the onboarding process as cost-effective and efficient as possible. While this suits the company’s budget, it does not come at the expense of the new hire.
Rather, online onboarding aids new hires, as it gives them the ability to access information and get answers to questions on a 24/7 basis – wherever and whenever they need it.
“We recently assisted one of our clients – ALC – to rapidly take their induction and onboarding process online,” says Paul Lensen, founder of Anderson Studios. “They needed a way to bring their new hires on board without losing any of the human touch that is part of their team culture.”
Says Bester Pansegrouw, MD of ALC, “We embrace digitisation in the workplace on multiple levels, for all its benefits. It was time to do the same in HR for new hires. We approached Anderson Studios because of their history in providing live streaming and corporate video content, and also needed an online onboarding partner that could do all of this within our budget and timeline.”
Thankfully, Anderson Studios could give them the fast turnaround they needed by leveraging our experience in producing top online short courses for our film school, the Factual Film and Documentary School. “Backed by this experience,” says Paul, “our world class equipment and studio, and our dedication to humanising all things digital, and the whole process was affordable, and efficient.
2. Online onboarding unlocks personalised learning
Today’s employees want to know that there is a learning pathway ahead of them that caters specifically to their growth objectives. In fact, 74% of employees surveyed in a recent LinkedIn Learning report showed that the modem staff member wants the freedom to learn in their free time, not just in allotted times. The benefit of onboarding staff online is that training can be accessed at any time, whether it’s before work begins, after hours, or during downtime.
Says Paul, “It was very important to ALC’s HR team that they got the right message across from all heads of departments, so that new staff have the same experience. They know that digital is the way of the future, and they embrace that, but people are at the heart of a business, and that professional yet affable internal culture needs to stay alive through the screen.”
When onboarding is online, new employees can work closely with coaches, subject matter experts (SMEs), and team leaders from anywhere in the world. This allows managers and coaches to determine where staff require more focused input and additional learning to help them reach their goals, carry out their duties well, within their schedule.
3. It is easier to track employee progress
When people interact in person, objective tracking and recording can be lost, making it nearly impossible to track a new hire’s progress.
In an online onboarding environment, the ability to track how new hires are doing – and nudge them when necessary – becomes a lot easier. Online onboarding through Anderson Studios enables the use of analytics to track learning or monitor performance. This helps HR and L&D managers to monitor new employee progress.
“Our elearning background means our approach is always data-driven,” says Paul. “We use analytics to ensure online courses are hitting the mark. So too with online onboarding programmes where HR managers are connected to the lifecycle of staff through our data and reports.”
4. Online onboarding empowers collaboration across the organisation
One main benefit of online onboarding is that it eliminates the threat of isolation associated with traditional distance elearning. Connecting employees results in a highly skilled, engaged, and loyal workforce.
The collaborative environment brought about by online onboarding encourages employees to share their knowledge and experiences. This fosters an environment of teaching and learning from each other.
This experience can be further enhanced by creating a peer-driven environment where all staff members can contribute, exchange tips, and provide answers where needed.
4. Online onboarding streamlines processes and reduce risk
McKinsey’s recent study shows that employees waste about 19% of their workday looking for information that directly relates to their job.
The process is an important time for new employees to get to grips with the company’s policies and procedures.
In early stages of embracing digital tools, businesses tend to spread information across a variety of channels, with departments designing their own programs independently. By consolidating your onboarding experience, organisations ensure new hires have access to all the information they need to succeed. This also ensures potential policy breaches are reduced, mitigates non-compliance, and reduces risk exposure.
5. Online onboarding saves time and money
It is estimated that it costs R20,621 on average to train an employee. Even more alarming is the time spent on communicating with, processing, and tracking new staff – estimated three hours or more per employee. This is costly, and outdated, when considering that online onboarding is affordable and sustainable.
Onboarding digitally allows for self-directed features, allowing staff to save time, which translates into money saved.
Choose an online solution that helps you do more, with less
Anderson Studios has the experience, tools, and technology to help start or optimise your online onboarding programme.
How can we help?