How do I make someone who is joining our firm in a remote position feel like part of the group?

17 Comments

1. Peggie Arvidson * Career Consultant | Adoptee Advocate | RecruiterJuly 16,2023 at 2:00PM UTC

   I think the first thing I'd do is ASK them...how do they like to be included ?

   I'm not sure what their role is in relation to you - it sounds like you're the boss and everyone else reports to you? If so, fairness for all counts - so if you have lunch with one, maybe schedule quick Teams meetings with everyone else one-to-one on a regular basis.

   When I worked full remote for a large company we had weekly Teams meetings to go over priorities and chill a bit and then monthly our bosses boss ran a meeting with the larger group (we were all in TA) and then each quarter the VP of Talent held more of a town hall for us all and to roll out new things.

   Worked great - I don't care about chit chat I do care about getting the job done well.

   So ask the new person what their goals are on the team and in the role and how they'd like to be included.

2. Molly FJuly 16,2023 at 2:20PM UTC

   Are they close enough to meet at the office once a month or meet for lunch/dinner? Getting together in person can be good if it's feasible. If not, I posted this on another thread, we do "water cooler" meetings. A 30 minute meeting where we hop on Zoom & catch up with each other's lives.

3. AnonymousJuly 16,2023 at 9:39PM UTC

   They are not close enough to meet at the office once a month. They are several states away from any coworkers.

4. Neha A.July 16,2023 at 2:50PM UTC

   Traveling/ getting together in person atleast once initially will help breaking the ice pretty effectively and make onboarding smoother.

   regular check-ins with the person, maybe weekly, also works great (from personal experience). there are so many unknowns for the new employees so that hekps...

   having an onboarding buddy/ mentor for first quarter also helps.

5. AnonymousJuly 17,2023 at 11:30AM UTC

   GREAT question. Set up coffee chats, but here's the thing, as their leader you are still their leader, please don't try to make a 'friendship'. YOUR coffee chats can fulfill that. Please don't think that sharing what is going on in the office equates to gossip. Encourage your team, or to start off, their coworker trainer, to set up coffee chats. They can also having working chats, where they're both on a Teams call on video working and chatting. MOST IMPORTANTLY--- have a high awareness and listen for ques that they may give off. You may see or feel they are feeling disconnected, then connect with them. Everyone is different and it WILL mean the world to them. I've also sent e-gift cards for coffee chats. You could even have an ALL team (minus YOU) "Around the Cooler Work Chat" where all are on Teams on video, working, chatting and learning from each other. So, why MINUS you, it's obvious, right? Allow them to become the team you are forming and coaching. Allow them to share with each other things they are struggling with to get their best practices, with YOU being OFF those, your team will grow together. You will also identify who really finds value in that.

6. AnonymousJuly 17,2023 at 2:26PM UTC

   my team is mostly remote. I start out each morning with a "good morning team" in our Teams chat. I'll ask how everyone's weekend was, if it's Monday, or if they've plans for the weekend. It starts the conversation and helps everyone feel connected.

7. Megan LeasherJuly 17,2023 at 7:26PM UTC

   I support all of these comments thus far and would like to add something in conjunction; ensure that everyone has their cameras ON during virtual calls. In-person employees get to see each others' faces all the time and the remote employee should as well!

8. Liz MilneJuly 17,2023 at 11:16PM UTC

   Can you arrange a welcome lunch/ chat for the new hire? Meeting people in person, having a chat and socialising for a couple of hours can later help them to feel like they know their co-workers more personally than online communications can do. Obviously, only if it's feasible from a logistics/ finances POV (I would hope the company would pick up the tab for everyone, so no one is stressing about making rent etc)

9. Melissa HacheyJuly 18,2023 at 12:30PM UTC

   You sounds like a great coworker! Not many people care to make the newbies feel welcomed.

   You could arrange a lunch day where all the remote worker can get together or some kind of once a week or once a month outing. I guess I depends on how far apart everyone is. Maybe you could do an online social hour as well.

10. AnonymousJuly 18,2023 at 4:40PM UTC

    Bring the person into an intro meeting that is casual. Make a list of 5-10 things they should share with the group. Then ask each member around the room to do the same. Then have the new person book 1-1's with each person to find out more about the work product and what each person does and how they will each interact with this new person. Some of the things to definitely cover should be forums for chat - IE the group always does slack, or how to best reach each person- calls vs texts. Basics around taking breaks and lunches and vacay. Then the person will feel that they know the general vibe of how people work, why they came to the company, who does what and they should settle in fairly fast that way. Check in 30 days in, and then 60 to see how it's going. Adjust accordingly.

11. AnonymousJuly 19,2023 at 12:40PM UTC

    Please don't do this (the 5-10 things to share).

12. AnonymousJuly 19,2023 at 12:39PM UTC

    I am in this situation now, 2nd week on a new job. As an introvert, I have to say that the whole "feel part of the group" thing is highly subjective. One of the reasons I will only work remote from now on is I have never appreciated nor wanted these types of efforts. I like to focus on work and then have my free time, and that's it. I know that's unpopular to say/admit, but the point is feeling welcome/part of the group and the types of gestures that typically speak to making an effort at making that happen are not things everyone cares much about. And if this person was seeking to work remote, that might be true for him/her.

    So, my advice is to have a conversation with this person and ask them what would make them feel welcome or what they need to feel part of the group on the first day instead of assuming the usual and asking people on the internet. Honestly, I find most efforts aimed at me on new jobs to feel awkward and to be things I want to find ways to avoid.

13. AnonymousJuly 21,2023 at 9:56PM UTC

    I like your point of view! As a remote worker, I like just knowing that I'm thought of as a person and not a robot. My partner, on the other hand, finds these types of meet-ups cringy. Every person is different.

14. Sidney BristowJuly 20,2023 at 2:50AM UTC

    My company does weekly virtual all-staff meetings where each dept takes 3 minutes to share high-level tasks they're working on. Before that staff mtg we have a weekly 30-min virtual staff lunch: eat you lunch on camera with the dogs and the babies and the kids and talk about/share whatever comes up.

    In addition we have affinity groups that meet virtually monthly. There's an LGBT and Allies group, a group for Blacks, for non-Black POC, and for Whites.

    We collect coworker shout-outs on a Jamboard during the summer months, and those are announced during weekly staff mtg.

    Each staff member meets weekly with their supervisor for a one-on-one. Most times there is more than one touch point, but this is the minimum.

    We have a wellness crew that plans and rolls out a different initiative each month. May was about staying hydrated and included a spreadsheet for participants to track their intake. June was a step challenge, a contest to see which randomly-generated team got the most steps. One month each location put together a short video of their office so that the coworkers at other offices could see their spaces.

    There's more but you get the point. There is at least one thing that appeals to each person, and we all pick our participation levels.

15. Janet ParkhurstJuly 21,2023 at 1:56AM UTC

    Dear Anonymous,

    I commend you for being concerned about the comfort level of your new employee. These days, it seems, most companies just expect the person to do their job, robot like, and not care a wit if they "fit in" or not.

    I find this truly refreshing! I would think maybe a once-a-week ZOOM, maybe on a Friday afternoon, where staff members can sit and just talk about "stuff" that has nothing to do with work would be great.

    Alternatively, I love a collaborative work environment, where department members gather to brainstorm, ask questions, share ideas or even just announce they are having difficulty with something--and ask for suggestions.

    Very basic, and not very sexy, but this is what I would do if I owned or led a company.

16. AnonymousJuly 21,2023 at 10:00PM UTC

    My partner has a very small team (lots of introverts) at a large company working in offices across the US and overseas. Each time someone new joins the team, they have slide shows ready that they present to the new team member. They are encouraged to keep it up to date. Likes, Dislikes, Favorite foods, etc. I think they like it because it's a way to get to know everyone without forcing conversation. People can ask questions at the end, and it helps with digital presentation skills without pressure.

17. Kimberly McKenzie-KlemmJuly 24,2023 at 2:57PM UTC

    I am a fully remote position contractor. If I cannot be onsite one or two days every other month or so, I appreciate video conferencing to see the people I work with. I also like to connect through a company-approved chat decision during my workday with my co-workers. This adds an "office feel" decision from some cross-computer socialization. Although your new hire will not be going to lunch, it makes sense to make sure any other type of office gathering (Holidays, birthdays, etc.) finds at least a notice to the new employee. Even when I cannot attend, I can send an e-card or two and it matters I am not overlooked.