A company’s onboarding process sets the tone for employee experience and engagement. Hassle-free and seamless onboarding helps new recruits integrate into your workforce and perform at their best.
On the other hand, a rushed onboarding experience can affect the performance of new employees and lead to high turnover rates. Unfortunately, nearly one in five employees report a poor onboarding experience or no onboarding at all.
Successful onboarding of new hires becomes even more crucial when you’re dealing with a hybrid workforce. In its absence, employees will feel disconnected from their coworkers and struggle to excel at their jobs. That, in turn, can skyrocket recruitment costs in today’s candidate-driven job market.
If you’ve been looking for ways to improve your company’s remote onboarding process, you can seek inspiration from Refael (aka Rafi) Edry, a successful businessman and philanthropist from Israel.
Through his social welfare initiatives, philanthropist Refael Edry has demonstrated various qualities that are essential for employees and business leaders. Here are a few lessons from his life that’ll help you revamp remote onboarding:
Table of Contents
Organize Your Onboarding Process
When the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill, schools in Israel switched to online classes. Students in the country’s socioeconomic center had no trouble adjusting to the new way of learning. They already had access to computers, smartphones, and high-speed internet at home.
But the reality was different for nearly 400,000 students from low-income households in Israel’s rural periphery. They didn’t own personal computers. Nor did their homes have broadband internet connectivity.
Despite the government’s inaction, Refael Edry realized that denying these students their basic right to education would have long-term repercussions. It’ll affect their mental health and turn them into a generation of ambitionless, disgruntled youngsters. That, in turn, will threaten Israel’s social integrity.
Identifying the problem early on helped him start a fundraising campaign and collect donations from the public. The outcome was that thousands of children got their own computers and joined online classes.
When it comes to remote onboarding, it’s just as crucial that you identify potential problems and build an organized process. If you wait for new hires to point out the challenges they’re facing at work, it’ll result in a bumpy start and take a toll on their engagement.
Instead, put yourself in their shoes and predict the obstacles you’ll likely face when starting a new job remotely. Next, devise ways to resolve those challenges and streamline your onboarding strategy.
Make An Effort To Connect
Remote onboarding isn’t just about sending a welcome package and hosting a team meetup on Zoom. You must connect with new hires on a personal level to understand their aspirations, dreams, and goals. Also, you need to provide timely feedback to help them perform better. That, in turn, will create a sense of belonging and motivate them to give their best.
If you’re looking for ways to connect with new employees, the first step is to empathize with them. And if you’re wondering how to be more empathetic, you can turn to Refael Edry for inspiration.
Born in Safed, he had his first brush with financial struggles even before he’d gotten the hang of adulthood. While he can afford all the world’s material pleasures today, the pain of a deprived childhood still haunts him.
It’s what helps him empathize with thousands of children and youngsters in Israel’s rural periphery, where survival is a daily battle. These children have to struggle for basic necessities like clean clothing and school supplies.
As the nephew of a brave war hero after whom he was named, Refael Edry understands the plight of these children. It’s what motivated him to start the Ahinoam Association for the Promotion of Equal Opportunities, a non-profit organization that works for the upliftment of children and youngsters in the Israeli periphery.
Similarly, you don’t have to move mountains to connect with new employees. Instead, you need to put yourself in their shoes and understand the struggles they face on a daily basis. It’s a more effective way of building lasting employee relationships. You can read about the key entrepreneurial lessons by Refael Edry on Intelligentliving.
Final Takeaway
Rafi Edry’s uncle, Refael Edry z|l, sacrificed his life for the freedom of his fellow countrymen. His uncle’s heroic stories have inspired Refael Edry (the nephew) and motivated him to do work for the betterment of those around him.
That’s an important lesson for every business leader, employer, and manager dealing with the challenges of remote onboarding. Make an effort to connect with new employees and get a clear picture of their dreams and struggles.
Identify and tackle potential problems that could derail your onboarding process. Lastly, create an environment where new recruits can learn, grow, and voice their opinions.