top of page
  • Writer's pictureSohrab

How Remote Developers should be onboarded

In Short: Utilize the plan listed below to guarantee a successful induction of remote developers, which comprises of pre-boarding, making arrangements, customizing objectives, and effectively incorporating new employees!

Introduction

When it comes to introducing remote software developers to a company, there is not one single method that works for every situation. The best practice approach involves ensuring the new hire is connected with the company culture, feels comfortable and is able to work efficiently.

Are you trying to gain understanding of why employees look for new jobs despite having experienced a thorough onboarding? If so, you have come to the right spot.

This is a reminder that a comprehensive onboarding process is of utmost importance.


Recent studies have found that having both a comprehensive in-person and remote onboarding procedure can result in a dramatic retention rate of 82%, as well as a considerable increase in productivity of more than 70%.


Due to the lack of physical contact, introducing a remote worker to their team can be challenging. However, if the correct strategies and programs are employed, they can be given the information and assurance they need to start contributing to their team with a positive attitude.

Do you already have a group of developers, or are you wanting to engage a remote professional for your software development projects? Get your team quickly and without any issues.


The following is a list of procedures to follow for a successful remote onboarding of a software developer, with the goal of creating a feeling of acceptance and integration before the actual start day.

1. Pre-employment Procedure

Before a person is taken on, there is a pre-employment process that must be completed. This step is crucial for ensuring the new hire is suitable for the position and the organization.

Prior to beginning their first day at the business, it is imperative that candidates partake in a pre-onboarding process. This helps prepare them for the transition. Some components that should be included in the pre-onboarding process are:


  • Give a friendly welcome to the new developer and express excitement about their position.

  • Make sure to include the start date, work hours, and any initial assignments or arrangements.

  • Provide an electronic version of the employee manual.

  • Give a list of important contacts and other resources representing the company.

By creating a thorough pre-onboarding program, you establish a strong foundation for the remote software developer to approach their new job with assurance and knowledge of their place on the team. This helps to ensure a successful and productive work relationship.


2. Creating a Tailored Introduction Plan


Creating a tailored introduction plan can be beneficial in order to successfully onboard new employees. This plan should be tailored to the individual and their specific needs in order to ensure they feel comfortable in their new role.


For a successful onboarding experience, the employer must create a custom onboarding plan before welcoming a new employee.


Demonstrating commitment to the remote software developer's success and welfare, a tailored onboarding plan can be established to lay the foundations of a successful and fulfilling professional relationship.


Having a custom-made onboarding process is critical for software engineers working remotely for various reasons.

  • Seamless Integration - This process facilitates a rapid adjustment to the tools, culture, and processes of the company.

  • Setting Clear Expectations - The plan outlines the developer's duties, responsibilities, and performance goals for their role.

  • Boosting Productivity - It accelerates the learning process, allowing the developer to become productive much faster, to the benefit of both the individual and the firm.

  • Enhancing Engagement and Retention - Personalization demonstrates commitment to the developer, increasing their sense of belonging and improving the possibility of long-term employment.

  • Targeted Training - It provides specialized instruction and materials, ensuring the developer has the necessary skills and knowledge for their position.

  • Providing Feedback and Support - Regular check-ins and mentorship provide channels for feedback and assistance.

  • Facilitating Adaptation to Company Culture - A tailored plan helps the developer comprehend and assimilate into the company's unique culture, even when working remotely.

  • Promoting Continuous Learning - It encourages ongoing professional development, stimulating growth and enhancing the developer's value to the organization.


The use of social media in the workplace has become increasingly commonplace. It is now more common to see people utilizing these platforms for various purposes while on the job. From networking to marketing, employees have been able to leverage the wide reach of these platforms to their advantage. Moreover, many employers have begun to embrace social media as a way to connect with their workers and customers.


Providing a buddy for onboarding is a great idea - it helps the newcomer become acclimated to the organization more quickly while allowing them to gain knowledge and insight from a more experienced colleague.


It is best to schedule an introduction meeting of the employee with managers and leads from the different teams. This breaks the ice between the team members and the new hire and the new hire can also find out their expectations, pain points and interactions that they would usually have.

No matter how much experience a new team member has, adapting to a new workplace and culture can be difficult, especially when working remotely. To make this transition easier, it is essential to include a buddy system in the onboarding process. This assigned buddy can offer useful advice and assistance to new personnel.

4. Outline the corporate atmosphere

Every organization has its own special way of functioning. This includes the environment, the closeness between colleagues, the regulations for airing grievances and a variety of other minor details that create an exclusive corporate culture. Taking in these details without any background understanding can be rather intimidating.


Therefore, it is wise to furnish employees with the following materials to help them understand the company culture better:

  1. An Electronic Employee Guide.

  2. A speech describing the firm's beliefs, purpose, and aim.

  3. A video of the Allhands assembly.


Holding a private discussion with a senior executive, like the CEO, can be advantageous. Through this, the new developer can gain insight into the organization's history, ultimate goals, core products/services, etc.

Assign a Mentor to Every Fresh Remote Software Engineer

Rather than just supplying a roster of contacts to new remote personnel, assign a mentor to each fresh recruit to aid them on their onboarding journey by responding to queries and furnishing extra support.


  • Crafting and refining knowledge repositories and digital instructional materials about organizational practices and workplace culture.

  • Constructing or modifying documents that outline the business and team processes.

  • Putting together a personalized initial project for the developer that has clearly identified success indicators.

  • Making sure all the required data and tools are conveniently accessible.


Ensuring the new employee is assigned a mentor and they settle in quickly can bring about the advantages of selecting remote developers.


6. An Overview of Tools and Software


This section provides an introduction to the different tools and software available.

To ensure your new employee does not experience confusion and disorientation on their initial day, be sure to provide the necessary technical access before they start.


In order to promote swift onboarding of new hires, it is important to equip developers with the necessary knowledge of essential tools and software. Creating a list of pertinent software and asking developers to install them on their personal computers before beginning will help to facilitate their initial training.

Upon joining the company, give them the necessary login information and invite them to use important business tools such as project management software, emails, messaging applications, and training management systems. This will help to facilitate their transition into the workplace.

Having clarity about the project's goals and objectives is essential when forming a devoted team.

The following are inquiries of great importance:

  1. What type of company and project is this job for?

  2. What are the main characteristics of this assignment?

  3. What are the aims - short-term and long-term - of this project?

  4. What issues have been experienced and how were they overcome?

  5. What is the most important job currently?


7. Guidelines for staff working remotely

Organizations should develop a remote work policy for their employees that clearly outlines expectations and procedures. This document should provide details on the tasks that can be done remotely, the length of time that work should be completed in, and any other expectations. Additionally, it should guide how to access the necessary technology, resources, and support to complete the tasks. Finally, the policy should specify how employees can communicate with management and colleagues while working remotely.


Has your business created a remote work policy? An effective remote work policy is critical for sustaining a successful work environment in a remote atmosphere. Use this checklist to aid you in setting up your remote work policies.


  1. Accessibility: Articulate the anticipated online availability and response times for personnel.

  2. Regulations and Rules: Lay out processes and regulations of the organization. Note necessary meetings or classes for staff.

  3. Technologies and Tools: Illuminate company-granted materials and the duties of the staff. Go into detail about privacy and confidentiality regulations.

  4. Objectives and Objectives: Elucidate how worker performance and successes will be judged.


8. Establishing practical anticipations


It is important to communicate realistic expectations when sharing a project with a team. Doing so allows members to better understand the goals of the venture and to work efficiently.


Once the communication policy has been set and tools have been supplied, the next step is to set up realistic expectations for newly onboarded remote developers. To do this, consider the following:

  1. Working Times: Should they be tailored to peak hours of operation or can coders manage their own times?

  2. Adaptability: Is there room for flexible work hours or is there a need for an online presence during certain primary hours?

  3. Evaluation Criteria: Figure out how performance will be evaluated. While some monitoring tools can be too intrusive, there are great options available. Focus on outcome-based analysis.


9. Begin the journey with their initial project

No matter what their technical knowledge is, it is not recommended to give new developers major software projects right away. Assigning them a trial period to become accustomed to the company and team procedures can be part of the onboarding process.

Bringing in a project for onboarding allows project leaders to gauge the competency of their developers without risking a major software development project. Keeping this in mind, create a minor onboarding assignment for your new coders to get accustomed to.


Provide your new recruits with a self-contained assignment, a real job that won't interfere with any of your critical processes. In doing so, they will get exposure to your version control software, get a handle on your company's coding standards, and be able to provide you with a tangible result.

By doing this, you can gain an understanding of their thought process and observe any areas that may need to be improved with additional training.

10. Schedule Regular Check-ins


Making it a practice to have regular meetings with new employees should be included in the onboarding process.

Give them a heads up ahead of time to prevent them from feeling overwhelmed or worried. Check in with them on a daily basis and ask how things are going.


When you are hiring developers, it is important to ask them about their prior experience with the team and company, make sure that they have all the necessary resources to complete their tasks and see if they have any questions. Overcommunication is essential for successful onboarding with remote developers.

A List of Tasks to Go Through for Welcoming Remote Software Developers On Board


Are you worried you may have neglected an essential element of a successful onboarding process despite having followed each step attentively?

Monitoring Progress After Initial Month


  • Analyze the incorporation of the developer into the firm culture from a data-based standpoint, evaluating their adeptness, task performance, and timeliness.

  • Have frequent one-on-one conversations with the remote developer to openly review their advancement on a weekly basis.

  • After the initial month, source feedback from the new employee and use it to adjust the onboarding procedure for future recruits.

What assistance could we offer?

HAMS Technology Ltd can help you recruit remote highly skilled, deeply vetted and highly experienced professionals most of whom hold industry certifications. Our engineers work just like your own employees, use your communication tools, attend your standups and other Agile ceremonies. And all that costs you around 60% less than hiring local engineers.


HAMS Technology is the perfect answer for any queries concerning procuring remote developers and making sure they are successfully integrated.



9 views

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page