9 Exciting New Hire Orientation Ideas for Remote and Hybrid Teams
Everyone has that awkward moment of not knowing what to expect a few days or weeks before joining a new team. And regardless of how extroverted one is, it’s never easy breaking the ice when new employees join the workforce.
Thankfully, there are many new hire orientation ideas that companies can use to get everyone acquainted with the work environment. As new hires, their first day or first few weeks is crucial for them and for the company. They need to feel like they belong and that they are valuable members of the team.
This is where your new hire orientation comes in. But what constitutes a successful orientation and how can you create an excellent one for your new remote employees? Let’s find out.
What happens in new hire orientation?
A new hire orientation is a process of welcoming a new employee or employees to the company. Depending on your company policies, this orientation can last anywhere between a day to a few weeks.
In a new hire orientation, an organization typically discusses the company’s policies and practices. It also provides an overview of the company’s history and culture, introduces new employees to their supervisors, and answers any questions they have. The goal of the new hire orientation is to welcome and integrate the employees to their new company. They have a chance to learn about company policies and get acquainted with their work environment.
What should be included in a new hire orientation?
The first few days of a new hire’s employment can be crucial for their long-term success with the company. This is because this period is when they will get familiarized with the work culture, meet their colleagues, understand office dynamics, and learn about their responsibilities in detail. Here are factors to consider before you set out to host a new hire orientation for your employees.
The orientation should be tailored to the specific needs of each individual and should include a discussion about expectations, goals, and policies.
Orientation should also provide a way for new hires to get acquainted with their co-workers, supervisors, and human resources personnel.
Remote teams should also consider the location of the new hire, the time of year, and the type of position.
What are some new hire orientation ideas?
As a company, you want to make sure that your orientation program is exciting and memorable, so you can set the tone for the rest of their time with the company.
Here are some ideas to make your new hire orientation more interesting:
1. Focus on new hires through stories
One current way of orienting new employees is to give them a tour of their new office and then give them paperwork that they need to fill out. This way of orienting new employees does not work for everyone because it is generic for every company and does not take into account individual preferences for learning. There are many ways that an orientation can be made more engaging, but one of the best ways would be to share new hire stories. Therefore, shorten the focus on the company as a whole and rather focus the orientation on the new team so they can interact, ask questions, and learn more about themselves.
2. Host virtual game sessions with the entire team
Playing an online game during a new hire orientation, for example, can be a great way to get people talking and feeling more comfortable with one another. It is also a great way to show off the company culture and allow new hires to see who they could potentially be working with day-to-day. Additionally, it helps new employees get to know their colleagues in a fun and engaging way.
Some of the best virtual games for new remote team orientation are:
Quiz or trivia: your new hires can compete with their colleagues in different categories of trivia
Scavenger hunts: your new hires can learn and explore more about the work environment
Virtual bingo: play virtual bingo with your new hires to help them get to know each other better. This is a great icebreaker for any group, whether your team is a group of five or fifty.
Two truths and one lie: One person starts by telling two truths about themselves and one lie. The other players then have to guess which of the three statements is false. Playing this game on a regular basis has many benefits for remote teams - it helps them get to know each other better, breaks the ice between teammates, helps them learn more about their colleagues’ skill sets.
3. Ship gifts to your new remote hires as part of the orientation process
The idea of a gift is a way to make your new remote hires feel welcome. The goal of the orientation is to help them get started, but it's important that they feel like they'll be able to succeed at their new job. Even just sending them a card or package with some snacks and drinks can make them feel more welcome. Here are unique gifts to welcome new remote hires.
4. Feature new hires through your company’s blog
A company blog is a great way to show your new employees off to the world during your new hire orientation period. You can simply feature them in a blog post, or create a post about them and their goals for the future. This will not only help you attract top talent, but also help with retention of your current employees.
5. Host a virtual water cooler chat
There are many benefits of having a virtual water cooler chat for your remote team. It can be a place for employees to come together and chat about any topics that they want. The main benefit of having a virtual water cooler is the ability to create a sense of belonging in your remote team. This leads to improved morale and productivity, which is something every company wants from their employees. It’s also something that would help employees feel comfortable around colleagues.
6. Virtual workspace tour
One of the most fun new hire orientation ideas is to organize a virtual tour of your existing team’s workspaces. Here, your team members show their colleagues around their workspace (home office or co-working space). This can serve as a team building activity for new hires while also giving them inspiration when it comes to setting up their own home offices.
7. A video tour featuring employees or new hires
It’s a good idea to send a welcome video to employees when they start at your company. This way, you can introduce yourself, share your expectations for them, and outline their benefits package. You might also want to include a tour of the office (if you have some team members working from the office). Also, you should consider including short interview clips of new hires to make them feel included.
8. Host virtual happy hours
The concept of a virtual happy hour is to have an informal gathering where employees chat, share ideas, and get to know each other. They work as social events for remote teams and are especially effective in diffusing the tension that new hires face when they join a team.
9. Include photo-sharing sessions in your virtual meetings with new hires
A photo sharing session is an event where you can learn about your colleagues by viewing some of their favorite pictures and videos, and they can learn about you as well. It's a way for people to get to know each other better and feel more connected in the workplace.
Next steps: How do I spice up my new employee orientation?
New hires in a remote team often struggle with the lack of face time with their colleagues. This can lead to a lack of connection and understanding of how the company operates. To overcome this challenge, we need to make sure that new hires are well informed about their new workplace and also have the chance to build relationships from day one.
One of the most entertaining and interactive ways to engage with your remote workers and new hires is by hosting a live-hosted virtual trivia game. This is a good way of getting to know a new team member while creating the right environment for everyone to feel comfortable. Whether you’re a team of two or a 5,000 member remote workforce, Bar None Games has the right resources to help you host r an excellent virtual trivia game.
