When starting a new job, you normally always spend the first few hours walking awkwardly around the desks meeting people within the business and trying to remember everyone’s name; so how do you do this virtually?
When thinking of onboarding remotely, I had envisioned hours and hours of trying to set up my work laptop and battling with a multitude of different problems from poor WIFI connection to not having access to all of the accounts and emails, however my experience was quite the opposite. From day one I had excellent support from our IT team bringing me up to speed with all the different systems Oakleaf uses and showing me how different applications worked. They took their time to explain everything in detail and ensure I had a full understanding of what was at my fingertips.
I had the opportunity in the first few days to virtually meet with senior members within the business including the Founder. Â I was overwhelmed with how kind, supportive and welcoming my colleagues were, and how they took the time to find out more about me as an individual. I was also pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming offer of support from the business as a whole. This has continued throughout my first month with Oakleaf so to say I feel truly welcome is an understatement.
Then last but by no means least, my amazing team.  From the moment I joined they have made my virtual experience one I will never forget. Having never met my team during a pandemic and joining remotely you may think this could have been a real tester, but it’s been an awesome experience. Being able to see my colleagues virtually in group meetings and 1-2-1s has been paramount in establishing relationships that you would normally build in an office. That they are always reaching out and making me feel comfortable and making sure there is nothing I am missing out on or needing anything else has made my remote experience is second to none.
If you are reading this as an employer looking to onboard during this period or as a candidate on the verge of joining a new role and have reservations, I can only hope my article gives you hope and encouragement. I hope your experience is as seamless and first class as mine has been!