One of the things to arrange before your new starter begins is their working pattern. If the employee will be working remotely on a full-time or hybrid basis, it can be a good idea, as part of these discussions, to agree some or more presence in the workplace in the first few weeks, as long as you and other team members will also be present. This can:
- help to establish relationships between colleagues, lessening the chance that the new employee will feel isolated, which can happen when people work remotely and do not have a solid working relationship with their team members; and
- make it easier for the new starter to ask questions, as picking up the phone or emailing questions can be tricky for new starters if they do not know their colleagues well and if they are unsure if they have a “silly question” – this will help them to get on with their work.
