Course Name & Code: C18HM- Human Resource
Management
Word Count: 2,085
HRM Coursework Option 3: Learning and Development
‘With the trend of recruiting remotely during the Pandemic, the next
big challenge for employers lies in efficiently training and onboarding
new employees remotely. Discuss the problems with onboarding a
remote workforce, and what businesses could do to overcome that’
Mark: 72
Instructor’s comment:
Content/criticality: Great clarity in the introduction. Good structure throughout, good
engagement with the literature.
Relevance/accuracy: Excellent.
Citation- academic sources: Great variety of academic sources. Please use Harvard,
and do not number your references. Do not use weblink for journals.
, In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, many individuals and workplace organisations have
had to shift their processes and functions entirely online in the interest of public health
and safety. The process of employee onboarding is no exception. The employee
onboarding process refers to an organisations’ HR department introducing and integrating
new employees into their workplace, so a firm grasp of company values, goals, culture,
processes, rules/polices and what the organisation expect from them in terms of skills,
knowledge and behaviours’, can be instilled & learned (Caldwell et al.,2018). Onboarding
ensures that new employees become familiar with new workplace practices (Rodeghero
et al.,2021), thus becoming productive members quickly (Ziden et al.,2020). However, as
with any workplace activity being transferred remotely, unique problems arise which may
not have existed before in a traditional fixed workplace context (Felstead et al.,2017).
Therefore, this essay intends to argue and discuss 3 substantial problems associated
with conducting employee onboarding remotely: establishing networks and connections,
effective communication (Rodeghero et al.,2021), and difficulty to fully fit in(Fisher,2021)
alongside discussing possible remedies businesses could adopt to overcome such
problems.
Onboarding is critical in aiding new hires to achieve goals and demands set out by the
workplace. As such the process should allow new hires to feel safe, secure and confident
regarding their new role by establishing strong networks and connections early on with
their colleagues and the workplace at large (Armstrong et al. 2019,p.29). This can lead to
knowledge development & sharing, containing implications for improved future workplace
performance (Hansen,2001), motivation (Reinholt et al.,2011), job satisfaction as well as
being a key source of competitive advantage for the organisation (Maldonado- Guzman
et al., 2016).
However, establishing connections and networks presents a unique problem when
Onboarding remotely, particularly the isolation element. Taylor (2021) explored new
employee connections with the workplace when shifting to remote onboarding, where
questions were tackled from anonymous hires. One hire felt isolated and embarrassed
when having to ask for clarity and felt his questions did not get addressed clearly, hence
this social isolation arises when not being constantly connected. When onboarding
2|Page
Management
Word Count: 2,085
HRM Coursework Option 3: Learning and Development
‘With the trend of recruiting remotely during the Pandemic, the next
big challenge for employers lies in efficiently training and onboarding
new employees remotely. Discuss the problems with onboarding a
remote workforce, and what businesses could do to overcome that’
Mark: 72
Instructor’s comment:
Content/criticality: Great clarity in the introduction. Good structure throughout, good
engagement with the literature.
Relevance/accuracy: Excellent.
Citation- academic sources: Great variety of academic sources. Please use Harvard,
and do not number your references. Do not use weblink for journals.
, In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, many individuals and workplace organisations have
had to shift their processes and functions entirely online in the interest of public health
and safety. The process of employee onboarding is no exception. The employee
onboarding process refers to an organisations’ HR department introducing and integrating
new employees into their workplace, so a firm grasp of company values, goals, culture,
processes, rules/polices and what the organisation expect from them in terms of skills,
knowledge and behaviours’, can be instilled & learned (Caldwell et al.,2018). Onboarding
ensures that new employees become familiar with new workplace practices (Rodeghero
et al.,2021), thus becoming productive members quickly (Ziden et al.,2020). However, as
with any workplace activity being transferred remotely, unique problems arise which may
not have existed before in a traditional fixed workplace context (Felstead et al.,2017).
Therefore, this essay intends to argue and discuss 3 substantial problems associated
with conducting employee onboarding remotely: establishing networks and connections,
effective communication (Rodeghero et al.,2021), and difficulty to fully fit in(Fisher,2021)
alongside discussing possible remedies businesses could adopt to overcome such
problems.
Onboarding is critical in aiding new hires to achieve goals and demands set out by the
workplace. As such the process should allow new hires to feel safe, secure and confident
regarding their new role by establishing strong networks and connections early on with
their colleagues and the workplace at large (Armstrong et al. 2019,p.29). This can lead to
knowledge development & sharing, containing implications for improved future workplace
performance (Hansen,2001), motivation (Reinholt et al.,2011), job satisfaction as well as
being a key source of competitive advantage for the organisation (Maldonado- Guzman
et al., 2016).
However, establishing connections and networks presents a unique problem when
Onboarding remotely, particularly the isolation element. Taylor (2021) explored new
employee connections with the workplace when shifting to remote onboarding, where
questions were tackled from anonymous hires. One hire felt isolated and embarrassed
when having to ask for clarity and felt his questions did not get addressed clearly, hence
this social isolation arises when not being constantly connected. When onboarding
2|Page
