Onboarding Remote Software Developers in 3 Easy Steps

After employing software engineers, it is vital to guide them through an efficient onboarding process to get the new employee off to a strong start.

The implementation of an onboarding process is paramount to the success of any remote engineering team. Not only does it make engineers feel valued and appreciated, it also helps them to comprehend their duties and obligations. Additionally, it serves to increase productivity, performance, and engagement, as well as bolster employee loyalty. Despite the fact that onboarding processes have been used since the 1970s, Harvard Business Review’s statistics show that 22 percent of organisations do not have one in place.

Ihor Feoktistov, the Chief Technology Officer at Relevant, presented a strategy for creating an effective onboarding process in three key steps. This approach has been demonstrated to improve both employee retention and developer satisfaction.

Hiring remote software developers: Three steps to a successful onboarding procedure

Introductions

It is not advisable to bombard newly recruited software engineers with corporate information on their first day. It is better to begin making introductions in advance, rather than waiting until the employee’s first official day. This will help them to become more familiar with the company and its culture before the formal start of their employment.

1. When recruiting software engineers, it is important to provide them with an overview of the tools and software platforms they will need to be knowledgeable in during the latter stages of the recruitment process. This will enable the engineers to install and become familiar with the necessary tools prior to their start date.
2. It is important to ensure that new team members are informed about your company and the specific projects that they will be involved in. As soon as they begin their role, it is important to ensure that they have a good understanding of the short-term and long-term goals of the project, as well as the tasks that they need to prioritise. This will help ensure that they are able to make the most of their time and contribute effectively to the project.
3. Once you have taken on software engineers, it is advisable to provide them with an Employee Handbook that outlines the company’s regulations and expectations. To ensure they are aware of the most vital policies and procedures, a brief overview of these should be presented at their initial onboarding meeting. This will ensure that the engineers are fully up to date with the company’s key practices without having to read through a lengthy document.
4. Prior to the start date of the new hire, it is essential to ensure that the current employees are ready to provide assistance when they arrive. This will guarantee that the individual is welcomed and feels comfortable as they enter the workplace. Additionally, it may be beneficial to assign a mentor to guide the new hire through the onboarding process and help to make the transition smoother.

Prepare their workspace ahead of time

After recruiting software engineers and making the necessary introductions, the following step is to integrate them into the workflow.
Giving the developer access to all programs, tools, and papers they will need to get started is one suggested technique.
Feoktistov has created a checklist that you may follow after employing software engineers to guarantee you don’t overlook anything important:

1. Allow new developers to use the corporate chat system. Include them in all relevant channels and groups.
2. Add them to your team’s project management system and give them permission to modify tasks.
3. Share internal corporate papers, manuals, guidelines, and so forth.
4. Allow them access to the test environment as well as the API keys.
5. Introduce them to internal corporate services such as IT support and DeskHelp.

By only supplying developers with tools and information when they require them, the company risks reducing their productivity and potentially causing them to become frustrated and resentful. This could result in a negative attitude towards the organisation, which could lead to serious consequences for the business.
It is recommended to provide software developers with access to all the necessary resources and to give them sufficient time after hiring to become acquainted with each one at their own pace.

Give technical documentation

Upon hiring software engineers, it is essential to ensure they have access to all the necessary project information. Without providing comprehensive technical documentation, it is impossible to successfully integrate the new software developers into the project.

Another Feoktistov checklist that can assist you to guarantee you’re giving the relevant technical papers to your remote developer:

1. The Source Code
2. Database and setup instructions
3. Dependencies for the particular project
4. API credentials and keys
5. Data from a sample
6. Suites of tests
7. Credentials for deployment
8. Development notes should be used to advise new hires about previous missteps.

Hiring remote software developers: Questions to Ask to Improve Your Onboarding Program

There is always space for improvement in the onboarding process, no matter how well you prepare it.

Here are eight questions to ask yourself after employing software engineers to assess the efficiency of your onboarding process:

1. Is the firm friendly?
2. Are the workers content with their jobs at the company?
3. Is there an example that exemplifies this?
4. Do the staff grasp the vision and objectives of the company?
5. Do the workers realise how much the organisation appreciates them?
6. Is the onboarding process interesting? Is there any feedback?
7. Does the firm take this input into account?
8. Is the company’s informative resource extensive?

If you are committed to optimising your onboarding process, it is essential to truthfully answer the following eight questions. Additionally, it is beneficial to request that your Human Resources department, management team, and any other individuals in authoritative positions respond to these queries.

Summary

After reviewing this article, it is evident that an onboarding process for remote software engineers does not need to be lengthy or complex. What is important is that a process is in place.

Additionally, this framework is not a rigid model; you can modify it to suit the requirements of your organisation and developer. Even though you can include additional steps to your process, these three should remain essential.

You should not expect software engineers to be very productive right immediately just because you believe you have nailed your onboarding procedure.

Allow them time and space to adjust to their new job.