May 20, 2020
The majority of workforces have moved out of their offices spaces and into remote work to help slow the spread of COVID-19. But this move has presented some new unknowns: how will remote onboarding work? What should newly-remote team members expect?
Since the beginning of March, the People team at Stord have been carefully designing a remote onboarding program to accommodate the new team members who were set to join Stord. We’ve been fortunate enough to welcome 10 new employees during the pandemic, and would love to share some of their key takeaways from the experience:
How did your first day of work differ from what you expected?
Daquanna, Supplier Relations Manager: I kept my expectations low because everything with working from home happened so quickly and this was new for everyone. But the good thing is that my expectations were surpassed! I felt connected to the team and that I was involved in decisions and discussions, even ones I was new to.
Julie, Account Executive: I wasn't sure what to expect, but I felt welcomed. Everyone made sure I had access to everything I needed to make the onboarding process a breeze and made themselves accessible to me should I need help.
John, Full-Stack Engineer: The big difference for me was that I wasn't expecting so many people from Stord to reach out to me and make me feel welcome!
Darshen, Product Manager: Coming in remote was an interesting beginning to the first day. I anticipated nervousness and uncertainty, but Stord provided a transition plan that was seamless and efficient for me. Having different team members reach out (aside from the onboarding team), helped me feel part of the team instantly.
Anna, Product Designer: I honestly didn't expect it to be as well organized and thoughtfully planned out as it was! Other places I've worked have been much more scattered about onboarding. Stord really had it down to a science.
How was the remote onboarding process?
Tyler, Data Operations Associate: Overall I enjoyed the process! Kris, the Office Operations Manager, was super helpful with getting a lot of introductions set up for me both with my team and with employees on other teams. My computer came super quickly in the mail and Kris was also helpful with shipping me other needed hardware (monitor, keyboard, mouse). I felt very supported by my team as many of my team members have been checking in on me via Slack.
Kai, Application Architect: I would have to say that, compared to my last job, which was fully remote, the process was the best that I have experienced. Everything was well-organized, equipment arrived on time, and everyone was trying their best to make the transition to remote work.
Anna, Product Designer: Great! I especially loved how certain team members took it upon themselves to reach out to say hi/ask me to get virtual coffee. It made me feel super welcomed! And I really enjoyed all of the information sessions with the different teams; it gave me a great understanding of how the Stord ecosystem operates.
How has working remotely been for you as part of your current team?
Daquanna, Supplier Relations Manager: It has been smooth so far. In the beginning there were a lot of zoom calls- almost for the entire day some days. But as the team got used to being remote, we have more open communication about where team members need help, so we don’t need so many scheduled meetings. Everyone has been more than available and willing to jump on a call to walk through a process or just chat about how things are going.
Chelsie, Operations Specialist: Working remotely has been better than expected! Everyone is in constant communication and giving daily updates on what's been occuring on a daily basis.
John, Full-Stack Engineer: Remote work has its trade-offs. It’s definitely good for improving focus compared to an open workspace environment, but it’s more difficult to do things like pair-programming.
Julie, Account Executive: My team has been proactive in reaching out and including me in calls, allowing me to ask questions, and ensuring I have all of the tools I need to get up to speed in my role and integrate into the team.
Tyler, Data Operations Associate: I have enjoyed working remotely, mostly due to my team and their support during my onboarding/training process. While I am excited to get to the office, working remotely has gone smooth so far!
Kai, Application Architect: The work with the team has been going well. While some activities, such as brainstorming with a group on a whiteboard, are definitely easier in person, I believe we’ve made remote work successful by leveraging the different technologies that we have available to us, like LucidChart and Zoom.
Did you have any concerns about starting a new job remotely? How did Stord help address those?
Julie, Account Executive: I am accustomed to remote work, and have not had a position that required me to be present in an office in over six years. That being said, I have never started a new job without being onsite or meeting live with my team on the first day, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but technology has been heavily leveraged to make the process seamless. I would also like to add that I really appreciate the accessibility to the People team and their willingness to help with any need.
John, Full-Stack Engineer: Yes, but I would have more if Stord hadn’t already been remote when I joined. I think Stord addressed a lot of the concerns with the information that was announced and disseminated, so it worked well.
Darshen, Product Manager
I did have many concerns, one of which was would I be furloughed within my first week. But I am really appreciative of the transparency CEO Sean shared in the first few days. Stord somehow made a first-time process seem like we have been doing this for years. The setup, communication, and whole mannerism behind this was beyond measure.
Anna, Product Designer: I was nervous about it at first, but I appreciated that Lauren Frye, People Operations Manager, called me personally to let me know about the situation/to talk through any questions/concerns that I had, since I was also relocating from across the country. I think there were times during the first few weeks when I wasn't sure how to be useful/to keep busy as I was getting ramped up, separated from the team. But my manager made two points that really helped me: 1.) You don't have to come in guns blazing adding value immediately. It's okay to listen, learn, and give yourself time to "power up" 2.) One of STORD's values is Bias Towards Action—he reminded me that if there was something I noticed that could be done, even if someone didn't specifically tell me to do that thing, I should go ahead and tackle it! Without worrying too much if I was doing it "right."
What has been your favorite part of working at Stord so far?
There was an overwhelmingly positive response about the people, the culture, and the collaboration. Our team is extremely proud to have handled onboarding in such a way, especially during a really anxious time in the workplace. We are committed to providing the best recruitment and onboarding experience for all of our employees, even in the midst of a pandemic.
If you’re interested in joining our team, check out our job openings.