How to onboard new staff during lockdown
The lockdown imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digitisation of companies and law firms. To explore the challenges and opportunities this situation presents, the International Trademark Association’s (INTA) young practitioners committee has launched a series of virtual discussions on adapting to the digital workplace.
During the first discussion, held in May, participants discussed the ins and outs of digital onboarding (integrating a new employee with a company and its culture) from the perspective of both the onboarder and the onboardee, and shared tips and tricks on how to make integration of new employees in a digital workplace easier.
Many workers have rapidly had to switch to remote working on a daily basis despite a low percentage of them having the option to work from home prior to the COVID-19 crisis, according to Alena Fischerova, associate at BomhardIP in Spain.
“These unprecedented and untested practices present new challenges to senior members and young practitioners alike,” she says.
The onboarder’s goal
Under normal circumstances, onboarding is done in a more traditional setting—the office—and, as David Bowden, associate at Clark Wilson in Canada points out, occurs more organically. The physical workspace allows employees to have impromptu discussions, follow up on tasks, and field questions in a relatively quick and casual way.
Interaction among colleagues in shared spaces facilitates cultural integration, as may also happen during social events or at lunchtime.
On the other hand, the digital workspace offers no visibility of workplace arrangements, presence, and hours. Discussions typically need to be planned in advance and conducted electronically, which takes time and effort.
