Orienting Employees Online

Online employee orientation programs must provide a full and thorough introduction to the company just like a traditional orientation program. Their content specifications may encompass the specific technical demands of the job; a broad range of the company's HR policies (including payroll, promotions, anti-discrimination policies, etcetera); policies on harassment, civility, and discrimination; and even basic information like parking regulations. Both the technical and the practical may be encompassed within an online orientation.

Still, new employees can easily feel overwhelmed so the content should be relevant to their most pertinent concerns (minutiae can always be addressed later). Employees likely want to know how they are expected to behave, how they will be evaluated in terms of their performance, and any knowledge required for their day-to-day job tasks. Online employee orientation programs have the advantage of being able to be tailored to the needs of specific employees and specific departments relatively easily.

For example, there can be a mandatory series of units on basic company policy for all employees and then specific units based upon department and position title. Using online resources is thus much less cumbersome than juggling different employee schedules for the entire company. Online orientations are much cheaper as well, using fewer company resources and are much speedier because of their self-directed nature. Employees can begin the orientation process immediately, rather than having to wait until they are on-premises.

As noted by one company which provides such services: "it's also cost effective since it eliminates the need for a technical staff to develop, maintain, or change your content. You're no longer at the mercy of web developers" (@work Online Training, 2014, Come Evo).

Why the content can be effectively handled online Sometimes using a self-directed online approach can be more interesting for employees, as observed by one company before it went online "initially, our employee orientation program was two days of 'Death by PowerPoint' -- new employees sitting in a dark auditorium watching presenter after presenter, some of whom were decent, some of whom should have never gone on stage" (Kass 2012).

And from a practical standpoint, many employee tasks are conducted online so it 'makes sense' to use an online educational system of transmission, replicating how employees will perform those tasks themselves later on. Instead of telling an employee how to access a computer system, the employee can simply 'do' follow the instructions given by the computer.

Also, employees can learn such critical matters as how to access online content to check aspects of HR such as payroll, performance reviews, and other aspects of the online system in a manner that perfectly replicates real life. As more and more of company functions shift online, disseminating information in an online format can actually be proactive and positive rather than alienating and distancing.

Finally, if an employee is not familiar with computer systems he or she can replicate the process over and over again at his or her leisure without fear of asking embarrassing questions during a real-time class, in contrast to an employee who easily understands the process very quickly and would be bored with excessive repetition. Even if material is taught online, there can still be interaction between teachers and students via email, message boards, and other venues for online communication.

In fact, in some ways this can be superior to a classroom format, since dialogue can take place 24-7. Often the workday is very busy and adding training to it makes it very difficult for students to solicit personal attention, if the pace of the class is artificially fast. However, by being able to send email or a message to the instructor, students can establish a connection instantaneously.

For shier students who hesitate to speak up in group settings, this approach can be particularly useful since they are not being put on public display. "Look and feel" of the online program Given that the orientation program is the first experience many employees will be having with the company, the program should reflect the overall 'tone' of the company. If the company is extremely.