Author: Kate Waddon

It’s so important to make new team members feel welcome – but how should you onboard remote employees? With hybrid and remote working now so common, virtual onboarding is an essential tool in management’s kit.

A good induction aims to immerse a new employee in the company and their role as effectively as possible, while also making them feel happy to be part of the team. In the days of the physical workplace, inductions followed a pretty standard pattern: introductions, presentations, tours, a slightly awkward lunch, and shedloads of paperwork. But how can digital onboarding replicate – and even improve upon – the onsite onboarding process?

Preparing for virtual onboarding

Onboarding starts with that initial job confirmation communication and carries on well after the new employee has started in the role. So, the first stage of the virtual induction is really the pre-onboarding period between the offer being accepted and the induction day.

This can be a good time to complete paperwork, carry out any outstanding checks, and get any other necessary admin completed. If you’re providing your remote colleague with hardware and software, getting that organized before they actually start will help them hit the ground running. Finally, make sure the joining instructions and agenda for their first day are clear and sent well in advance.

A remote induction day takes a bit more planning, but it can be a very effective way to focus on the essentials of the company and the job. Don’t assume everyone is virtual meeting-savvy though. Not everyone spent 2020 on Zoom, so check everyone’s understanding and think about a pre-induction training session if necessary.

Welcome and induction day

This will look slightly different depending on whether you’re onboarding a single new person or a few employees. Either way, start with an informal online meeting so everyone can introduce themselves.

It’s tempting to simply send all the necessary health and safety information across as documents and ask them to read it. You can definitely do this; however, you have to make sure that all the essential and legal aspects of onboarding are properly covered. You could either pre-record short presentations using XSplit Presenter or run through them in real-time – whichever way you choose, it’s a handy tool to help you flag the main points succinctly. You can easily add videos and slides using Presenter too, which helps to keep people engaged. 

While it is harder to get company culture across remotely, again, a presentation can help. You might find it useful to make a short film about the company, perhaps giving more info on the area where their department is based. Make sure there are opportunities for questions, and why not try a virtual coffee break where you simply chat?

Role-specific digital onboarding

After the induction day, you can focus on individual onboarding. What will this look like? Your new team members need to feel confident with their role and supported by the company, so schedule regular check-ins. Daily is best at first, followed by two or three times per week for the first six weeks.

Don’t let these become a substitute for regular, informal communication, but make sure the channels are open and clear. Comms platforms like Slack help to keep the whole team in constant contact.

For individual job training, a mix of meetings, presentations, and webinars will help to keep things lively. Again, schedule and plan these so you know that everything is covered. Lastly, with the potential for information overload, try to keep things light and sociable for your remote team with events like virtual coffee breaks and Zoom quizzes.

Remember – onboarding and working with remote staff is all about flexible approaches, so don’t feel like there’s a one-size-fits-all approach. At some stage during this initial period, it might even be feasible to invite your new employee to visit the physical workspace. For more tips, take a look at our blog on managing your remote team.

A recent survey by the Office for National Statistics found that 85% of employees currently working from home wanted to keep a hybrid model of remote and office work in the future. Siemens is even calling its hybrid option ‘The New Normal Working Model’ and many global brands are working towards a ‘remote first’ structure. However, the UK Government has indicated that it expects a complete return to the office. Here, we take a closer look at hybrid office advantages, disadvantages, and what you can do to implement changes that work for you and your team!

Hybrid office advantages

There are many benefits to adopting a hybrid work model, here are some hybrid office advantages:

• It’s inclusive. Barriers such as disabilities, childcare, and transport can be at least partially overcome with this more flexible approach.
• Employers have access to a wider talent pool. Not only does home working help break the barriers we mentioned above, it also means that employers can recruit the best candidates from any location.
• The ONS survey reported that home-working employees enjoyed an improved work-life balance. Four out of five employers stated that “improved staff wellbeing” was the best reason for continuing with home working.
• Productivity can increase thanks to fewer distractions, no wasted commuting time, and employees having more freedom to choose the hours that suit them.
• As we now all know, keeping away from the office prevents the spread of viruses and bugs. In 2020, the absence rate among homeworkers was 0.9%, compared with 2.2% among their office-working counterparts.
• The lower overheads involved are great news for companies trying to keep their running costs down.
• It’s greener – by cutting the amount of daily commuting, companies are helping to reduce carbon emissions. As hybrid office advantages go, this is a big one!
• Your facilities manager will tell you that company expansion is a logistical nightmare, impacting everything from parking spaces to fire safety. Hybrid-working employees share onsite facilities, making this a practical and cost-effective way to grow a company.

Disadvantages of a hybrid set-up

As with any model, there are also disadvantages.

• Communication isn’t as easy. Even a tried-and-trusted platform like Slack isn’t as simple as popping across to someone’s desk.
• The UK Office for National Statistics reported that employees found collaboration more difficult while working remotely.
• Similarly, there’s a fear that relationships could suffer, whether they’re your informal friendships, your mentorships, or your head-hunting.
• It’s not as easy to manage the protocols around working hours, internet security, and the personal use of company equipment.
• There are also potential practical problems. For example, how are software and hardware issues fixed? 
• It could create ‘two classes of employees’ according to Forbes – those who have and have not got the facilities and space to WFH.
• Problems such as work-related stress could be harder to spot and support.

Find the best hybrid work method for you

With so many companies already using hybrid working methods, there are plenty of models to learn from. Here are a few suggestions for hybrid-friendly policies and practices that some consider hybrid office advantages:

• Microsoft offers all employees the option to work remotely for up to 50% of their hours.
• US company Dropbox has a Virtual Tool Kit for its WFH teams.
• Lockheed Martin trained all their managers in running a remote workforce, aiming to have 45% of the staff on hybrid contracts.
• You could try setting aside different tasks for home and office days. For example, write reports on home days and arrange meetings for office days.
• Make use of remote tech, such as XSplit Presenter, which can help you create and annotate a live presentation in the same way that you would in person.
• Keep the workplace culture going on home days by allowing for virtual coffee breaks and chances to chat with colleagues.
• Explore the range of software designed to help teams collaborate from afar – try XSplit Capture for easy sharing of screenshots and videos.

Do you think a hybrid model could be the future for your workplace? Would it suit your team? Find out more about a hybrid office from an employee’s perspective in our recent blog.

You have a lot of information to get across to your team. What’re your chosen means of communication? Most of us default to email when we want to reach several people quickly: but is a written email the most effective method?

Software like our XSplit Presenter enables you to pre-record a seamless presentation. Instead of sending out lots of text and attachments, why not try sending a link to a short presentation instead? Here are a few reasons why you and your colleagues may prefer watching to reading.

TL;DR

Or, “too long; didn’t read”. We’ve all opened emails and, faced with what looks like a whole dissertation to wade through, quickly closed it “for later” and then forgotten about it. If you have a lot of information to get across, maybe a presentation is better suited to your needs. As advertisers know, 80% of people will watch a video, but only 20% will read all the text, so why not borrow a tip from marketing practice, and use visual rather than written media?

This still requires work from you as you’ll need to write the script and record the delivery. But, thanks to XSplit Presenter, this is super-straightforward, and when you get used to it, it’ll seem even easier than just writing the text. Import your Microsoft Powerpoint or Google Slides presentation, include clips from YouTube, or connect to Zoom, Skype, and other platforms to add flair to your presentation.

Unattached

Then there are attachments. Not only do emails have paragraphs of text to get through but there are multiple attachments and links to open. If you are sending a pre-recorded link, you can incorporate the information from these attachments into the presentation itself.

XSplit Presenter lets you import PowerPoint or Google Slides into your presentation, cutting down on the need to attach graphs or images, which can be simply included in your PowerPoint or Google Slides instead. You can also play videos directly in your presentation. Rather than provide your recipients with multiple links, this allows you to show snippets in a more convenient and user-friendly way. The result of all this? A straightforward email with a link to the presentation.

Better Email Has Access for all

There are plenty of ways to make the text of an email more accessible; however, a subtitled presentation will reach most people without the need for any adjustments. As well as providing email alternatives for colleagues with visual or hearing impairments, you’re also helping your neurodiverse teammates.

XSplit Presenter is simple to use and has the tools to facilitate bringing teams closer together in a way that accommodates accessibility needs. For one, it allows you to add text to provide a subtitled presentation for your colleagues. It can also make things easier for you if you prefer to speak than to write, or if the thought of speaking in front of a live audience gives you the jitters.

We’ve covered several compelling reasons why a video can make a better email than text. Download XSplit Presenter to make your business communications easier and more accessible. Find out more about XSplit Presenter in our blog (and yes, it does include a short film).

This last year, it’s become clear that video conferencing is the way forward for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Many companies have learned the value of remote meetings. It can increase your potential client and collaboration base, as well as enabling you to have a more flexible workforce. If you’re just starting out as a business, or if you suddenly find yourself engaging with more online communication, what hardware do you need for effective video conferencing? We’ll take you through the basics.

Essential video conference hardware

It’s actually pretty straightforward. You need to be able to see, be seen, hear, and be heard. If you’re using platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams to engage in virtual meetings, there’s very little needed except for a computer, tablet, or smartphone, some sort of webcam, and a mic. You can improve your video conferences significantly, however, by combining software like Zoom or Microsoft teams with our XSplit Presenter. It makes delivering presentations to your company so much easier and even lets you add a little flair to them. You’ll be able to annotate with a virtual pointer and make use of the virtual green screen to remove your background and keep your team engaged.

If you’re a small company with numerous team members, you’ll need to make sure that every person has access to the right kit. With this in mind, we’ll look at easy and low-cost options, and give you some tips about making your meetings look and sound great.

Can you hear me? The importance of getting the right mic

Once upon a time, a small company could get away with one online-ready laptop, which was used by anyone booked onto a virtual conference. These days, with our teams more likely to be working remotely themselves, it’s important that everyone has good access to tech. Make sure that everyone in your team has a decent webcam and mic, along with reasonable internet bandwidth. If these aren’t in place, any online work can be incredibly stressful.

Starting with speaking: do you stick with the built-in mic or go for a separate one? We’ve discussed mics before but briefly, most modern laptops have a good built-in microphone. There are also plenty of webcams with built-in mics like the Logitech C920, which has remained a firm favorite. However, if you or a colleague is going to be doing a lot of online presentations, you may prefer the clearer sound of a separate mic. There are plenty of USB mics that offer optimal sound quality such as the Blue Yeti, Snowball, or the Elgato Wave:3. For something that’s a little lower in price, the HyperX SoloCast USB is ideal. It also has a handy little mute button that’s perfect for conferences.

Do you need a headset?

In theory, you don’t need to use a headset with a built-in mic for video conferencing but they’re pretty useful. Some remote workers prefer to use a headphone and mic set up, as it cuts out any background noise (hence their use in call centers), and can help with focus. If your team will be returning to a workplace but continuing to liaise with other collaborators online, headsets will help.

You can get USB, noise-canceling lightweight headphones with mics like the Jabra Evolve range that aren’t too costly. But, you could also make use of a number of gaming headsets that are ideal for canceling out background noise. The HyperX Cloud Mix and Logitech G Pro X for instance, have excellent mics. The latter even lets you play around with customization to control the clarity and output level of your voice.

What’s the right sort of webcam for video conferencing?

When it comes to video conferencing, most of us simply use our laptop’s camera, while feeling vaguely self-conscious about the awful angles. If you’re not happy with your computer’s camera, you can get an external USB webcam, and these are ideal if you need to capture a wider view than simply your face (for example, there are a few people in your room, or you need to demonstrate something). The Logitech C920 that we mentioned earlier is a great option for a USB webcam. It has excellent sound quality from the built-in mic but it’s also great in low-light settings and has full 1080p HD video.

At XSplit, we’ve come up with XSplit Connect: Webcam, which lets you use your smartphone as a wireless webcam. Download the app for your phone and the software for your laptop or PC, and there you have it – an instant, non-static webcam. You can also use the XSplit VCam, which also acts are the software for Connect: Webcam, to blur or change your background for a more professional (and private) look.

We’ve covered a few of the essentials but there is a huge variety of hardware out there that will make video conferencing a breeze for small companies. Don’t forget to also find out more about how to use XSplit VCam with the main video conferencing platforms in our blog.

How has working from home worked out for you? You may have embraced the commute-free world of Zoom and pyjama days, or do you feel that you no longer have time to yourself? After a year of working remotely, it’s time to give WFH an annual review. This year’s key question is: how are you balancing your business and leisure hours? Let’s consider some ways to improve your work from home routine.

Can you improve your work from home routine?

So you’ve stumbled into the kitchen. Ambition duly poured, now what? Rookie home workers have broadly taken two approaches: trying to replicate the nine-to-five routine, or throwing that out of the window and being flexible in their work schedule. If you’re not having to stick to schedules, the idea of working to your circadian rhythms or spending the day in the park and the night on your laptop can seem appealing.

However, research into working from home shows that a routine can be the best approach for your mental health. One of the hardest things about working from home is finding those essential boundaries between work and leisure. Time is your greatest ally here, and having a set schedule prevents your work/life balance from becoming too blurred.

Timetabling your day

Now, we hate to sound like strict, old-school teachers here, but a timetable is key. If your work has been a bit more free-flow so far, try creating a more fixed structure. You don’t have to go for the full, colour-coded timetable or spreadsheet here (although many of us would love that). You can eventually build in slots for things like admin and phone calls, but start simply with your working hours: start time, breaks and finish.

From a wider employment perspective, it means that you and your team or clients are all there for each other at the same time. This makes work both more efficient and enjoyable, and if you do end up back in the workplace, it won’t be such a shock to the system. And the real Holy Grail? Finishing by five and making the commute to the living room.

Plenty of rewards for the best work from home routine

While we’ve all been skipping lunch to impress the bosses, it turns out that if we go without breaks, we become less productive. Bear that thought in mind when you’re planning your day, and build in plenty of breaktimes. We’ve even heard of work teams who meet on Zoom for a coffee break every morning, which is a great way of staying connected with colleagues. Going for a run at lunchtime is far easier when you can just hop into your own shower afterwards, or you might even like to spend an hour gardening.

It’s also more important than ever to take screen breaks. In the typical work environment, we have plenty of natural opportunities to leave our desks. Many seasoned working-from-homers use approaches like the Pomodoro Technique, which helps you build in small, regular breaks.

Extra WFH treats

Of course, a routine doesn’t take away those extra little benefits of working from home. You have the cat on your knee, the radio’s playing and nobody will steal your biscuits. Download our own XSplit VCam and nobody will be able to judge your workspace either (although we can’t replace your onesie. Sorry).

If we’ve learned anything over the last 12 months, it’s that life’s small pleasures are essential. These smaller WFH benefits can really help make working from home more enjoyable; however, try not to slide back into a vague approach to time management. Following a work-from-home routine helps you find more time for the things you love, and creates a firm barrier between business and leisure. When the lid’s closed, it’s closed.

How did your own annual review of your WFH routine go? We hope it’s given you some focus on planning your future schedule. To find out more about developing a healthy work-life balance, take a look at our blog.

What are the trickiest things about working from home? If you ask most WFH newbies, they’ll probably say lack of colleagues, no on-site IT support – and time management. Even if our workplaces felt laid-back, there were always timeframes and calendars in the background, with many deadlines mutually managed.

For the worker out in the wild, schedules seem like a distant memory, and this can leave us feeling a little lost. By reclaiming a routine, we can manage our working hours more effectively, and be both more productive and content.

Managing your work schedule

Lose that lost feeling by taking control of your diary, since the best way to avoid feral time management is to act as your own PA. Start by deciding which hours you will work, and stick to them. Then, dedicate a time-slot each week to plan the main tasks and appointments for the following week. One of the easiest and most effective tools you can use is something like Google Calendar that will keep track of your tasks, deadlines, and appointments.

Beware of what Forbes terms “fragmented time”. These are those gaps of about 15, 20, 30 minutes in between scheduled meetings and calls, which seem too quick to achieve anything productive. If you are self-employed, this can be easier as you largely control your own diary. However, if you’re WFH away from an employer, discuss working hours with your manager and team. Establish which hours can be used for a focused time, and when team meetings can be scheduled. This ensures that you always have dedicated time for getting the job done without those annoying dead spaces.

Time management apps

If you feel a digital assistant would help you, there are plenty of time management apps out there. Probably the most famous recent method is the Pomodoro Technique, which balances bursts of focussed energy with short breaks. The Focus Keeper app (iOS, Android, desktop) uses these principles and has a nice simple interface. If you’re struggling to order your thoughts, use a mind mapping app like Mindnode to help you feel more organized (iOS and desktop). Like a list? Download Todoist
for fab digital time-management (iOS, Android, desktop).

Recent research into remote working by the BBC found that over a million UK workers will not be returning to the office full-time. We think this will lead to a whole new batch of time management apps and software, and we’re looking forward to trying them out…

Setting some boundaries

Time management also depends on firm boundary setting. This is about establishing working hours, working spaces, and balancing roles. If you’re sharing your home workspace with housemates, a partner, and/or kids, you need to set boundaries. Allotted working hours let everyone know when you’re on and off-duty, and related to this, having dedicated hours also help define your role. While you don’t just stop being mum or dad, having a work/family rota with your WFH partner allows one of you to focus on work while the other takes care of the kids.

If it’s just you, creating a dedicated workspace and set working hours helps you be more productive. A decent workspace doesn’t take much effort or expense to set up (take a look at our blog for workstation tips), and a permanent space is ready to go whenever you are. Deadlines don’t go away just because your location has changed, so setting a work schedule helps you stay on top of the workload. Also, having set working hours makes sure that your work-life balance doesn’t end up a little too blurry.

We’re not advocating stopwatches and spreadsheets (although frankly, that does sound appealing to some of us). However, establishing a work schedule will help you get the job done, and leave plenty of time for play. Read our article on work-life balance to find out more about effective WFH juggling.

It looks like working from home will be here for a while for some of us, and even those of us returning to the office are working in a hybrid way. You’ve managed plenty of Zoom calls, but it’s becoming clear (or rather, less clear) that your laptop mic isn’t up to the job. If you’re going to be attending more remote meetings, it’s time to invest in a dedicated microphone. However, this doesn’t need to be a massive outlay, and we’ll take a look at the best budget mic options, which are all easy to get hold of from retailers like Amazon.

Best for convenience: USB mics

A USB mic is a quick and simple way of improving your audio quality, and the Plug & Play type couldn’t be easier. If you have a smaller workstation or will be Zooming on the move, you can get small and neat models like the TKGOU Ture Plug and Play Home Studio USB mic. This tidy little mic can be cheaply purchased on Amazon and delivers improved sound quality for this very small outlay. It’s also sturdier than it looks, being made from metal and heavy plastic. It’s compatible with Macs or PCs. It’s pretty basic, function-wise, but does have that all-important mute button, something we love to see on the best budget mics.

Best for vocal quality: condenser mics

Condenser mics are the best option for sound quality, which is why they’re often used for studio vocals. They cut down on ambient noise, so are ideal for Zoom calls with background distractions (working-from-home parents, take note). The Blue Yeti is often held up as the gold standard for a conferencing mic but is on the higher end of the price scale for the best budget mics. For half the price, try Blue’s Snowball mic, which delivers crystal-clear vocals and has a fab retro design. Skype has certified it as a great mic for conferencing platforms use, so you know it’s a good option. You can also get conference condenser mics: try the MTFY Conference Microphone, which offers omnidirectional sound for a very small sum.

The consensus for the best Zoom, Teams, or Skype mic seems to be the Yeti. However, we reckon that the best budget mic is the Blue Snowball, and those meeting experts at Business Insider agree with us. Of course, a lot depends on what you’re the most comfortable using, and many people do prefer a headset design.

Easiest to use: headsets

Headsets aren’t just for call centers or gamers. They’re great for remote meetings because they remove background noise. You’re completely immersed in the meeting, and you’ll be able to hear your colleagues much more clearly if you’re in a busy environment, which no doubt makes one of the best budget mics. They save space on your desk during the call, helping it look and feel less cluttered, too.

There are plenty of headsets out there, such as the Nigecue PC USB Noise Cancelling Headset, which is a great value mic and ideal for reducing noise disruptions. It’s also comfortable to wear during longer calls. The USB charger is always a bonus as well.

We hope this has helped guide you in the right direction for crisper vocals and the best budget mic. Here’s a look at other set-up upgrades you might need for your home-based workstation.