The first day at any new job is filled with equal doses of excitement and anticipation.

To start a new job in a remote environment where you meet everyone for the first time via a digital device can add an additional dose of nervousness.

To prepare yourself for a successful onboarding into a new company and integration into a new culture, follow the simple steps below.

First-day success falls into three categories: intellectual, emotional, and adaptability quotients. IQ + EQ + AQ = Success

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

This is the intellectual piece of success in any role. It’s the cognitive intelligence that is needed to carry forth the day-to-day requirements of the role. How well we retain the training material, how fast we learn, our verbal skills all come together to take on a rush of new information and experiences. This requires an operational plan for onboarding. The why, how, and what of doing our job.

Some items to take into consideration are:

• Orientation and training plans.
• Tools needed to accomplish my job correctly.
• Team communication preferences and cadence.
• Logins and access to files and collaboration tools

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

EQ includes a broad range of interpersonal skills needed to make a connection with the team.

This can start even before day one on the job by reviewing the new company’s social media pages and LinkedIn profiles to get a better sense of the team, their interests, and the company culture. Learning about and evaluating a company’s core values are key.

Some items to take into consideration are:

Be Friendly
Respond to a welcome aboard email and connect with your new team, participate in their various communications tools. We use Slack here at Artisan Creative and have a variety of channels for random posts, as well as setting our intentions and sharing our daily gratitude.

Build Connections
Reach out to your departmental team members individually and introduce yourself. While this can feel daunting, especially if you’re an introvert, making an effort at the start will have its benefits in the long run.

Be Curious
Ask questions and learn about each individual’s role and tenure in the company. Find out what they like about working there. Let them know what department you are joining and offer to help if they need anything from your team.

E-Coffee dates
Setup virtual coffee or lunch dates to make more personal connections and learn as much as you can about the company and its people.

At Artisan Creative, we use our annual Vision Board project as an icebreaker exercise where the team presents their personal and professional goals to one another and to our new hires.

Adaptability Quotient (AQ)

The third and equally important piece of the formula is the Adaptability Quotient, especially in today’s unpredictable environment impacted by the pandemic. Although many companies are adjusting to the remote work setting, it’s important to be mindful that many firsts can still occur during this time. Your remote onboarding may be a first for this hiring manager, so it’s important to stay adaptable as needed.

Some items to take into consideration are:

Positivity
Go with the flow and stay positive as both you and your remote team learn to master ever-changing communication skills.

Agility
Make course corrections and changes as needed. Demonstrating agility of thought and action is one of Artisan Creative’s core values, and it’s one we’ve relied on heavily during the eleven years we’ve been working remotely. It’s been even more important in today’s work environment where colleagues have had to juggle additional responsibilities including homeschooling.

Be open-minded
You may have learned processes or utilized tools in a different manner in your previous role. An open mind rapidly embraces new methodologies that may differ from your previous processes. If you see a better way, do share it once you’ve truly understood how your new company integrates with these tools.

Listening skills
Get to know everyone’s communication styles and activate your listening skills. It’s easy to misconstrue via text or slack, so when possible hop on zoom or a quick call for clarity.

Ask questions
Don’t be afraid to speak up if don’t know something. Every new role has a learning curve and it’s better to get clarity upfront.

We hope these tips create success for you in your new role. On day one, show up 15 minutes early, double-check your zoom and computer settings, fix your backdrop, grab a coffee and be ready to learn, connect with your team, and grow with your new company.

This article was originally published on Medium.com

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