Donald Trump is known for many things, but one of his specialities is of course his handshake. Many (political) leaders have experienced this themselves and we can imagine that it must have been an unforgettable experience. How Trump approaches this formality clearly illustrates that handshaking includes many (hidden) functionalities. 

Although shaking hands with The Donald may seem like a top-class sport, for others it is a symbol of greeting and a sign of equality. On the shop floor, too, shaking hands is the norm during an initial meeting. If you are a new employee at an organisation, you will often have shaken hands several times before you start work. At least, that was the normal practice when everyone was still in the office.

Digital handshake

The year 2021 will mark a shift in the workplace, as many organisations see potential in a hybrid form of working. This new form of work gives employees more flexibility about where, when and how they work.
The result? Fewer employees in the office and therefore fewer colleagues shaking hands. 

Many people don't initially have a problem with us shaking fewer hands, but now it appears research that more is lost with this change than we initially thought. In particular for new employees. It turns out that new employees are not happy in a completely remote setting. Of those questioned, 51% said they had an unpleasant onboarding experience and 55% said they did not feel integrated in the team because of impersonal interactions. So, shaking hands digitally is not that simple! 

Fortunately, we can also use professional tools in the onboarding process to ensure that new employees integrate more quickly and therefore perform better. To help you on your way, we have divided the onboarding tools into two clear categories:

a. Basic but essential 

Use the tools that are present in your organisation or make use of free tools that are available to everyone. The strength lies in the fact that you organise everything yourself, so that a new employee quickly feels at home, both physically and digitally. For example, use a project management tool so that you can map out certain touchpoints and activities in a structured way for both the organisation and the new employee, and offer new employees a digital experience for signing their new contract and additional forms. Also make sure that the new employee is personally introduced (physically or digitally) to all stakeholders in front of him or her. In this way, you can ensure that new employees integrate well into the team and the organisation in a hybrid working format. The result?

• A personalised onboarding experience

• Both digitally and physically possible

• Costs a lot of time and effort

• An employee who integrates well

b. Smooth and efficient 

Are the numbers of new employees too large, making the basic but essential option too time-consuming and difficult? Then choose convenience! Give your new employees a personal and unforgettable onboarding experience with an onboarding tool. Involve, train and inform your new employees with videos, games and interactive quizzes. This automatically starts the onboarding of the new employee before the first day at work, making him or her more productive and involved. The advantages?

• Attractive onboarding experience

• Convenience for the employee and HR

• Smooth and efficient

• Employees more quickly engaged and productive

Are you ready to Unfurl?

Shaking hands like The Donald, of course, is not necessary for us either, but we do hope that physically shaking hands will remain the norm at a first meeting in the workplace. This is a sign of equality and respect and creates an immediate connection. It is important to include the handshake in a digital onboarding strategy. New employees in particular will need the 'office feeling', so pay sufficient attention to the onboarding journey. Because ultimately, employees who integrate well are more likely to perform well. And that, of course, is what every organisation wants.

Would you like to know more about selecting the right onboarding tooling? Or would you like to know how best to organise the onboarding journey? We are happy to drink a (digital) cup of coffee! Press 'Let's Unfurl' to contact us.