12: Virtual Onboarding: Crafting Immersive Introduction Experiences for New Hires

The businesses at the global level are surfacing precipitously, and its ecosystem is illustrated by the factors of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. The rapidly changing business landscape calls for incorporating virtual exertion and the adoption of various digital tools. The process of virtual onboarding which has gained prominence at the global level at the onset of the pandemic necessitates encompassing recruits using virtual podiums and remote processes. The current chapter insinuates a holistic model for a suitable virtual onboarding programme, delineating a comprehensive methodology that incorporates a range of onboarding process elements and syndicates business best exercises from several theoretical backgrounds. It intends to offer a robust framework that suitably guides business organisations in developing and implementing effective virtual onboarding programmes. The Virtual Onboarding Model outlined in the present study elucidates the five integral phases, each serving a specific purpose and strategically integrating them from the outcomes derived from various theoretical underpinnings. The outcomes of this chapter provide detailed assistance for businesses operating in the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) world to establish comprehensive remote onboarding programmes. It aims to endow human resource (HR) managers with the indispensable intuitions to create and execute virtual onboarding programmes that support successful learning, cultural integration and employee engagement, ultimately benefiting both the recruits and the businesses in contemporary HR practices.