Building Company Culture with Remote Onboarding
By: Pratik Tiwari
Tags: Startup, India, Culture, Remote Working, Scaling

Fynd was one of the earliest tech companies to take the preventive measure of remote working. The aim was to keep the teams, their families and communities safe. At that time we were hopeful that things would get back to normal soon. But with the situation worsening every day, we understood the need to set up processes that are compliant with the new normal.

Our first priority was to ensure the safety of our people. We came up with an action plan and many other initiatives to help make the transition to remote work smoother.

Next, we looked at our onboarding process with the aim to completely move it online. Fynd hired 102 new employees in 2020, and by the end of 2021, we’ll have more than 400 people working with us. An effective induction was our goal since it helps new hires instantly feel like being a part of Fynd. We’ve taken a lot of effort to build a culture that we are proud of. Since we are growing so fast, it's important for us to share our company values and culture with the new folks that join us. In-office, it is easier to onboard new members as we have the setup, we show them the office, introduce them to the team members, and share this unmissable positive vibe of Fynd. Translating this experience online was our biggest challenge! We also needed to battle network connectivity since we hire Pan-India.

First Things First

We started with revamping our entire process to help new members understand what exactly to expect at Fynd. Now, even before they officially join us, we send them information about us and even connect them with their teams to get them started.

Read our blogs on Building Fynd and go through our core values

Visit our company website and learn about our products

Extend invitation to team meetings and set up introductions

Schedule calls to discuss projects

These activities help them feel confident and prepared. On the day of onboarding, we take them through: Fynd, our purpose and growth engines, our culture, and about our teams and their DRIs. Our efforts do not end here, it’s our job to ensure that everything is in order for them to get comfortable at Fynd.

Easy Documentation

Documentation is hard, but its an important process. We ensure that we make it as smooth and fast as possible. We use Google Form to collect necessary documents from our new members. We also request all the documents needed for the Insurance as well. This ensures that we receive all requisite documents in one go.

Keka is the payroll software that we use at Fynd. It has vital data that includes personal information, payroll details, leaves, policy documents, etc. Our HR team member Sandra Savio ensures that everything is in order with the paperwork, and does it all with a smile and a hearty welcome to all new members.

Explaining Key Tools

We use Gmail, Slack, Quip, and Keka payroll software for our internal communication. During the onboarding, we share these credentials with the candidates and introduce them to these tools. As they update their details, we give them a walkthrough of using these tools.

Making an Impression on the First Day

Usually the new team members are eager to login to the communication tool to learn more about the company and its people. This is the first introduction these folks get to the bigger Fynd team, and we start it off right by posting an introduction for each new team member on Slack. We also encourage the team to welcome and introduce themselves so that the new hire does not feel out of place.

Welcoming newest Fynd Member: Hi Paul!