Bringing new hires up to speed is hard enough in-person. Doing it remotely? That’s a whole different beast. If you’re tasked with onboarding new employees and your company uses video calls, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through making onboarding work using Whereby virtual meeting rooms—without drowning in busywork or tech headaches.
Let’s break it down, step by step.
1. Get Your Whereby House in Order
Before you invite new hires into a virtual room, make sure you actually have your own act together.
- Set up your main meeting room(s). Whereby works with persistent room links (e.g., whereby.com/yourteam). Decide if you want one room for all onboarding or separate rooms for different teams.
- Check your plan limits. Free plans limit the number of participants and rooms. If you’re bringing in more than four people or need breakout rooms, you’ll need a paid plan. Don’t find this out mid-onboarding.
- Customize rooms. Add your company logo and branding. It’s a small thing but helps new hires feel like they’re in the right place.
- Test your tech. Try out the room from different browsers and devices. Whereby works in most browsers, but some corporate networks block video tools.
Pro Tip:
Have a backup plan. If Whereby flakes out, know how to send a quick email with an alternate link (Zoom, phone, whatever). Tech fails at the worst times.
2. Prep Your Onboarding Agenda
Don’t wing it. A clear, repeatable agenda saves everyone’s sanity and helps new hires hit the ground running.
- Draft a timeline. What needs to happen on Day 1? Week 1? Make a checklist. It doesn’t need to be fancy—a Google Doc will do.
- Break it into chunks. Nobody wants a three-hour video call. Plan for 30–60 minute sessions with breaks.
- Assign roles. Who’s leading each session? Who’s the “buddy” or point of contact for questions?
- Prep materials. Link docs, slides, or handbooks in advance. Whereby allows you to drop links in the chat, but don’t rely on people catching everything live—send a follow-up email.
What to skip:
Don’t flood new hires with every detail on day one. Focus on what they need to not feel lost, not every company policy ever written.
3. Set Expectations with New Hires Before Day One
A little upfront communication goes a long way.
- Send a welcome email. Include the Whereby room link, agenda, and what they need to prepare (e.g., working webcam, stable internet).
- Explain how Whereby works. They don’t need an account, but a quick “click the link, allow camera/mic, that’s it” can prevent confusion.
- Share backup contact info. If they can’t get in, who do they email or message? Make sure it’s someone who’ll actually reply.
What doesn’t work:
Don’t assume everyone’s as tech-savvy as you. Screenshot the join process if you need to.
4. Run the First Virtual Onboarding Session
Here’s where the rubber meets the road. Keep things simple and human.
- Start with intros. Go around the virtual “room.” Keep it brief—names, roles, maybe one fun fact.
- Walk through the agenda. Set the tone: “Here’s what we’ll cover, here’s when you can ask questions.”
- Share your screen. Whereby’s screen share is basic but works. Show docs, demos, or slides as needed.
- Use the chat. Encourage questions in the chat—especially for folks who hate interrupting.
- Record the session (if appropriate). Whereby allows recording on paid plans. Clear it with your team first, and let new hires know.
Stuff to ignore:
Don’t get hung up on virtual backgrounds or icebreakers if nobody’s feeling it. Focus on being clear and helpful.
5. Make Space for Questions and One-on-One Time
Not everyone will speak up in a group. Plan for it.
- Offer office hours. Set up a recurring Whereby room for quick drop-ins or one-on-ones.
- Assign a buddy. Someone they can ping for “dumb” questions (which, let’s be honest, are usually the ones everyone has).
- Follow up afterward. Send a Slack/Teams message or email—“Anything confusing? Need a hand with anything?”
Honest advice:
Group onboarding is fine for basics, but real learning happens in small groups or one-on-one. Don’t skip this.
6. Share Resources and Keep Everything Findable
One of the worst parts of remote onboarding is not knowing where stuff is.
- Send a resource roundup. After the session, email or Slack all the links: docs, the recording (if any), org charts, how to get support.
- Pin important links. If you use a team chat, pin onboarding docs and the Whereby room link.
- Make a FAQ. Start with common questions from previous hires. Add as you go.
What to avoid:
Don’t bury info in endless email threads. One doc or Notion page everyone can access beats ten lost PDFs.
7. Iterate and Gather Feedback
Your first onboarding won’t be perfect. That’s okay.
- Ask for feedback. A two-question form is enough: “What was helpful? What was confusing?”
- Tweak as you go. Update your agenda, improve your email templates, cut what’s not working.
- Keep it human. A quick “How’s it going?” check-in a week later goes further than any fancy onboarding tool.
Caution:
Don’t overcomplicate things with more software or steps unless you really need them. Start simple.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What works: - Short, focused sessions with clear agendas - Persistent Whereby room links—no juggling new invites every time - One-on-one follow-ups (people won’t ask everything in a group)
What doesn’t: - Marathon video calls (fatigue sets in fast) - Assuming everyone’s used Whereby before - Overloading new hires with documents on day one
What to ignore: - Fancy onboarding platforms if you’re a small team—Whereby plus a shared doc is often enough - Overly polished presentations (clarity > flashiness)
Keep It Simple—And Keep Improving
Remote onboarding is never “set it and forget it.” Get the basics right: a working Whereby room, a clear plan, and a way for people to get help. Don’t get caught up chasing the latest tech or overengineering things. Start simple, listen to feedback, and make small tweaks each time. You’ll get better—and so will your new hires.