In the digital age, remote work and virtual teams have become the norm for many organizations. As a result, virtual onboarding—helping new employees integrate into their roles, understand company culture, and access necessary resources—has become a critical aspect of employee retention and productivity. However, the virtual onboarding process can often feel disconnected or overwhelming, especially when it comes to conveying complex information about company policies, team structures, and day-to-day workflows.
This is where infographics come in. Infographics are powerful tools for simplifying complex information and presenting it in a visually engaging and easy-to-digest format. They allow companies to present key concepts, timelines, and organizational structures in a way that is not only informative but also engaging, making the onboarding process smoother and more memorable for new hires.
In this article, we will explore how to use infographics for virtual onboarding sessions. From streamlining essential processes to improving communication, infographics can play a significant role in ensuring that new employees feel informed, supported, and motivated from day one.
1. Why Use Infographics for Virtual Onboarding?
Before diving into how to design and implement infographics in your virtual onboarding program, let’s first explore why they are so effective:
i. Simplify Complex Information
Virtual onboarding often involves a lot of information—company policies, benefits, IT procedures, team introductions, and more. Infographics help break down these complex topics into bite-sized, easy-to-understand visuals. By visualizing concepts like workflow, timelines, or organizational structures, you make it easier for employees to grasp essential information quickly, reducing cognitive overload.
ii. Boost Engagement and Retention
Infographics, when designed well, are visually stimulating and memorable. Engaging visuals help new employees stay focused and retain information better than plain text or verbal explanations alone. This is especially important in virtual settings, where it’s easy for employees to disengage during long online sessions.
iii. Enhance Accessibility and Consistency
Virtual onboarding typically involves various resources, including videos, documents, and emails. Infographics can bring consistency to the experience by visually representing key processes, structures, and expectations across all materials. They also make information more accessible, catering to different learning styles, including visual learners who may struggle with text-heavy content.
iv. Improve Communication Across Teams
Infographics can be used to clarify communication between departments or teams, providing new employees with a clear understanding of who does what, what tools are used, and how workflows are structured. This ensures that employees know exactly where to turn for help or information, leading to a smoother and more collaborative onboarding experience.
2. Key Areas Where Infographics Can Be Used in Virtual Onboarding
To make the most of infographics, they should be integrated into various stages of the virtual onboarding process. Below are key areas where infographics can add significant value:
i. Welcome and Introduction to the Company
The very first step of onboarding is familiarizing new hires with the company. Infographics can make this process much more engaging and less overwhelming by visually representing essential information such as:
- Company Overview: Infographics can show the company’s history, mission, and values, providing new hires with a quick snapshot of what the company stands for.
- Leadership and Key Teams: Organizational charts can visually display the leadership hierarchy, helping employees understand reporting structures and key players within the organization.
- Company Culture and Values: Instead of a long document listing values, create an infographic that visually conveys the company’s core beliefs and expectations in a way that’s easy to remember.
By designing visually appealing graphics for these elements, you can engage new hires from the start and help them feel more connected to the company and its culture.
ii. Policies and Procedures
Every company has a set of essential policies and procedures that need to be communicated during onboarding. These might include rules on working hours, attendance, communication standards, and expectations for performance. While these topics can feel tedious and dry, infographics can make them more digestible. Consider including:
- Employee Handbook Highlights: Use infographics to break down the most critical sections of the employee handbook, such as time-off policies, performance reviews, and code of conduct.
- Compliance and Legal Requirements: Infographics can simplify compliance topics such as safety protocols, nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), or workplace harassment policies.
- Benefits and Compensation: Create visual representations of benefits packages, retirement plans, and insurance options, showing the process of selecting and enrolling in benefits.
By turning these often-difficult topics into visual guides, you can ensure that your new hires understand and remember the key policies and procedures they need to follow.
iii. Workflow and Daily Operations
Understanding the workflow and daily operations is one of the most important aspects of a successful onboarding process. Infographics can help break down various aspects of an employee’s role and how they fit into the larger team. Examples include:
- Job Responsibilities: Use an infographic to represent the day-to-day responsibilities of a new hire in a clear and visually appealing way.
- Daily or Weekly Schedules: Present a daily or weekly schedule in an infographic format, showing key meetings, tasks, and milestones.
- Tools and Software: Design infographics that explain the various tools and platforms used by the company (e.g., project management tools, communication platforms, time tracking systems), providing links or QR codes for easy access.
These infographics not only clarify what is expected but also help new employees understand how they will contribute to the broader team’s success.
iv. Communication and Collaboration
Effective communication is a cornerstone of a successful onboarding experience. Infographics can help new employees understand the internal communication channels and best practices:
- Communication Flow: Use flow charts or diagrams to depict the communication process, showing how different teams or departments interact, share updates, or escalate issues.
- Collaboration Tools: Show which tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom) are used for various communication needs, such as team chats, video calls, or project management.
- Meeting Structures: Create infographics to outline the structure of regular meetings—like team stand-ups or project reviews—showing expectations for participation, frequency, and format.
With well-placed infographics, new hires will have a much clearer understanding of how to communicate effectively within their team and across the company.
v. Onboarding Timeline and Milestones
Onboarding can sometimes feel like a never-ending process. To keep new hires on track, infographics are excellent tools for illustrating the timeline and key milestones they should expect to reach during their onboarding journey. This could include:
- Day 1 to 30 Timeline: A visual timeline representing the first month of onboarding, broken down by key milestones (e.g., meeting key team members, completing mandatory training, setting up accounts).
- 30, 60, 90 Day Goals: Infographics can highlight the objectives and expectations for the first 90 days in a new role. This could include performance goals, skill development, and milestones for team integration.
A timeline infographic can provide structure and clarity, ensuring new employees know what to expect and feel motivated to meet key milestones.
3. Best Practices for Designing Infographics for Virtual Onboarding
While infographics are incredibly powerful, the design plays a critical role in their effectiveness. To ensure your infographics are both visually appealing and informative, here are some best practices:
i. Keep It Simple and Focused
Onboarding infographics should focus on delivering a single, clear message. Don’t overwhelm new hires with too much information in one visual. Instead, focus on key takeaways, using clear headings, concise text, and relevant visuals. Ensure that each infographic serves a specific purpose, whether it’s explaining company policies, showcasing the team structure, or outlining an employee’s responsibilities.
ii. Use a Consistent Visual Style
Consistency in design helps new hires easily navigate through the onboarding materials. Use the same color scheme, fonts, and iconography throughout your infographics. This creates a cohesive and professional experience while reinforcing your brand identity.
iii. Incorporate Interactive Elements
If you’re using a digital onboarding platform, consider incorporating interactive elements into your infographics. Interactive infographics allow new hires to click on different sections to reveal more detailed information or to navigate through layers of content. This can make the experience feel more engaging and personalized.
iv. Use Icons and Imagery
Icons and imagery can greatly enhance the clarity and effectiveness of your infographics. Use universally recognized symbols (e.g., a calendar icon for scheduling, a clock for time management) to represent key actions or concepts. This helps new hires quickly grasp complex ideas and improves overall readability.
v. Be Mindful of Accessibility
It’s crucial that your infographics are accessible to all employees, including those with disabilities. Consider using high-contrast colors, legible fonts, and alt text for all images and graphics. This ensures that your content is usable for employees with visual impairments or those who rely on screen readers.
4. Tools for Creating Infographics for Virtual Onboarding
Creating effective infographics requires the right tools. Fortunately, there are several platforms available that can help you design visually stunning and interactive onboarding materials. Some popular tools include:
- Canva: A user-friendly design tool that offers a wide range of infographic templates, icons, and customizable options for creating onboarding infographics.
- Visme: Another powerful infographic tool that allows for easy creation of interactive infographics, complete with animations and clickable elements.
- Venngage: A design platform that provides customizable templates for creating professional-looking infographics, charts, and visual content.
- Piktochart: An infographic tool that allows for the easy creation of interactive and visually appealing onboarding materials.
- Adobe Illustrator: For more advanced designers, Illustrator offers the flexibility to create custom, high-quality infographics from scratch.
5. Measuring the Impact of Infographics in Virtual Onboarding
After implementing infographics in your virtual onboarding sessions, it’s important to measure their effectiveness. Here are some key metrics to track:
- Employee Engagement: Use engagement metrics such as click-through rates and time spent on onboarding materials to gauge how well employees interact with infographics.
- Retention and Understanding: Conduct follow-up surveys or quizzes to test employees’ understanding of key concepts presented in the infographics.
- Feedback: Ask new employees for feedback on the clarity, visual appeal, and usefulness of the infographics, and use this information to continuously improve the onboarding process.
Conclusion
Infographics are a powerful tool for enhancing virtual onboarding experiences, offering a simple yet effective way to communicate essential information, clarify complex processes, and engage new employees. By incorporating well-designed visuals, companies can make their onboarding sessions more interactive, accessible, and memorable. Whether you’re introducing company policies, explaining job responsibilities, or highlighting key milestones, infographics can simplify the onboarding process and help new hires feel more confident, informed, and connected from day one.