Onboarding an offshore team member: the first 90 days

Most offshore hires that struggle do so for the same reason as local hires: the role and the way of working weren't clear enough at the start. A little preparation before day one makes the first three months much smoother.

Before day one

• ✓Write down the ten or so tasks you most want handed over, in order of priority
• ✓Record short screen videos of how each task is done today. They become your training library
• ✓Decide who your team member goes to with questions, and when that person is available
• ✓Agree the shift window. Pakistan is five hours behind AEST, six during daylight saving
• ✓List the systems they need. We set up and test secure access before they start

The first week

Start with introductions to the people they will work with, then a few small, well-defined tasks with quick feedback. A 15-minute check-in at the start of each day works well in the first week: what's planned, what's unclear, and what got done yesterday.

Weeks two to four

Hand over complete tasks rather than pieces of them. Turn each one into a simple checklist as you go, and move the daily check-in to a weekly one-to-one once the work is flowing. Written communication matters more with a team member in another country, so keep instructions in one shared place.

Months two and three

By now your team member should own their core tasks. Add the next tasks from your list, agree how you will measure the work, such as turnaround time, accuracy or tickets closed, and review it together each month.

If the fit isn't right

Sometimes, despite everyone's best efforts, the match doesn't work. If that happens in the first three months, we replace the person at no cost to you, with no further set-up fee.

Your 10Birds account manager can help with any of these steps, from the task list to the first weekly review.