London — Joining a new company can be tough at the best of times, with bosses to impress, skills to learn and new colleagues to befriend.
One young trader hired by a major European bank as the British lockdown began said remote working had made corporate culture even tougher to navigate. A new joiner at a different, London-based bank said his interviewers had appeared to study his bookshelves and photos while asking questions, and that he does not expect to meet his colleagues in person until 2021, though he joined in May.
Founded in 2016, Moneybox has taken on 35 new hires during the lockdown to a total headcount of 135. It initially held off from filling roles requiring interaction with multiple teams, such as developers, Jack Johnstone, head of human resources and talent, said, but overcame those fears.Its approach mirrors those of major banks including Standard Chartered, Citi and Deutsche Bank, which have all rapidly redesigned their interview and orientation process.
Virtual face-to-face meetings are held much more regularly with managers, buddy partners are formed with existing staff and an array of tech platforms are used to maintain communication.