With so many companies today moving towards an increasingly remote workforce, the manner in which hiring takes place is shifting as well.
No longer being in the same office with many of your employees means that you need to take more time on the front end to ensure that your recruitment and training strategies are in line with your company vision and mission.
This requires a shift in thinking, so continue reading to learn more about how to hire remote workers in the modern era.
Table of Contents
Strategies for Finding and Hiring the Right Remote Workers
The key to hiring any new employee is to make sure that the person is the right fit for the company. It takes a lot of money and time to recruit and train any individual employee, and these figures are often compounded when it comes to remote workers.
To make the best use of company resources, the following seven strategies should be implemented in order to find and hire the right remote workers.
01. Know the Motivations Behind Remote Work
Before you set out to hire someone for remote work, you need to first carefully consider why someone would want such a job in the first place.
Understanding the motivations behind someone seeking out a remote job position will help you know what separates such candidates from others.
Some people seeking remote jobs are looking for a certain level of flexibility in their work that allows them to take care of their children or aging parents.
Many people, on the other hand, would like to remain living in their current location but there are not enough available jobs available there in their chosen field.
Understanding the type of person who is looking for remote work can help you make a more informed decision when it comes to hiring the best candidate.
02. Maintain Some Flexibility
Many employers are still stuck in an 8 to 5 workday concept, but that is not always necessary when it comes to remote work.
Unless you have a need for a particular shift to man the phones or computer during certain times of the day, you will want to consider having a more flexible work from home policy.
Many people like the option of starting their day very early in the morning so that they can attend functions for their children in the late afternoon.
This is one of the perks of remote work. Others, especially young people, might prefer a later start to their day.
If you can build some flexibility into the remote work schedule, promote that when you advertise your open positions.
03. Look in the Right Places
It is also important that you know where to look for remote workers. Such individuals tend to shun the major Internet recruiting sites. Instead, you will want to look for such employees on specialized sites that are unique to their field.
Remote workers also tend to highlight their skills on social media. That is where you will want to be as well if you are looking for the most qualified individuals for any given open position. LinkedIn is a popular job site that employers should be looking at today.
This is where many remote workers will keep their professional information updated.
04. Soft Skills are Important
Do not negate the importance of soft skills when it comes to remote workers. While you want to make sure that your chosen candidate has the necessary experience you need to complete the job effectively, you will also be looking for certain intangibles that may not show up on the resume.
Remote workers need to have a certain level of independence and the ability to manage their time more effectively than other types of employees. These are the type of soft skills that you will want to be looking for.
If you have a few candidates that you are considering and are looking to determine what sets one apart from the others, it is the soft skills that will often make the decision for you.
05. Highlight the Benefits
There are certain perks associated with remote work that are not available for other types of employment. You should not be afraid to highlight these.
In many cases, someone may accept your offer at a lower salary than one that comes with a lengthy commute and less flexibility.
At the same time, a competitive salary in a field with limited candidates can go a long way towards attracting a great remote worker when added benefits are thrown into the mix.
06. Give Leading Candidates a Test
You may find a situation where you end up with a few candidates who you are struggling to choose from. This is a perfect occasion for a test. It is important to ensure that any remote worker possesses a certain level of time management ability.
Come up with a task for them to complete by a certain deadline and then determine which of the candidates performs the best. This also measures a remote worker’s ability to perform well under stress.
07. Set a Probationary Period
Since this is a new style of work for many companies, a probation period may be needed to ensure that you find the most suitable remote worker.
You can try someone out for a few weeks to make sure they can live up to expectations and that they are the best fit for your company.
This is also an effective way of making sure a new person can work well within an existing team structure. Have them give it a go for a few weeks and then discuss things with the team manager before making the situation permanent.
Summary
There are many advantages to hiring a remote worker. You may find out that this model works well for your company and that you end up saving a great deal of money in the process. At the same time, you will want to ensure that you follow the steps outlined in this article so that you find the most qualified and experienced individuals who can work well for you in a remote environment. If you can do that, then your efficiency and productivity should increase on the whole.