The covid-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst towards remote employment. In an effort to shift operations quickly to keep people safe, businesses are now realizing the true potential of remote working. Pair this with the consistent trend towards a globalized economy, and you see a growing demand for a more globalized workforce.
Being able to employ individuals that can work from home has a number of benefits for both the business and the employee. For a business, hiring remote workers can reduce the cost of office space and equipment, while also increasing the talent pool. For an employee, remote work can provide a healthier work-life balance and a more conducive environment for productivity. Businesses that extend their reach beyond the bounds of their physical location also increase the likelihood of finding qualified candidates, while expanding the team’s diversity.
So now that we understand the benefits of hiring remotely, how do you do it? In this article, we will take a look at some of the key steps to hire remote talent and what it is you should look for in an employee too curate the perfect team, all from a distance.
1. Establish the Parameters For Hiring
Businesses should consider the bounds to which they are willing to hire. Of course, a larger range of opportunities will increase the size of the talent pool, but hiring individuals in certain areas may not be ideal for all. Some companies may wish to only hire within their own country in an effort to maintain national operations, while others may be more willing to hire internationally. It is also important to consider the time zones that potential talent may be working in, as some jobs may require an employee to be active during the hours of operation of the headquarters. Regardless of limitations, your business may have, establishing a clear bound of talent acquisition is the first step to remote recruiting.
2. Avail of the Internet to Reach the Right Talent
The internet is full of websites dedicated to advertising job opportunities in a variety of industries to individuals seeking employment. Websites such as Indeed, LinkedIn, CareerBuilder all showcase a wide variety of job opportunities for their visitors. It is important to take advantage of these websites to help expand your reach to the right remote talent. These websites also let you determine the range of locations that your job posting will appear in, allowing you to showcase the open position to talent in the right locations efficiently and effectively.
3. Consider Your Company Culture
An area of concern when hiring remote talent is making sure that when the employee is hired, there is enough communication between the business and the employee, beginning with effective onboarding. It is important to establish a process for keeping your remote talent engaged to avoid them feeling the negative impact of their physical distance. A company culture that encourages remote work, is inclusive of their remote workers, and also does what is necessary to provide for a conducive remote working environment will get the most out of their remote employees.
4. What to Look For in Remote Talent
The ideal employee for remote work can only be found when you know what to look for. Below is a list of attributes that make up a great remote employee.
- Productive
It has been stated in recent studies that remote employees are more productive, but this is likely due to the fact that companies hiring full-time remote talent have established processes for managing and engaging remote workers. Regardless, finding talent with a proven track record of productivity, or providing an opportunity for the talent to prove themselves is key. Productivity is an important attribute of any employee, and remote is no different.
- Motivated
An employee’s motivation comes from both themselves and their employer. Studies have shown that companies are able to better motivate their remote workers through effective goal setting. Finding receptive talent and establishing a series of attainable goals for them to accomplish is a great way to keep their motivation high as well as their productivity.
- Flexible
Things change in a remote environment, and employees should be able to adapt quickly. Due to the fact that remote employees are not physically present at the company meetings, and could miss discussions that may bring about changes, they should have a flexible spirit that allows them to shift gears and adapt quickly and efficiently.
- Effective Communicator
A common concern for businesses looking to go remote is the communication barrier that physical distance may create. Modern technology provides us with an array of instant communication options for remote employees to avail of. Remote talent must be comfortable using various communication platforms such as Zoom, Teams, or GSuite, and be able to translate their concerns in an efficient and effective manner through these platforms.
It is also important that they attend virtual meetings with other staff members whenever possible as it is likely their only opportunity to communicate with their coworkers.
- Well-Organized
Organization is key for remote work not only for the success of the employee, but for others in the company as well. The company must provide the tools necessary to organize and access projects using services such as DropBox or Google Drive. Conversely, remote workers must effectively use these services properly to keep their work well-arranged and accessible for both themselves and the rest of the team.
- Results-Oriented
When working remotely, it can be easy for an employee to “look busy” by simply remaining active on their online work platform. However, the best remote talent understands that their performance is not based solely on the time they spend active, but rather the results of their time. This provides a unique opportunity for an employer to set their expectations clearly, and allows a remote hire to showcase their talents based on their skill and efficiency rather than their ability to look busy. For many, this way of working is more motivating as well.
Hiring remote talent takes more than just allowing your team to work from home, and providing the platform to do so. It is a full company effort that requires a change in the mindset of human resources, the management, and the team. When moving to remote employment, it may be time to re-evaluate the needs of your team. With the right team, the right management, and an effective company culture, a business can have success moving to a more remote working environment.
Jump Recruitment is an industry-leading recruitment firm located in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. We help companies find the right candidate, matching people with jobs in Newfoundland & Labrador, across Canada, and throughout North America.