9 Tips on Hiring Remote Employees

How to Hire Remote Employees

Here is a checklist of the 10 hiring tips on remote employees.

Have a Clear Job Description

Monitoring your future remote employees closely will be hard. Everything will be done digitally and virtually. You need to clarify to them at the very beginning of their tasks and what they should expect from the posts. Clear job descriptions aren’t just for your candidates’ sake, these are also for your own reference. When you post clear job descriptions, you pull more compatible applicants towards you. Additionally, you end up with specific qualifications for your job postings.

Find the Quality Candidates for Remote Work

What are the skills needed for a productive and successful remote employee? Jot down the qualifications you need for the right candidates. A remote worker must be highly-motivated, has proven good work ethics, technically well-informed and practiced, and can work with no distractions at home or in their preferred working place. Applicants who say they work best in a team or need constant supervision are not for remote jobs.

Consider Their Location

Hiring remote employees means that you will have the chance to get outstanding talents globally. However, their excellent skills are nothing when their environment is not fit for remote work. Consider the location of your applicants if it’s conducive for your business. Check if the location has easy access to troubleshooting, or if the internet signal is reliable. It is also important to make sure that the place is away from trouble. With the convenience of the internet, everything is one search away.

Gather Information

It’s time for you to knock on your candidate database or online job portals where your job postings are. Do you need at least college graduates? Do you need applicants with work experience? Gather as many qualified candidates as you can and pile their resumes and credentials. When you do these, it will be easier for you to pick the best ones once you have already sorted out specific attributes you need from the candidates.

Set Up Communication System

According to Forbes, one of the major problems in recruitment is rescheduled interviews because of technology problems. You need tools that can be conveniently used by your remote team as well as your candidates. As early as possible, provide them with the list of communication tools they’ll be needing. You will need software for video conferencing and office chat. Assign your HR officers to assist your candidates with setting everything up.

Do Video Interview Instead of Phone

This is to check first-hand if your candidates meet your standards and expectations on their internet connection. Aside from that, you will see if the candidates are integrated with technology and know-how to handle a cyberspace interview confidently.

Define Your Company Culture

Explain to your candidates what makes your company what it is. Define to them your standards, goals, work ethics, and mission-vision statements. However, it is essential for you to cultivate a culture that employees love and want. Does your company thrive through leadership? Does it dwell in excellent results and services? Highlight your company’s best attributes to attract top talents.

Ask Right Questions

To assess the candidates if they fit in the roles and in your company culture, ask them the right questions. Let them tell you something that isn’t on their resumes. You will know how dedicated they are with work when they share something work-related. Also ask them about their career accomplishments. It’s good to know that your future employees know how to be ecstatic with what they do. This question will reveal a lot about what kind of employees they are. Ask them why they want to work for you and why they chose the position. These will show if they’ve researched your company and of the roles they are about to take. Lastly, it is vital to ask them about their strengths and weaknesses. These will tell if they are truly compatible to be your remote employees.

Evaluate Them and Give Probationary Period

Evaluate whether they have met your standards for skills, location, job commodities, and confidence. Once they pass your assessment on their overall compatibility to your company and to the job post, give a probationary period. During this period, it is crucial for you to orient your new hires with work procedures. Give follow-up sessions to them while they’re on their adjustment period. Lastly, tell them of the probationary rules and regularization procedures. Inspire your new hires of the regularization pros and perks for better performance, including your internal job postings for growth. Their probationary period is a phase wherein you carefully evaluate if they are generally compatible to work for you in the long run. So observe their performances, and give constant feedback for their improvement to help them surpass this period.

To sum everything up, hiring remote employees reduces effort and time for employees to travel. Their flexible work situation will improve your employee engagement and employee relations as an HR leader—which means high productivity. Last but not the least, you get no geographic limit in choosing employees which gives you a higher chance to get the best ones! However, without proper HR planning, you risk all your investments. With those said, follow the tips given above and you will continuously attract excellent candidates and earn their employee commitment—all for your company’s success.

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