Undercover Recruiter
How to Hire the Most Successful Remote Workers
By: Sophie Deering
With technology making it possible to stay connected around the clock and work from just about anywhere, the traditional workplace is becoming more and more a thing of the past, as remote working rises in popularity.
Whereas employes previously had concerns about the productivity of their staff when working from home, companies are beginning to recognise the power of remote workers. Employees often report that they face fewer distractions when working from home so it could improve employee productivity and removing factors such as a stressful commute can improve employee morale significantly.
There are, however, a few things that must be taken into account when hiring for a remote position, that differs to a traditional role.
Hubstaff have put together this simple guide on how to interview remote workers, including the skills you should look for, how you should assess their abilities and what questions you should ask.
What qualities should you look for in a remote worker?
They should be self-motivated and demonstrate the ability to work at home without having to be prompted.
They should have the ability to creatively solve problems without needing assistance.
They must understand the importance of communication, so that other members of the team are kept up to speed with their work progress.
They must be equipped to work from home effectively – have the right software, technology, etc.
It is essential that they are well organised so they can keep on top of their work load and know what to prioritise to meet deadlines.
What strategies should be adopted when hiring remote workers?
Manage your applicants – Project management tools
Face-to-face interviews – If the applicant isn’t able to attend an in person interview due to their location, you can still hold a face to face interview with the use of Skype or Google Hangouts. You are then able to assess body language, facial expressions, etc.
Evaluate candidate for the role – You can assess their writing ability through email exchanges, text-based chats and writing exercises. Communication can be judged based on the interview or Skype chat.
Implement a probation period – This works as a bit of a trial to see how they work and adapt to a remote role. This can be anything from a week to 6 months long, depending on what you feel is necessary.
What should you ask in the interview?
What is your remote work experience? You want them to understand the pros and cons of working remotely.
What tools have you used to manage remote projects? It’s important they know how to use file sharing, communication tools, etc.
How do you stay focused? From this you can learn how they plan on fulfilling their responsibilities and deadlines.
What kind of hours do you work? Find out whether they plan on working normal office hours, so you can be sure they will be available when you need them.
Tips for onboarding remote workers
Schedule regular meetings to discuss projects and resolve any issues that arise before they can cause any damage.
Keep communication open so that you can provide them with the necessary feedback on their progress and they can contact you easily when they need to discuss something.
Set them up with all of the relevant tools and software that they need for the job, including tracking software, project management systems, etc.
