With more companies embracing remote work and distributed teams, hiring remote employees has become an essential skill for managers and HR professionals. Building a productive and cohesive virtual team requires adapting your hiring practices to attract top remote talent. Let’s walk through key strategies and best practices for remote hiring success.
Define the Role and Required Skills
The first step is carefully defining the role, including the required hard and soft skills. For remote roles, effective written and verbal communication abilities are especially critical. You’ll also want self-starters who can work independently and collaborate across distances and time zones. Clearly outline responsibilities, expectations, required hours and work schedule.
Update Your Job Descriptions
Job descriptions are your first impression on candidates. Ensure your remote opportunities stand out by highlighting the location flexibility and virtual nature of the role. Use words like “remote”, “virtual”, “telecommute” and “work from home”. Share details like the required hours, if the hours are flexible, and expected communication frequencies.
Expand Your Candidate Search
One benefit of remote hiring is that it expands your talent pool beyond local geography. Use online job boards and social media to promote roles. Consider partnering with a remote staffing agency that specializes in remote hiring. They can use their networks and screening process to provide quality remote candidates. Make sure to avoid limiting language about commuting distance or residency requirements.
Rethink Your Interview Process
Conducting effective remote interviews requires some adjustments. Schedule video calls instead of in-person meetings when possible. Test technology beforehand and have a back-up option if video fails. Send the interview questions ahead of time so candidates can prepare. Allow time for some casual conversation to get to know the candidate as a person. Evaluate not just experience and skills but also communication abilities, work style and self-motivation.
Prioritize Asynchronous Communication
Daily team video meetings can be draining for global teams across time zones. Focus more on clear asynchronous communication like email, chat and project management platforms. Set expectations upfront on response times and channels to use for different needs. Train managers on leading remote teams and schedule regular one-on-one check-ins.
Invest in Onboarding and Training
It takes more effort to train and onboard remote employees you don’t see face-to-face. Develop a thorough virtual onboarding checklist that introduces new hires to the team, tools and systems. Consider sending a welcome package to their home address. Assign a mentor they can shadow and schedule video calls to walk through training. Be ready to provide ongoing coaching and feedback.
Build Engagement Opportunities
Isolated remote workers can struggle with disengagement and loneliness. Organize regular virtual social events like remote coffee breaks, happy hours or show-and-tell sessions. Celebrate work anniversaries and employee accomplishments. Fly remote workers into headquarters quarterly for team building activities and face time with leadership when possible. Send care packages and company swag they can proudly sport at their home office.
Prioritize Flexibility and Work-Life Balance
Allow flexibility in working hours and locations when possible. Avoid rigid policies around online hours or prescribed work environments. Judge remote employees based on productivity and results rather than time spent visibly online. Respect personal time and avoid excessive after-hours communication. Build a culture that values work-life balance and flexibility.
Use Collaboration Technology
Provide digital tools to connect distributed employees through messaging, video conferencing, document sharing and collaboration platforms. Train everyone on using the technology effectively. Set guidelines around response expectations and etiquette for communicating virtually. Don’t default to email for everything – sometimes a quick video call can resolve topics faster.
Measurement and Accountability
Set clear objectives and key results for remote employees and share progress in recurring one-on-one meetings. Conduct annual or biannual virtual performance reviews. Request upward feedback on their manager’s effectiveness in leading remote teams. Tie bonuses and promotions directly to performance rather than physical presence in an office.
Embracing remote work means adjusting legacy hiring and management practices. Following these best practices will help build a stellar remote team positioned for long-term success.
