4 Tips When Recruiting Remote Workers

Recruiting remote workers is something that an increasing number of companies will face moving forwards; after all, 2020 has been the year of home working.

However, while many workforces have adapted to operating remotely, many still won’t have faced the challenge of recruiting and onboarding new employees virtually.

While the fundamentals of recruiting remote workers are the same as office-based staff, there are a number of other factors you need to think about.

What are the main things to consider when recruiting remote workers?

1. Make sure your company is set up to interview and onboard remote employees

Before you start your recruitment campaign, it’s vital that you have the structure in place to interview and hire employees remotely.

This includes technology, for example video conferencing or interviewing software, HR or recruitment technology with an employee onboarding portal and remote working communication tools, such as Slack or Teams.

However, this also includes time and resources. Remote workers who are new to your company will require more time and attention to keep them engaged and get them fully trained up. Make sure you have plenty of digital resources and guides that can help your new remote worker get settled in and ensure that there’s a full induction plan in place.

2. Provide as much information as possible in your job advert

When recruiting for remote workers, you should aim to provide applicants with as much information as possible.

Consider the following points and address them in your job advert:

Can candidates really work from anywhere or do they need to be in the same time zone?
What equipment will you provide?
Will the role be remote on a permanent basis or will it transition to an office-based role in the future?

By communicating these details prior to candidates applying for your role, you’re more likely to attract suitable applicants.

3. Ask about previous remote working experience

Not everyone is suited to remote working, which is why it’s important to ask candidates if they have previous experience of working from home.

If your candidate has previously worked remotely, ask about their experiences and consider the below:

What aspects of remote working did they enjoy?
Did their employer make it easy to work remotely or were there areas that could have been improved?
Did they work as part of a remote team or were they operating in a solo capacity?

If your candidate doesn’t have any remote working experience, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t be suited to it; however, you should make sure they have the right soft-skills, such as self-motivation, discipline and time management.

4. Set clear communication strategies

The strength of your communications can play a large role in the success of your remote working strategy. Consider the tools you will use to communicate with your remote employees on a daily basis and how often will you communicate with them?

While it’s important not to slip into micro-management mode by checking in on them constantly, it’s important to make your remote workers feel like they’re truly part of your organisation. Arrange team calls, as well as individual catch-ups. This is particularly important when they first join the business so they can meet their new colleagues and get to know them.

Finally, you should aim to keep the level of communication consistent; it’s not a good employee experience to go days without hearing from your colleagues to then be bombarded with emails and meeting requests. Keep communications regular but not constant.

Want to improve your remote employee recruitment and onboarding process? Book a demo of Webrecruit ATS.