Insights

Remote employees work for your business, just not on your premises. They may work from home, in co-working spaces, or even in another country. Opening up recruitment to remote workers expands your available talent pool by removing geographic restrictions and facilitating increased diversity.

There are many benefits to hiring remote employees, from a reduction in overheads to the increased availability of talent. Many remote workers are familiar with contracting, so they are used to managing their time to complete work to a high standard and according to deadlines. They are often quick to learn, adept at solving problems and comfortable with a range of collaborative online software. However, recruiting without a face-to-face interview presents its own challenges, and hiring managers can be overwhelmed by the volume of applications for these in-demand remote roles. 

Here are some key areas to consider when recruiting remotely.

The job specification

Be honest about the scope of remote working you offer. There are many different models for remote work, so this is a great time to be clear about your business's needs and expectations. Some questions to consider include:

• Are you comfortable with fully remote workers, or do you encourage time in the office following more of a hybrid model?
• Are there timezone requirements or a requirement to visit the office monthly or quarterly?
• Is the role open to workers outside of your country? If so, have you considered payroll and tax implications?
• Are you comfortable with employees working flexible hours, or are set hours required?

Advertising

This is your opportunity to showcase the company culture. A short video can help here, as can using personal stories to illustrate how your team works together. If you are specifically targeting remote workers, consider job boards specific to those candidates, such as RemoteUK, Remote Worker and Jobgether.

Assessments

Setting a task or online assessments to screen applications and assess skill level can be particularly useful in shortlisting for remote positions. These assessments can be purely skill based to sift out candidates who do not reach the required skill level for the role or more personality and soft skill-based, which often come later in the process to assess team fit.

The interview

Always schedule a video call, and ensure you have a backup phone number in case of technical difficulties. Ask both the interviewer and interviewee to ensure they have a quiet space for the call. During the interview, make a point of discussing the expectations around management and communication for this role.

Offer to start date

Keep your candidate fully informed throughout the period from offer to starting work. A timeline on delivery of any kit alongside your induction and onboarding schedule can help put their mind at ease, helping them feel secure in the role and excited to get to work!