Remote work is not a trend; it's the future. Many companies are embracing remote work and hiring remote employees as well, because of the added benefits of higher productivity, less wasted time, and lower overhead firsthand.

Remote Companies looking to attract and retain top talent have to implement remote work policies.

95% of U.S. knowledge workers want to work remotely, and 74 percent would be willing to quit a job to do so. In fact, workspace and flexible hours are some of the key trends in the workplace in 2023.- Zapier

There are several things that companies consider before hiring remote employees. We are thus providing a step-by-step process, which is essential for your company to hire remote employees.

The idea of hiring remote employees seems quite attractive since the group of potential candidates is much larger. Besides, much more work is done without cramming the office space and is cost-effective. Everyone wins!

Before you dig in the process, it is crucial to finalize what type of candidates you want to hire and which skills fit your job description perfectly? Currently, with technological progress and new forms of communication, a remote company has many more potential candidates to choose from when we are talking about hiring remote workers.

It is necessary to prepare yourself as a company before commencing remote interviews, so your expectations are set from the beginning. But what should you examine before hiring remote workers?

Key Characteristics and Skills of Successful Remote Employees

No not everyone is capable enough to work remotely. Sourcing the right candidates is important. Before you start hiring ,it is important to decide on the skills that suit perfectly to your future remote employees:

  1. Self-Discipline and Trustworthy
  2. Focused and Driven
  3. Strong Written and Verbal Communication Skills
  4. Independent Troubleshooter and Problem Solvers
  5. Flexible and Adaptable in any environment
  6. Punctual And Responsive
  7. Able to avoiding distractions when working from home
  8. Virtual collaboration skills

Why is hiring remote employees great for business?

Hiring remote employees can bring several significant benefits to businesses. Here are several reasons why it can be advantageous:

1. Access to a Global Talent Pool

Remote hiring allows businesses to access a broader and more diverse talent pool, without being constrained by geographical limitations. This allows companies to find the right skills and experience easily.

2. Cost Savings

  • Reduced Overheads: Businesses can save on office space, utilities, and other overhead costs associated with maintaining a physical workspace.
  • Lower Salaries: Depending on the location, remote employees might accept lower salaries compared to employees living in high-cost areas.

3. Increased Productivity

  • Flexible Scheduling: Remote work often results in increased productivity as employees can work during their most productive hours and take breaks as needed.
  • Less Commute Stress: The elimination of daily commutes can reduce stress and fatigue, allowing employees to start their day more refreshed and focused.

4. Enhanced Employee Satisfaction and Retention

  • Work-life Balance: The flexibility associated with remote work can lead to a better work-life balance, increasing job satisfaction and employee morale.
  • Reduced Turnover: Satisfied and engaged employees are more likely to stay with the company, reducing turnover and the associated costs of hiring and training new employees.

5. Scalability

Remote hiring allows businesses to scale their teams quickly to meet operational demands without needing to worry about the limitations of physical office space. Having employees in different time zones can help in providing services around the clock and better serve global customers.

6. Enhanced Competitive Advantage

Offering remote work can make a company more attractive to potential employees, especially those seeking flexibility, which can be a differentiating factor in competitive job markets.

7. Innovation and Diversity & Inclusion

Exposure to diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experiences can drive creativity and innovation within teams, leading to the development of unique solutions and products. Hiring from different regions and countries allows businesses to create more diverse and inclusive teams, bringing various perspectives and ideas, which can lead to better problem-solving and innovation.

8. Optimized Resource Allocation

Savings from reduced overheads can be reallocated to areas like research and development, marketing, employee benefits, and other aspects that can contribute to business growth.

What are the Challenges of Managing Remote Workers?

Managing remote workers presents its unique set of challenges, even though it can offer various benefits for both employers and employees. Here are some of the challenges of managing remote workers:

1. Maintaining Team Cohesion

  • Lack of Face-to-face Interaction: Remote working can limit the spontaneous interactions and casual conversations that typically occur in an office environment, potentially leading to a sense of isolation among team members.
  • Building a Unified Culture: Fostering a shared culture and values can be more difficult when employees are not physically present together.

2. Ensuring Productivity

  • Monitoring Performance: Keeping track of employee productivity and work output can be challenging with remote teams.
  • Setting Clear Expectations: Clearly communicating tasks, goals, and deadlines is crucial to avoid misunderstandings and maintain accountability.

3. Effective Communication

  • Miscommunications: The lack of face-to-face interactions can sometimes lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
  • Over-reliance on Written Communication: Emails and messages may lack the nuance and context of verbal communication, potentially leading to confusion.

4. Maintaining Work-Life Balance

  • Boundary Issues: Remote employees may struggle to separate professional responsibilities from personal life, leading to burnout and stress.
  • Managing Work Hours: It can be difficult to ensure that employees are not overworking or underworking when working remotely.

5. Addressing Technical Issues

  • Access to Technology: Remote employees need access to the right tools and technology to perform their tasks effectively.
  • Resolving IT Problems: Troubleshooting and resolving IT issues can be more cumbersome for remote workers.

6. Providing Training and Development

  • Professional Development: Offering growth and learning opportunities can be more complex in a remote environment.
  • Orientation and Onboarding: Integrating new hires and acquainting them with company culture and processes is a critical aspect that can be challenging to execute remotely.

7. Data Security and Compliance

  • Maintaining Security: Protecting sensitive information and maintaining data security are vital, and can be challenging with remote access.
  • Ensuring Compliance: Adhering to data protection regulations and policies is crucial when employees are working from various locations.
  • Employment Laws: Navigating and complying with different employment laws and regulations for remote workers, especially those in different regions or countries, can be complex.
  • Contractual Obligations: Crafting legally sound and comprehensive contracts for remote employees requires diligence and attention to detail.

Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that includes leveraging technology, creating robust policies, and fostering open and frequent communication. By proactively addressing these challenges, companies can create a positive and productive environment for remote workers, ultimately leveraging the full potential of remote work.

How to Hire a Remote Worker?

1.Creating an Effective Remote Job Posting

Creating an effective remote job description is vital to attract qualified candidates. The description should be clear, concise, and accurately represent the role and its responsibilities. Here’s a step-by-step guide to create an effective remote job description:

  • Start with a Clear Job Title: Use a specific and commonly recognized title that accurately reflects the role. Keep it simple and avoid using internal jargon or overly complex terms.
  • Provide a Company Overview: Briefly describe your company, its mission, values, and culture. Describe your company’s approach to remote work and any relevant policies or practices.
  • Clearly Outline Job Responsibilities: List the primary duties and responsibilities and clearly mention any expectations regarding availability, meetings, and working hours.
  • Specify Qualifications and Skills: Clearly list the essential skills, experiences, and qualifications required for the role. Mention any soft skills such as communication, time management, and teamwork that are crucial for remote work.
  • Include Remote Work Arrangement Details: Clearly state if there are any geographic restrictions or time zone preferences. Also, specify if the role is full-time, part-time, contract-based, and if there are fixed working hours or a flexible schedule.
  • Describe Compensation and Benefits: If possible, include the salary range or hourly rate. List any benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, or professional development opportunities. Highlight any additional perks like wellness programs, flexible vacation policies, or remote work stipends.
  • Include Application Instructions: Outline the application process, including any specific documents or information candidates need to submit. Clearly mention the closing date for applications and provide details for a contact person for any questions or clarifications.
Basecamp CEO Jason Fried, before hiring anyone for a new position in the company, they try that position out by themselves with their team. This helps them identify the skills and abilities required to fulfill the job, thus helping them in creating the job posting.
Post Remote Jobs

2. Leveraging Online Platforms for Hiring

Leveraging online platforms for hiring is crucial in today’s digital age, especially for sourcing remote employees. Here are steps on how to effectively utilize online platforms for hiring:

  • Utilize Job Boards and Career Websites: Use sites like Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn to reach a wide audience.  List your awesome job post on industry-specific remote job boards like DailyRemote to find candidates with the relevant skills and experience.
DailyRemote
  • Navigate Freelance Marketplaces: Use platforms like Upwork and Freelancer to find contract workers and freelancers. Clearly articulate the responsibilities, deliverables, and payment terms.
  • Leverage Social Media and Professional Networks: Share job openings on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter with engaging visuals and content. Participate in relevant groups and forums to network with potential candidates.
  • Use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Use ATS platforms to streamline the recruitment process and manage candidate information. Use filtering options to shortlist candidates based on specific criteria.

3. Sorting through Candidate Applications

Once the job posting is up, you will start receiving lots of applications from various regions of the world. It is vital to go through each application so that you don't miss the top applicants.

If your company is small, you can do away with a project management tool like Trello or Asana. But they won't cut it once you're hiring for multiple positions.

Instead, you can look for a specialized product that helps in tracking applicants, commonly known as Applicant Tracking System or ATS for short. Greenhouse, Lever, and Workable are most popular applicant tracking system amongst remote companies.

It is also advisable to hire a specific person to go through all the applications. They would select the ones who seem to fit the required skills and appreciate the company's culture. He would also respond to all applications even handle rejections, thus treating every candidate with respect.

4. Assign Interview Tasks and Online Assessments

At this stage, you should have already narrowed down your candidate list by quite a lot. We suggest giving a small home assignment to all the shortlisted candidates, such as a short code project when hiring for a developer, creating a marketing ad problem for marketers, a new product flow design for a designer, etc.

Depending on the role you are hiring for, assign a task of moderate difficulty that is related to their day to day activities, so that you can test them in your company workflow.

Analyze the answers of shortlisted candidates and observe if your team agrees with what the candidate has done. Both the company and the team must agree to establish a plan for task assessment before this stage.

Some companies also skip this step and call the selected candidates directly for a video interview, which is also acceptable. Assigning a task adds one more layer in finding a perfect remote candidate for your company.

  • Utilize Assessment Platforms: Use platforms like Codility or HackerRank for technical assessments.
  • Create Custom Tests: Develop tests that assess the specific skills and knowledge required for the role.
  • Evaluate Soft Skills: Consider assessments that evaluate communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills.

5. Conducting Remote Virtual Interviews

Remote companies such as Automattic do their interviews over slack. Setting up video interviews or face-time with the selected candidates, though, will give a peek into the candidate's personality along with his work environment.

Video interviews help you hire more effectively. In a face to face conversation, you could take a glance at their workspace, analyze their confidence level, and how they answer your questions.

  • Use Video Conferencing Tools: Leverage platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams for conducting remote interviews.
  • Set a Clear Agenda: Share the interview agenda, including introductions, question/answer sessions, and any closing remarks.
  • Schedule the Interview Carefully: Consider time zones and propose several options to accommodate the candidate’s availability.
  • Record Interviews: Consider recording interviews for review and assessment by other team members.
  • Prepare Structured Questions: Prepare a list of structured questions focused on assessing the candidate’s skills, experiences, and cultural fit.
  • Allow for Candidate Queries: Allocate time for the candidate to ask questions about the role, company culture, or any other inquiries.
  • Provide Feedback and Follow-Up: Inform them about the next steps and the expected timeline for any follow-ups or decisions. If possible, provide constructive feedback to candidates who were not selected.

Buffer, a fully remote company, conducts three interviews to spot the best candidates:

  1. A Culture and Values Interview to find how aligned a candidate is with Buffer’s culture. Buffer follows a structured interview here by asking questions and try to map the hints to their expected answers.
  2. An Experience Interview round that includes a brief exercise to assess the candidates.
  3. A Final Interview to understand the candidates fit with the company and how his personality aligns with the company's culture and goals.

This process of taking multiple interviews is beneficial in remote hiring setup, as it buys the team more time with the candidate. It helps in correctly evaluating a candidate's candidature.

6. Checking References and Backgrounds

Before making an offer, Zapier, sends out an anonymous survey for a reference check using SkillSurvey, which helps them get honest feedback on candidates from their references.

Ask for examples of proactive, independent work that the candidate has done for checking the competency of his work. Acknowledge any links from their prior remote experience or office work projects that they have done.

Look for candidates who can isolate their work time from their family time and take complete ownership of their tasks. People who don't need a manager to always lean over their shoulders to achieve their goal. Candidates should have compelling examples of initiatives taken and work experience.

Check all of the references provided and avoid any possible inconsistencies at this stage of the process to prevent problems later. If you have found your ideal candidate, offer him the position, or a paid work trial to test his competency with the team.

7. Offering a Paid Work Trial Period

Automattic, a remote company, offers all its candidates a trial process that pays $25/hour as a “mutual tryout”. So that both the candidate and the company are sure about it being a good fit.

Toggl set up a paid trial period of 2-5 days, depending on the role. They believe if  you want to ensure someone will work with you in the long run, test the waters first before dipping in.

Trial periods help remote companies to be double-sure before making an offer. This helps the company identify if the candidate could adjust and collaborate with the team, if they fit in your remote work setup.

8. Creating a Remote Friendly Onboarding Process

Successfully onboarding remote employees involves a structured and clear process that helps new hires integrate seamlessly into the company. It is necessary to ensure a smooth and successful onboarding experience, fostering engagement, productivity, and a sense of belonging among your remote employees. Make overly sure that your new team member has the support they need, rather than leaving them feeling overwhelmed and isolated.

Here are a few steps to achieve successful onboarding of remote employees:

  • Provide a warm welcome and send essential company swag, equipment, and any necessary paperwork.
  • Set clear expectations around communicate roles, responsibilities, and expectations.
  • Provide necessary tools and equipments for remote work setup like laptop etc.
  • Schedule introductions with team members and organize virtual team-building activities to facilitate relationship-buildingas it's a remote job.
  • Inform about preferred communication tools and platforms.
  • Establish protocols for regular check-ins and updates. Schedule regular one-on-one meetings to address questions and concerns.
  • Assign a mentor or buddy and pair new hires with experienced colleagues for guidance and support.

9. Creating a Strong Company Culture Remotely

Creating a strong company culture is vital for team cohesion, employee engagement, and overall organizational success, especially when managing a remote team. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to establish and foster a strong remote work culture:

  • Establish Clear Values and Mission: Clearly articulate the core values that your company stands for. Make them central to every interaction and decision-making process. Regularly remind the team of the company’s mission, vision, and goals, ensuring everyone is aligned and working towards the same objectives.
  • Foster Open Communication: Conduct consistent one-on-one and team meetings to discuss progress, address concerns, and maintain connections. Create channels for open dialogue and feedback, allowing employees to voice their opinions and suggestions. Keep employees informed about organizational changes, updates, and future plans.
  • Organize Virtual Team-Building Activities: Schedule casual virtual meet-ups, game nights, or happy hours to build rapport among team members. Create collaborative challenges or competitions to encourage teamwork and camaraderie.

Conclusion

When you plan on hiring remote employees, create a magnificent job post helping the candidates self-decide if they’re considering or pursuing a job opportunity where they can shine. If you are looking to source great remote candidates, DailyRemote has a large remote community. You can post your remote job and get to choose from remote candidates from all over the world.

Use pre-employment tests and schedule thoughtful interviews and check referrals before making an offer. Since in remote hiring, you don't have the privilege to meet your candidates in-person, it is essential to understand their capabilities and hire the best-suited candidate.

Hiring remote employees isn’t the same as hiring on-site employees, but not much different as well. But following the above remote hiring tips will help you hire the perfect remote employees, no matter what role you’re hiring for!