Hire the Right Kind of Remote Workers

Ask any start-up or a new-gen entrepreneur the toughest part of his job, and the one answer that you can expect from most of them is ‘Hiring a remote candidate’! It is a herculean task, and with jobs not restricted to a particular geography, it is vital to hire a remote worker who can execute the project with the same efficiency as a 9 to 5 worker.

However, every organization, involved in online business or offline, hires a remote worker. It is a cultural shift, and every business has to embrace the change. It has several benefits especially for small organizations with limited staff. You no longer need to send a worker from your local office to work on-site, and you can manage a large company without building a massive workspace, as most of your workers work remotely. It saves time and overhead expenses and still makes ends meet.

HR professionals or anyone who is managing the HR role continuously encounter issues where the hired remote worker left without intimating the company or did something which was detrimental to the policies of the company. So, what can be done to improve the selection process and make it more full-proof?

Below are specific guidelines or steps to follow when you hire a remote worker:

Credential check: Never depend on just what other has given their opinion for a candidate, always make sure that you perform all tests, like mark sheets, degrees, certificates, work experience letters, portfolio or previous projects worked along with an in-depth reference check. A meticulously done reference check helps you understand a candidate’s background and work pattern. Also, it is essential to check if there is any criminal record of the hired person. Although such a pre-work takes time and effort, it saves you from any future issues.

Hire only the right person: This is crucial, matching the right candidate to the right job is one of the primary tasks of any recruitment team. But, sometimes out-of-furry or to fill a vacant position on an immediate basis, they hire the wrong candidate. This results in considerable losses to the company and at the same time, a lot of time gets wasted in re-hiring a new candidate. Henceforth, always keep the golden rule of hiring, i.e., always hire the right person even in case of employing a remote worker. Do not take a chance while hiring and do not depend yourself too much on what others say or just because you have lesser time with you.

Communicate Strongly: When you do not communicate your expectation well, you either lose the project or the candidate. Hence, interacting actively with your virtual counterparts is strongly recommended. Always make him clear about the role he is going to play, tell him the importance of his position and how important it is for the organization to have him execute the task well. Communicating is essential, and it should be both ways; encourage reliable communication from the candidate’s end too. Ask him to give daily reports of the task and ask his team leader to give honest feedback on the work done by him.

Create a ‘Digital medium’: Make use of techniques like workflow automation, content and editorial calendar and use Google Drive and other tools to make the entire process smooth and streamlined. It is not easy to get remote workers working for the company, neither it is easy for them to work virtually. But the efficiency lies in how both execute their assigned roles with full efficiency and transparency. There is no shortage of digital products available online that help you communicate and collaborate. They aid task scheduling as well as the ability to share documents.

Plan virtual meetings: Skype video calls or applications like go-to-meetings play a significant role while managing remote workers or even teams. Such Apps help in communicating via screen sharing in case the team has some doubts. Keeping a particular time of the day for the meeting is a good idea, mainly, when you know that there is no other way to share your expectation or feedback. Communicating face-to-face is way easy, but, making use of Apps and software to conduct meetings is also a good option.

Meet face-to-face: Although the team is located at some other place, plan a face-to-face meet every six months, by calling them to your office or visit their workplace or home where they work. It helps a lot, it keeps a check on your work and makes him aware that he is being noticed and that the company thinks about him.

Encourage ownership: When you encourage ownership, you make the worker responsible for his or her own decisions and quality of his work, he is answerable for both the job is done and not done by him. Ownership also makes a person responsible, accountable and it builds a long-term relationship with the worker. When the worker owns the responsibility of his task, it empowers him and leaves you from unnecessary nose-poking in his work and continuous monitoring. Inculcate ownership from the day he joins and make him accountable for his work.

Hire from a trusted source: There is a possibility that you hire a candidate from some freelance websites or from companies that are involved in offering freelancers for various profiles. When you choose a company or website, always select a trusted one. There are a lot of businesses that have appalling hiring models but do not fall into its trap and pay hefty amounts to hire a candidate. First, do background checks or read reviews available on the internet. Make a wise decision and select excellent and reliable companies which have a proven track record.

With the world shrinking and jobs not rigid to a territory or country, companies are encouraging remote working. It puts additional pressure on the recruitment team to hire the right candidate for the right job, by overcoming all the challenges of recruiting a remote worker. Follow the simple guidelines and make your first move to hire a remote worker, one that is the right for your organization’s culture and also fits the requirement of your ideal candidate.