How To Successfully Hire Remote Employees

Employing and contracting remote employees has become a reality for many companies. Small or large businesses are finding ways to engage with remote employees who prefer the flexibility of working from their desired location. If your company is still new or inexperienced in working with remote employees, there are ways to approach it to help make the experience successful.

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The benefits of hiring remote workers

1. There are no geographic limitations

 The benefit of hiring remote employees is that you’re no longer limited by geography. You’re selecting from a global pool of talent that can help your company better serve its customers and continue to grow. While this kind of freedom can be empowering, remember to always keep in mind who you’re serving. If there are nuances specific to your region that impact the way customers engage with your brand, those nuances should be considered when hiring remotely.

2. Lower overhead costs

 There’s no need to house remote employees, and usually, the expectation is that they have the equipment and some of the software needed to function. In some cases, the salary of a remote employee can be adjusted, depending on the level of engagement you’re expecting.

3. Potentially more productive

 There have been a number of studies, including this recent one by Airtasker that makes a case for remote workers being more productive than in-office staff. While this could be true, the question of productivity will ultimately come down to how you manage that employee. If you’re setting the right expectations, and have processes in place for them to communicate and effectively share their work, then you increase your chances of that remote worker being more productive.

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The challenges of hiring remote workers

1. Privacy and security issues

 You’ll likely be sharing sensitive or confidential information with the remote employees that you hire. As a small business, you may not yet have the capacity to create your internal environment to protect that information. Hiring remote employees does increase the risk of some kind of breach because you’re trusting them to practice safe storage and sharing of the work they’re assigned to do. And even if you do have a sophisticated internal environment, remote workers will still be accessing data using their personal machines (laptops, cell phones). You’ll have to accept that there’s more risk.

2. Creating culture and staying connected

 Work culture is, at least, partly created by the interaction between employees. While some of those interactions can be simulated through virtual video technology, it doesn’t replace the impact of face-to-face interaction. Hiring remote workers also makes it more difficult to stay connected. You have to make a real effort to encourage consistent communication, so employees don’t feel distant or disconnected from your company and its vision.

3. Less control over employee

 More distance means less control. You don’t know the benefit of walking by your employees’ desks to make sure they’re productive. You have to trust that they will deliver their assignments on time and with the quality you expect. Adding milestones in between the start and end date of an assignment is one way to reduce this concern.

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How to effectively hire remote workers

 Now that you’re familiar with both the benefits and challenges of hiring remote workers, here are some ways to make sure you’re effective when adding them to your team.

Get the job description right

 When you’re opening up a position to anyone with an internet connection, it’s important to be very thorough in your job description. Give all the necessary details of the position, your expectations, and it’s not a bad idea to include examples of the type of duties this position will entail. A generic rec won’t cut it. You want to attract a high percentage of qualified candidates, not candidates who apply even though they’re unsure if the job fits their skills and experience.

Try industry-specific platforms

 Platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed are great for general job candidates. But if you want to find candidates specifically for your industry, you might have better luck using industry-specific platforms. For example, if you’re looking for someone in tech, job sites like Dice and Crunchboard are effective. If you’re looking for freelance writers, Upwork and Blogging Work are good places to start.

Hiring for culture fit still matters

 Just because remote employees aren’t physically in your office workspace doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be considered with the same standard as those who are. How they function and communicate still has an impact on overall culture. While vetting your remote candidates, it’s easy to simply assess their skillset and not consider their personal characteristics. Don’t make this mistake. Make sure remote candidates are a cultural fit as well as having the right talent.

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Trust Ownr to start your business

 Understanding these tips is a good start. And if you’re still thinking of getting your business started, you can incorporate your business with Ownr. Ownr is the simplest and most convenient way to register or incorporate your business and we offer deals to make launching your business more cost-effective.

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This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While the information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates.