5 steps to prepare for hiring a remote employee
One of the main concerns of a recruiting manager is to hire the right person for the company. A company is formed by the people in it. The right people can make a huge difference and lead the company towards success. Therefore, choosing the right employee is very crucial.
One of the basic things managers keep in mind while hiring is that, the person should possess the qualities for the necessary post. But, are those qualities the same even for a remote employee? The rules of hiring are very different for a conventional employee and a remote employee.
Remote working is a new trend. Many people are opting to become remote workers, so you have a large pool of candidates. However, a large number of applications can be confusing for someone who has no idea how to begin. If you are hiring remote workers for the first time, you need more guidance. To make the process easier for you, we have compiled five steps to prepare you for remote hiring of an employee.
How to prepare for hiring a remote employee in 5 steps
Hiring a remote employee is not that difficult if you understand their job requirements. You don’t have to select a completely extraordinary person. The trick here is to find out who will be able to adapt to the new situation.
Step 1: Deciding the remote situation
There are many types of remote situations. Some of them are full-time, while others are part-time. The type of remote job for which you are hiring remotely will have a big impact on your process of hiring. There are also different types of remote work settings. Some remote jobs are from different offices, while others can be done from home. Analyse the job position you are offering and evaluate the candidate’s skills accordingly.
The type of job will decide the amount of experience which is necessary for the job. Take into account all the factors, and whether you are ready to hire a fresher or not. If your job position requires the candidate to work remotely for a short time, you don’t need an employee having many years of experience in remote working. On the other hand, if the job requires a full-time remote working, then you need to ask for experience. Also, if yours is a new company, you need people with prior experience.
Step 2: Take the time zones into account
Time zones can have a drastic impact on how your company functions. It can change your work schedules and how you handle everyday situations. Therefore, you need to hire employees who would be able to adjust to different time zones and work efficiently. Time zone issues can be resolved with the help of video calls. You can get live updates from your employees in that way.
You need to prepare in advance if your company plans on sending employees to different time zones. Gathering the necessary tools before the commencement of the job would be helpful for both you and your employees. Selecting the time zones to hire in is also crucial. Take into account the pros and cons of hiring in a particular time zone and decide accordingly.
Step 3: Buy the best applications.
As your employees would be working in a remote cluster office, or maybe from homes, you need the best tools and applications. Your tools and software would be your biggest assets as you won’t need extensive offices or hardware. Your team’s productivity will increase if you buy the right tools and software. It will also make the job of your employees easier.
Tools like video conferencing, direct messaging, management software, online whiteboards can go a long way in ensuring that you have the best possible assets at you dispense. Things that can hinder your work are a poor internet connection, lack of online resources, etc. Also, be careful to ask the employees about their internet connections. Not having proper internet bandwidth can seriously affect your work.
Step 4: Pay attention to different communication styles
Working from a remote location means that the employee has to learn different communication styles. During the interview, ask the candidates about the languages and communication styles they know. Learn about the background of the country where you would be sending your employees. Test their knowledge based on that information to check the candidate’s communication skills.
Effective communication skills are the key to working properly from a remote location. Hiring people with diverse backgrounds can also help as you will be able to incorporate different communication styles into your workspace. It is often seen that a company that hires people from different backgrounds gets the best creative minds. Your creativity and ability to generate good ideas will lead to your company’s success.
Step 5: Create a budget
It is easy to lose track of arranging work for remote locations. However, you also need to take into account the different situations when your team has to meet in real. Plan in advance for those situations and fix a budget for them. It will help if you analyze the different costs from the very beginning so that you can maximize your profits and cut down costs where required.
Real meetings are crucial as they help us understand our employees better. You cannot always rely on video conferencing to do your work. Sometimes, you need to conduct real-life gatherings to help your workers connect with each other. It helps in creating a good work culture and brings different ideas together. It will also help in deepening the connections.
Finally, you need to check whether the person you are hiring has the right interpersonal skills or not. Look for people with strong communication skills. Also, people who can work autonomously are the best for remote jobs. They will be able to survive in any situation and work even during tough times. Apart from that, collaboration skills are also important while working remotely. Working from different locations and time zones can be hectic, but you can manage it well with the right planning.
Author Bio:
Mayank Pratap is a bad speaker but Awesome Earphone; He listens and advises startups to do regular things in innovative ways. Co-founder of EngineerBabu that helps Startups to find Perfect Tech Partner, Global Standards in Indian Style.
