Remote working has changed the work field as we know it. While in the past, we were used to commuting to work every day, sitting in an office for hours, and then commuting all the way back- and now we work entirely from home. Many companies found that their employees work just as efficiently, if not more efficiently, right from home. We can expect remote working to be a norm in society, with some companies switching to remote working all together. But hiring a remote team can be challenging. Since there’s no office, you can’t meet and vet candidates in person. Instead, everything is done online, from the recruiting to sending over the offer letter. There are certain qualities you want in a remote employee for your business, so here is what to look for when hiring a remote team:
1. Good Time Management
Since your entire team will be working from home, you want to make sure they have good time management. It’s easy to let the time fly by when you’re home and not realize it, but that is not good for the efficiency of your business. So, when you’re looking to bring on a remote team, make sure they are able to get their work done in a timely manner and are good with time management.
2. Qualified
When looking to hire remote employees for your company, they should be qualified for the job. You will be able to tell their experience from their resume, but it’s important to get more in-depth with this through interviews. In addition to conducting interviews, it is also crucial to run a background check for job. A candidate can say they’re qualified and experienced and actually not be. That is why running a background check is so important for anyone you’re thinking of hiring. A background check consists of an identity verification, credit report, and criminal records, so you can rest easy that you’re hiring the right person for your remote team.
3. Communication Skills
Since all your work will be done through a screen, you want your employees to have good communication skills. Transparency and open communication is key for a remote business as you will never work face-to-face. Being able to communicate any questions or problems will improve the efficiency of the entire office. Make sure you have good communication tools so that everyone in the office can collaborate and discuss with ease.
4. Tech Savvy
Working from home means sitting in front of a computer screen all day. Your remote employees should be relatively tech savvy and able to figure out various technologies. Since there’s no IT guy around to help out if your computer randomly stops working or your software shuts down, your employees should be able to figure things out themselves. Working remotely also means using a lot of different software and tools to get work done, like video conferencing and management tools. When you’re building a remote team, make sure your employees are comfortable and adept with technology.
Building a team of remote employees is undoubtedly difficult. You have to recruit, conduct interviews, run background checks, and hire completely online. But because you’re not able to meet your employees face-to-face, it makes it all the more important to be incredibly thorough with your hiring process. Shifting to remote working means finding a new way to efficiently run your business. Your employees should be good with time management, fit for the role, great at communicating, and skilled with technology. Look for these qualities when you’re hiring and you will build the best remote team in no time.