How To Successfully Hire Remote employees And What To Look For in 2023

Introduction

Remote employees have become commonplace in a post-COVID-19 world. Businesses had their hands forced into working remotely, and to their surprise, they found a lot of benefits to the situation. Sure, setup was certainly an issue at first, but after that hurdle, remote workers have proven to be just as effective as office workers in many respects.

However, it’s not without some caveats. When you’re thinking of hiring some remote employees, consider the qualities they bring to the table. Some people perform better in an office while others excel working from home. Today, we’ll be focusing on the latter, and what qualities you need to be looking for in a successful remote talent.

Tech-Savvy

There’s no getting around it, to be a remote worker, they need to have a lot of tech-savviness. Just knowing how to use Microsoft Office isn’t enough. They must know to be proficient in basic troubleshooting, know most of the common programs relevant to their position, and offer as little setback as possible during the setup process.

If you notice them struggling with any of the programs or tools provided, whether during an interview or a practical test, that may be a bad sign.  Tech-savvy should be the default trait across all remote employees first and foremost.

Punctual

Remote employees have the benefit of setting their own schedules without too many eyes looking at their every move. However, a good remote employee should be capable of managing their time properly. When hiring across borders, this is a doubly important quality.

Even if they can set their time however they want, they must be able to adjust accordingly to the rest of the team’s schedules. Ask your hire what their best work hours are and assign them accordingly.

Well-Equipped

One possible downside of remote work is the lack of equipment or supplies present in a modern office. There are some items that your employee should be able to acquire on their own. While your company can certainly provide the necessary funds or equipment, it’s a much better idea to just find workers who already have the pre-requisite technology.

Make sure that your new hire is capable of performing most, if not all, the same tasks required of their position from home.  They can’t be asking for help from co-workers or IT all the way in their home, after all.

Focused

One of the downsides of remote work is there are a lot more distractions in their home office than there are in a regular office. The temptation to just turn on the TV instead of working is a very real danger when it comes to remote work. Observe your interviewee’s focus carefully.

See how consistent they are with their responses and how much they ask you to repeat certain questions. A good employee should be sharp when on the job, and in a very distracting remote environment, the focus becomes that much more important.

Independent

Remote employees should be capable of doing most of their tasks entirely by themselves. In the absence of nearby co-workers or bosses, they must be able to perform important tasks with as minimal input needed as possible.

Once on board, make sure their training is as thorough as possible. One of the most difficult aspects of training remotely is the delay in response from both parties. After all, if you are from Asia and your trainer is from Europe, that can pose a problem for efficiency.

Team Player

Despite remote work being a seemingly solitary activity, most remote jobs still require you to have a lot of interaction with your project team. A good remote employee must not let a little thing like being dozens of miles apart stop them from listening to their co-workers.

Good communication is key to a successful remote project. Remote employees should also be capable of improving upon the work of their co-workers from their location.

Social

Whoever you hire must be adept at socializing with not just their superiors, but also their peers. Just because you’re all working remotely does not absolve them of the responsibility to socialize at work. To establish cultural growth, socialization between all co-workers must be encouraged.

Observe your new hire’s way of speaking and gauge how confident they are. If available, ask their previous employers as well how well they integrated with the previous company’s culture.

Conclusion

Remote employees do not have the benefit of having a trainer or superior notice them struggling and give advice. If they have issues, you should ask them if they are the type to be willing to ask for help at the right time. This is to foster growth and ensure you can retain these talents.

Remote employees must be proactive in reaching out to trainers and co-workers for help. If they do not know something, they should not be afraid to ask.