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Remote working
International

inding the right professionals for remote amount will typically be small and it will show that
work does pose certain challenges. In the you’re serious about the process.
absence of face-to-face communication, HR
professionals have to become more flexible. Define communication, expectations
FAdopting new technologies, interview and and management
communication methods all play a role in discovering For the remote recruitment process to be
the right professionals for the execution of remote a success, you will have to communicate
tasks. expectations in advance. This way, everybody will
be on the same page as far as corporate processes
Know what you’re looking for go.
Remote work capabilities have become better than Choose the right tools for communicating with
ever before. Professionals who carry their work your remote employees, time tracking, project
tasks out of the office are now more productive than management and work submission. If you don’t
ever. For your organisation to enjoy these benefits, have the right software (especially Cloud-based
however, you will need to come up with a list of solutions), both hiring and the management of
characteristics that successful candidates must have. remote work will be a nightmare.
Effortless communication is obviously a big It’s also a good idea to have remote work policies
essential. Very often, work will be done via email, in place. These should outline the frequency of
text messaging and video chat. A good remote communication, the ways to contact other workers,
worker should know how to utilise these channels for whether remote employees are expected to
comprehensive, mutually-beneficial interactions. come to the office at certain intervals of time and
The ability to work in solitude, organisational skills, everything else related to accountability.
multi-tasking, technological adeptness, leadership If you fail to communicate such crucial
skills and responsibility will also play a role. information, chances are that productivity will
It’s a good idea to look for people who already decrease and the outcome will be subpar. Even the
have some experience with remote work. Making best of professionals will be incapable of meeting
the switch from the office to the more flexible remote your criteria if they don’t know what your criteria
environment could be a challenge. Thus, an HR really are.
professional should make sure that a candidate is
comfortable with such a setup. Candidates should also be familiar
with the team
The right hiring process and Remote workers have to deal with one serious
evaluation strategy problem – feeling left out and excluded from the
Monitoring the progress of someone who is in the team.
office will be a much easier task than making sure It’s a good idea to acquaint shortlisted candidates
remote workers are moving forward. with the entire team during the recruitment process.
Thus, you need to develop a good hiring process This way, you will establish a community and you
and an evaluation strategy that will reveal as much will give potential remote employees a glimpse into
information as possible. corporate dynamics, values and beliefs.
Do not underestimate the importance of
The evaluation begins as soon as you talk to a candidates getting to know the people they will be
candidate for the first time. During this interview, you working with. The importance of this step is even
will get a good idea of their communication skills, higher for remote workers. Schedule a conference
promptness, perceptiveness and level of initiative. call or, if possible, invite candidates to the office for
Such communication, however, is usually not a quick chat with everyone.
sufficient to help you make up your mind. Tailor every step of the process to the needs
Very often, the remote hiring process will involve of your organisation. Remote workers can be an
a test task that candidates will have to perform. incredible asset, if you have the right criteria and
Whether the test is assignment writing or developing you know how to manage the process from start
a website, it will help you find out a lot. For a start, to finish. Be open to innovations and know that the
you will know if the candidate has the skills to dynamics will follow a brand new pattern. If you are
accomplish the task. In addition, you will gauge their willing to remain flexible, chances are you’ll soon
ability to meet deadlines, whether they know how to discover the formula that will yield best results for
ask follow-up questions and partner up with others everyone involved.
on the execution of the task.
Make sure candidates for the remote position know
that a test job will be a part of the hiring process. It Laura Buckler is a freelance writer based in Dallas,
is a good idea to pay for this test assignment. The Texas.

HR FUTURE · JUNE 2018 21