Strategies for Hiring and Keeping Distant Workers on Board
In today's world, staggered by the pandemic and tech innovation, companies are embracing remote work as a crucial element of their business strategy for long-term success. But, hiring remote employees proves to be a complicated task, with challenges such as attracting, hiring, and retaining remote talent effectively.
Here, we'll uncover the secrets to revamp your hiring process and land remote employees that accelerate your business growth. And, we'll discuss some sneaky yet essential things you must know about hiring remote professionals.
Let's kick things off by clarifying the difference between remote work and working from home.
Remote Vs. Home
While remote work and working from home get tossed about interchangeably, they're not the same. "Remote work" means getting your job done from anywhere except the office - whether that's your home, coffee shop, or coworking space. "Work from home" refers to working solely from your home but temporarily.
Thanks to the pandemic, companies, for the most part, allowed their workforce to work remotely. Post-pandemic, those working from home may have to return to the office, whereas remote workers will keep traveling wherever they please.
Is Remote Work Right?
Now that we got the real deal on remote work, you're probably wondering if hiring remote employees instead of on-site counterparts is the way to go.
Well, the answer's yes, mate!
remote work grants you the magical ability to shatter geographical boundaries, making it possible for you to expand your enterprise worldwide without the need to set up offices in every nook and cranny.
Hiring remote talent from various cultures, races, and religions spices things up around the office and stirs up fresh ideas to solve the pressing issues.
And get this: according to the US remote work survey, 83% of employers and 73% of employees said remote work is a roaring success.
To make remote work work for your biz, all you need is a clever approach to attracting and hiring remote workers who can nudge your company forward.
Attracting the Best
Competition for top talent in the job market is insane – thousands of vacancies float around each day, so how can you stand out among the ruckus?
You need to create an appealing image of your brand by emphasizing the benefits and stimulants you offer for working at your company. Here are some workable strategies to achieve that:
Digital Employer Branding
Now more than ever, a strong online presence is vital when hiring remote workers. Since remote workers rely on digital presence to discover the innards of your company, it's crucial to advertise your brand online.
Employer brand refers to your company's employer reputation. A powerful online employer brand is critical for remote work, as remote professionals will dig into your digital presence to learn all about your organization.
1. Built a Stellar Employee Value Proposition
The Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is the basket of perks and benefits you offer to your employees as payment for their expertise, skills, and know-how.
These perks include support (professional and personal); recognition; and values that facilitate top performance.
If potential employees are interested in your company, the first place they'll probably visit is your website. Hence, create or pretty up a "Careers" section on your site and showcase your EVP prominently.
2. Utilize Social Media
Promoting your workplace culture via social media can help you turn your remote hiring strategy up a notch and give your brand a human touch.
No matter if you're part of a startup or a multinational conglomerate, social media is a fantastic stage for showcasing your company culture and giving potential candidates a sneak peek of your work environment.
Here's how to make the most of social media to attract dream remote employees:
- Instant stories on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter: Encourage your current employees to share personal stories about their career journeys and professional development.
- Highlight crucial clients and projects: By flaunting key clients and projects you've handled, you establish your credibility in the market.
- For example, Microsoft makes use of Twitter to flaunt its amazing company culture by showcasing interesting stories about its employees.
3. Craft an Irresistible Job Posting
A persuasive job posting helps a candidate determine if the position aligns perfectly with their skills and aspirations. A well-written job post ensures a greater number of qualified candidates for the vacant position.
Here's what a kickass job post should contain:
- A clear job title, like UX/UI Designer
- A concise introduction to your company
- The importance the role carries in your organization
- The primary duties and responsibilities
- Employment requirements, including qualifications, experience, and skillsets
- Reporting structure: To whom they'll be reporting and the communication channels
- Define the specific remote conditions, such as timezone and travel requirements
- Your company culture, key benefits, and work-life balance
When creating a job post, keep it short and simple to ensure potential remote employees can quickly understand what you're looking for.
4. Advertising on the Right Platforms
Besides your company's website, there are many other platforms where you can advertise your job openings. When it comes to remote jobs, it's crucial to highlight them explicitly on job portals that clearly advertise remote opportunities.
For example, Indeed—a popular global employment platform—lets employers use keywords such as "Fully Remote" or "Work from Anywhere" while posting a job. Similarly, LinkedIn allows you to label a job vacancy as remote in its updated Recruiter and Jobs dashboard.
Other recommended platforms to advertise remote job vacancies are FlexJobs, RemoteOk, and We Work Remotely.
5. Leverage Your Network
Referrals can be your secret weapon for finding dream remote employees for your company. Your employees will recommend people who are more likely to give their best at your organization so as not to damage their own reputation.
When asking for referrals, don't forget to consider contacting former employees who left your company on good terms. Potential remote employees enjoy hearing from current employees or those who've worked for your company. Use your current and ex-employees as brand ambassadors for your company.
Studies reveal that 45% of employees hired via referrals stay with the company for over 4 years.
6. Offer Sign-On Bonuses
A nifty trick to attract top-tier talent is to offer a sign-on bonus. Doing so demonstrates your commitment to the candidate and helps bring them on board quicker.
Now you've got the tools to hunt down, hire, and manage remote employees. But, be ready to face some challenges and obstacles along the way.
Stay tuned, broskis, we'll reveal the secrets to overcoming these hurdles and making your remote workforce shine.
In the course of discussing the benefits and strategies for hiring remote employees, it's important to understand that offering remote work opportunities can help a company expand globally without the need for physical offices in every location. To attract the best talent, a strong digital employer brand, clear and compelling job postings, advertising on appropriate platforms, and leveraging employee referrals can be effective strategies. However, hiring remote employees also presents unique challenges, and understanding these obstacles is key to maintaining a successful remote workforce.
