Photo credit: Nataliya
Let’s talk about remote hiring.
Ten years ago remote working was not a thing. The internet and technological advancements have birthed this new model of working. In 2020 when Covid hit the whole world, remote working was accelerated to a higher level.
Global companies such as Twitter and Google decided that they would adopt remote working as the permanent model for working after seeing the benefits such as saving on office space and freeing more time to get a lot of work done. Companies such as Africa’s Talking decided to adopt the remote working system while Safaricom and Fuzu employed the hybrid system.
The hybrid system is where people alternate days when they will be going to the office and working from home during the week.
A report by Owl Labs revealed that globally, 16% of companies are fully remote and that 62% of workers aged 22 to 65 claim to work remotely at least occasionally.
With this new reality, remote hiring is inevitable. In the following article, we will guide you on how to identify a good remote worker and the traits you should look out for. Here are some characteristics that a good remote worker should exhibit:
Self-drive and self-motivated
Without a doubt, this person will be working without supervision from their boss. A diligent remote worker thrives and gets a lot done with minimal supervision. That means they embody self-initiative and don’t need regular check-ins from their supervisor to ensure that they’re getting things done.
They are also disciplined enough to deliver projects on time. If they will experience a delay and might not be able to deliver the project on time due to one justifiable reason or another, they communicate well in advance.
A self-motivated worker, therefore, establishes a rhythm and a routine that they follow to enable them to deliver on their tasks in time. As an entrepreneur or a hiring manager, you want to bring someone reliable on board. You don’t want to have someone who is lazy and procrastinates a lot. They will keep you on edge checking the schedule to ensure that they are doing what is required of them.
When you’re remote hiring, craft questions that will help you identify what motivates the applicant. Ensure that you request examples so that you can understand how they think.
Tech-savvy
Imagine a scenario where a remote worker needs to present something for your company but they can’t navigate through sharing their screen. You need someone who knows their way around different software and applications. Additionally, if they face technical issues with their devices they’ll know how to either solve the problem or have someone who can do the same on speed dial.
Being tech-savvy doesn’t necessarily mean that they know all the coding languages and have mastered python. It simply means that they are comfortable with computers, phones, gadgets and the latest technology.
They should easily navigate through online portals and you find them in online job portals. All you need to do is to request an interviewee to perform a simple task online such as sending a video introduction on Loom or using Vidyard to record a video of how they work on their computer.
Moreover, a successful remote worker needs to be a fast learner. Every single company has different tools that they use. That means that the new recruit will go through training so that they can be well acquainted with the technology and tools that they will be using. They, therefore, have to catch on fast and understand so that you can save time.
Aptitude tests come in handy when you want to understand the comprehension ability of a candidate.
Skilled in communication
Communication is the backbone of any remote environment because people are in different locations. Therefore, the communication lines should always be open so that work can flow easily. And if there is both a small and a big issue, communication will be central to solving them.
When remote hiring you need to be on the lookout with laser focus and ensure that your new recruit knows how to communicate. The entrepreneur.com website defines skilled communication as professional, being direct, clear, and that they’re able to raise alarm if they are stuck or unsure how to proceed with work.
There are different platforms outside calling each other on the phone. Platforms such as Slack, Skype, Hangouts, ClickUp, email and others facilitate quality communication in a remote workplace.
How do you identify good communicators to work remotely?
You can identify a candidate’s communication skills through:
1. Aptitude tests
2. Requiring them to communicate a concept or respond to a scenario in writing. Better team also recommends that you ask for open-ended responses to prompt “How do you communicate?”
Here are sample questions you can use in an interview to gauge the communication skills of an interviewee:
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Do you prefer verbal or written communication?
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What would you do if there was a breakdown in communication at work?
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Do you re-read the emails you send them to check for errors?
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Describe a time when you responded to a customer’s complaint
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How would you rate your written communication skills?
Once you hire the candidate, you need to ensure that you set your expectations and make them very clear. Tell them how soon you expect a response to an email or a Hangout message.
Team Player
A good remote worker should work well in teams. They will be working with different people and since they’re not physically together, you need collaborative people and good team players. As the cliché saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work.
To find out if the candidate you’re interviewing is a good team player, you can ask some of the following questions.
1. Have you worked with virtual/remote teams?
If the applicant is frank about working in remote teams and the challenges that crop up, that’s a very good sign. They should tell you the highlights such as quick messaging and convenient meeting times while also pointing out the challenges that they encounter. Communication breakdown occasionally and rushing to beat a deadline are challenges that remote teams experience commonly.
2. How do you deal with disagreements with your co-workers or supervisors? Give an example of when it happened and how you dealt with it.
Naturally, because of the nature of human beings, there is bound to be friction. The interaction between different people at the workplace sometimes causes disagreements which is perfectly normal. Therefore, a good team player will acknowledge that and even show some disagreements they had with their managers.
Experts at hiring think tank coburgbanks.uk say that the disrepute between a person and their superiors or colleagues should be healthy. On the contrary, if they tell you that they’ve never had a conflict at work or they never take responsibility for their part in any quarrel, that’s a screaming red flag.
When asking this question look for qualities such as empathy, respect, ability to handle criticism, and ability to respect or appreciate differences in opinion.
3. Have you worked on several teams at once?
This should tell you how your potential hires views team dynamics. A good team player can work on different projects simultaneously. People who have been successful at this are experienced in management and lessons learned the hard way.
“If they have, then you know they bring with them a wealth of real-world time management nightmares and lessons learned the hard way,” writes James Ball of coburgbanks.uk.
Conclusion
Don’t be in a hurry when you’re remote hiring. This is about getting the best hands to do the job for you. Someone who not only has the ability to accomplish different tasks but can be relied on without being followed up with. That’s why some roles take even five months to fill. Some companies prefer to give a candidate a trial period of three months which is famously known as the “probationary period”.
During probation, the candidate is screened thoroughly and the supervisors are able to pick up the character, ability, and diligence of the applicant. If they do exceptionally well during the probation period, they get fully absorbed into the company. On the contrary though if their performance is below par, the company lets them go.