How to hire the best talent
Remote work is here to stay
Two years ago, your company could raise eyebrows and snag top talent by simply offering remote work. Today, however, saying that you’re open to telecommuting isn’t good enough. You need to go the extra mile to differentiate your business and attract best-of-best candidates.
Truth is, remote work isn’t that exciting anymore. Research from FlexJobs suggests that around 66 to 70 percent of companies are open to allowing at least part-time virtual arrangements. That’s a significant figure and shows how normal and even expected remote work has become in many occupations.
So what can you do to stay on the edge of the remote-work curve? Try leveraging some of the newest trends to inform your sourcing, onboarding, and retention strategies.
1. Push your job searches into global territory.
The idea of bringing aboard international employees can seem overwhelming to many businesses. A global workforce report from global HR platform Remote indicates 30 percent of employers see foreign countries’ laws and regulations as potential remote recruiting stumbling blocks. Though this is understandable, it doesn’t have to get in the way of your casting a wider net to find great workers.
Instead of eschewing the idea of sourcing workers from anywhere, look for an HR department partner that can help you. Ideally, you’ll want to find one that’s already familiar with hiring in the areas you’re targeting. With your partner, you can design everything from job announcements to payroll setups that keep your business compliant while allowing you to grow your staff.
If you’re still nervous about having remote workers scattered around the globe, consider focusing your attention on candidates who live within fixed time zones. That way, you’ll have an easier time setting up meetings and encouraging your team to work synchronously. But you can still expand your reach and gather a more diverse group of performers.
2. Announce your decision to go hybrid or stay fully remote ASAP.
Maybe you moved all your people to remote quarters during 2020 and 2021. Now, it’s time to figure out what to do next. Whether or not you expect to bring in more personnel, make a decision for the future of your company soon. For instance, are you planning on adopting a hybrid working model that allows partial but not full telecommuting? Your employees need to know because some may be planning life changes that could affect their decision to remain with you or resign.
What life changes are afoot? Think big moves. Many workers who’ve become accustomed to remote work like it. They like it so much that they are considering relocating to different cities. Roughly one-third of remote employees say they would move if the opportunity arose.
Consequently, you can’t afford to take a wait-and-see approach. Going hybrid may be right for your company, but your employees deserve to know now, particularly if they’ve contemplated moving away.
3. Redesign your tech stack for a remote community.
Are your virtual team members still relying on the same technology they used when they were all in the office? Those systems may have worked in a pinch during the early lockdown period of Covid. However, they may not make sense anymore if you plan for remote to be your default working medium.
Start unraveling all the loose ends by mapping your workflows. With the help of your team leaders, ask big questions like, “Is there a digital tool that could automate this process or make communications easier?” You may not have to completely reinvent your procedures, of course. However, you may find that your people have been plugging holes with workarounds. Give them credit for being plucky, but close their DIY “duct-tape” style solutions with technical products like a project management system or a CRM database.
It’ll be much easier for incoming employees to get up to speed if they aren’t forced to learn clunky workarounds. Plus, your company will present a leading-edge image to candidates if you have a solid tech stack in place.
Plenty of companies are still stumbling along with their remote setups. By embracing remote fully, your business can present a more appealing face to job seekers ready to do their best work for a supportive brand.
