5 Steps to Successful Remote Hiring

Remote work isn't new, but it seems to have now shifted from a rare perk to the norm for many businesses. This change has many benefits for small businesses. Remote work now allows business owners to find the best talent regardless of their location. However, hiring remotely is different from in-person hiring, and small business owners need to know how to approach the process.

Remote work isn't new, but it seems to have now shifted from a rare perk to the norm for many businesses. This change has many benefits for small businesses. Remote work now allows business owners to find the best talent regardless of their location. However, hiring remotely is different from in-person hiring, and small business owners need to know how to approach the process.

Step 1: Preparing the job posting

In many respects, the job description for a remote employee is the same as that for an in-person role. However, not everyone is a fit for remote work, so your job posting needs to include some remote-specific elements.

Be sure to define your version of remote in the description. For example, some remote jobs allow employees to work whenever; others require people to be available during core hours or occasionally travel for in-person meetings.

Also, explain your expectations for where the person will work. For example, if the employee will be handling sensitive information, you may require them to work from a home office rather than a public location using public Wi-Fi networks. Outlining these expectations in the job description will help you avoid misunderstandings down the road.

Step 2: Advertising the position online

Many online job boards support remote hiring. Whichever job platforms you use, be sure to include common keywords that job seekers use when searching for remote positions. Some good keywords include:

●    Remote jobs

●    Remote work

●    Work from home jobs

●    Telecommute

Step 3: Qualifying and interviewing candidates

One of the biggest challenges in filling remote roles is weeding through a large number of unqualified applicants. An applicant tracking system (ATS) can take some of the pain out of this process by filtering out applicants that don't meet your requirements or don't follow basic instructions.

Once you've narrowed down a list of candidates to interview, prepare questions to identify candidates who will thrive in a remote environment and your company's culture. Remote employees need to be comfortable using technology, have great communication skills, and the ability to focus and work independently.

Some sample questions include:

●    Why do you want to work remotely?

●    How do you ensure distractions don't interfere with the quality of your work?

●    What would you do if you had a problem and the team member who can help is offline?

●    If you had to have a difficult conversation with a coworker, what communication channel would you choose?

Step 4: Testing skills

Pre-employment skills testing helps ensure your candidates are skilled enough for the role they want to fill and gives candidates insight into what it takes to succeed in the role.

There are various types of skills testing, and the exact skills needed may vary depending on your industry and the position. However, many Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) integrate with online assessments to gauge both soft skills and hard skills.

Step 5: Making the job offer

Offering a competitive compensation package is essential for hiring a remote employee. After all, you may be competing for talent with companies worldwide, and remote employees aren't swayed by things like a spacious office or free snacks.

However, you may consider adjusting salaries based on location. For example, you may offer a lower base salary to candidates in an area with a lower cost of living and higher base salary to candidates in areas with a high cost of living.

The process for hiring remote workers may be different from what you've done in the past, but your overall hiring goals are the same: you want to recruit the best people with the right skills and experience who are an asset to your company.

If you need assistance with assessing your hiring needs, budgeting for full- or part-time employees, setting pay for remote workers, or navigating payroll tax reporting in multiple states, Decimal can help. Schedule a consultation to learn more and find out if Decimal is the right fit for your business.