October 19, 2020
While many companies were trending towards remote workforces before COVID-19, the pandemic has certainly accelerated this process! As of June, 42% of workers were working from home, compared to just 7% before COVID-19. As quarantine restrictions begin to lift, some companies are reopening offices, while others are continuing their work from home policies for the foreseeable future. What does this ‘new normal’ mean for hiring and onboarding?
As of June, 42% of workers were working from home, compared to just 7% before COVID-19
It is necessary to check your hiring process to ensure it’s optimized for remote candidates. From recruiting to onboarding, every step of the hiring process needs special consideration when everything happens online. But don’t panic! While it’s necessary to make some changes, your hiring practices won’t need a complete overhaul. With the simple best practices we’ve outlined below, you’ll be ready to go in no time.
The good news is, recruiting for a remote workforce has a lot of benefits! From a wider talent pool to major cost savings, talent acquisition professionals can really flourish right now. The world (or your time zone) is your oyster! Hiring remote employees means you no longer need to restrict your search to your organization’s city limits. You can source top talent from anywhere, as long as they’re able to work compatible hours to their team. Additionally, broadening the geographic locations of your candidates will also establish a more diverse talent pool, which has its own set of benefits.
Moreover, working from home saves employees money and provides them more time with family (amongst other perks), leading to the ability to attract and retain superior talent. Consider that in 2019, 95% of U.S. knowledge workers desired to work remotely and 74% would quit their job if offered the chance to work remotely.
Hiring remote workforces comes with huge cost savings for the company, too. In real estate costs alone, you’ll save up to $10,000 per remote employee per year. Though your company headquarters might be in NYC or San Francisco, you won’t have to pay big city salaries for employees living in places with lower costs of living. Additionally, 37% of tech professionals said that they would take a 10% pay cut if given the option to work remotely. And, since you’ll retain more remote staff, you’ll spend less money replacing talent, too. A task that can cost roughly 33% of the employee’s annual salary, and be a regular headache for you.
We could keep going as there are so many other upsides to a remote workforce (employee health, increased productivity, better for the environment, etc.) but, you get the idea! So how do you go about hiring a remote workforce for the first time? While not entirely different from hiring for an in-person position, hiring for a remote position takes special consideration. We’ve outlined tips on how to enhance each step of the hiring process to find the best remote employees.
As with in-person hiring, sourcing and outreach cannot feel generic and mechanical. Don’t forget to keep things personal.
Since most recruiting already happens online, you may think your strategy is fine as is. However, there are slight adjustments that need to be made to attract the right candidates. Additionally, you’re also likely to be working remotely and need to consider how this will impact your recruitment process, too.
Incorporating the above guiding principles into your remote recruiting strategy will help connect you to the right candidates.
While your interviewing technique might not need a complete overhaul, there are some adjustments to take into consideration when interviewing remotely. Even though prospects won’t be coming into the office, the candidate experience is still paramount. Candidates are 38% more likely to accept a job offer if they are satisfied with their experience. Here are our top suggestions to nail your next remote interview:
Onboarding new employees is definitely easier when everyone is in the same place. In the office, new recruits can pop by their manager’s office with questions, and quickly get to know their peers in break rooms or over lunch. So, how do you onboard so that remote employees know what they are doing and feel like they belong?
Send out a welcome kit with company swag to get them excited about joining the team. If swag isn’t in your budget, a handwritten card or letter is a nice gesture that makes a great first impression.
Completely schedule a new hire’s first two weeks
Consider training focused specifically on working remotely
Address the mental health issues that are inherent to remote work
Welcome your new hire via email or video conference
Incorporate the above tips to ease any discomfort and seamlessly transition a new employee into your team.
As a TA professional, you’ll often find yourself working with hiring managers that aren’t as well versed in the nuances of hiring remote employees as you are. This is an opportunity to showcase your leadership and expertise by advising colleagues on how to navigate the process of managing a remote team. When bringing on a remote team member, remember to:
With all of its benefits, and with the current state of the world, remote work isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. From initial outreach and interviewing to onboarding and managing, TA professionals need to make minor, but crucial, alterations in order to enhance remote candidate and employee experience. Switching to a completely remote workforce is a big shift, especially under the uncertain circumstances we find ourselves in today. However, as the last seven months have proven, we are resilient and will adapt as needed to keep pushing forward. Pivoting your hiring strategy doesn’t need to be painful. Implement the above advice and revamp your hiring process for remote optimization. Need help? Let us know by emailing support@fetcher.ai.
At Fetcher, our mission is to introduce companies to the people who will help them change the world. Our full-service, recruting automation platform automates those repetitive, top-of-funnel tasks, so you can focus more on candidate engagement & team collaboration. Simplify Sourcing. Optimize Outreach. Hire Top Talent. Learn more at fetcher.ai.
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