In today’s society, it is no surprise that remote work has become very popular. Prior to the pandemic, many struggled with a work life balance, long commutes, and reduced productivity in the office due to distractions.
However, as the pandemic continues, it has been found that 75% of workers would like to work remotely on a part-time basis at a minimum. In the 2022 Salary Guide from Robert Half, it was shown that one in three employees would quit a company if remote work was not allowed. With these statistics in mind, it is time for businesses to consider how their company can offer remote work to staff.
One benefit of hiring off-site workers is that you will be able to access a larger talent pool. This means that you can have more work distributed among your employees as you can have staff work in different time zones.
Employees will also see an increase in work-life balance as working from home helps relieve the pressure on your staff. With such a large talent pool from which to choose, it is important that you are able to attract and retain the best employees. The following are ways to attract the most talented remote workers for your business:
Candidate Resources
By using job search websites such as Indeed or LinkedIn, you will be able to quickly post open positions, however, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the flood of under-qualified applicants. If you are wanting a more targeted approach, it is recommended to ask current employees for referrals for new hires.
One benefit of this is that employees will get a morale boost by understanding that their managers trust their judgment. Another suggestion is working with a talent solutions firm which will give you immediate access to skilled, remote professionals.
Offer Perks and Benefits
One great way to attract the best employees is offering benefits and perks to staff. Be sure to add these in your job postings so that the public can see why they should join your team!
Learn to Evaluate Remote Skills
It is important to note that the best job candidates might not always be the greatest employees in a remote role. To weed out the applicants, you should consider asking candidates during the interview process how they remain focused and connected while working from home and ask about their telecommuting experience.
Accelerate the Hiring Process
After interviewing a candidate, be sure to keep connected with them. It has been found that roughly 43% of applicants lose interest if they don’t hear back from a potential employer within two weeks. With this in mind, if you are confident that a remote applicant would be a good fit for your business, do not delay in giving them a competitive offer.
Once you have found the best talent for your business, it is crucial that you are able to retain your remote workers. Employers need to remove any barriers that do not make their employees feel as if they are at home. One downfall some businesses are seeing is the isolation that is being created between remote and in office staff members. It is possible you may have higher turnover if remote and hybrid workers feel separated or feel less valued than their in office colleagues. If you would like to avoid this situation, we recommend the following:
Equal Access to Training
It is possible that some remote workers may feel that the pandemic has halted their career development. Try hosting seminars and workshops that local remote workers can join with their on-site colleagues. If you have employees working remotely that cannot attend an in-office gathering, give them the chance to join virtually.
Bonuses and Promotions
When it comes time for bonuses or promotions, be sure to remember your remote staff. It is important you are fair to all employees and that rewards and promotions are standardized across your team.
Give Recognition
It is easy to give shout-outs to onsite employees who are putting in extra hours and are doing great work. However, remote workers do this as well but their actions are often unseen. Be sure to give them recognition for their hard work!
As you find your company offering more and more remote positions, be sure to take these tips into account to ensure that your employees are feeling valued and that you are finding the best talent for your business!
