It has since become intertwined with day-to-day life. Some businesses have switched to entirely working remotely, hiring office spaces instead of quarterly rent and even conducting interviews and the onboarding of new employees remotely.

For many, remote working has improved employee productivity, atfisaction, as well as their work-life balances. In some businesses, employees have the choice to not only opt to work from home but also abroad – which comes as a great benefit for those with family and friends who live abroad, allowing them to spend quality time together while still working efficiently. As such, remote working, also known as flexible working, is highly important when it comes to attracting new talent when hiring.

It is important to note that there are some significant differences between the process and steps of hiring remote employees vs. employees who may work entirely in the office, or via a hybrid model. It may prove to be difficult, especially as an important part of any hiring process – team building – comes from the evaluations of in-person interactions.

The benefits of in-person interviews not only apply to the employer, but also the prospective employee. It allows them to get a feel of the company culture, the office and values. This can prove to be much more difficult to figure out via a Zoom call. For employers, in this instance, it is important to set out their values from the onset, and find simple ways to explain their company culture and how it can include remote workers too.

Look for specific skills in prospective remote workers

“Two important skills for efficiency amongst remote workers are self-motivation and strong communication skills,” explains Richard Allan of startup, Capital Bean.

“This is because they must be able to motivate themselves to meet deadlines and stay on task, in the face of an assortment of distractions and lack of external discipline.”

“Furthermore, they require strong communication skills so that they are able to ask questions when they need to, as well as update peers on their progress and achievements.”

“Problem-solving is another important skill. Unlike office workers, remote workers may not be able to ask their peers for help in an efficient or timely manner. This means that in some instances, they may have to take it upon themselves to rise to the challenge of solving an issue by themselves.”

Make sure to ask relevant questions

It is important that when interviewing a prospective remote worker as an employee, they should be able to explain the challenges of remote working and how they are able to overcome these.

This includes asking about their day-to-day structure when working from home. The prospective interviewee should additionally ask their interview the right questions. This includes asking how they will be supported , as well as how the employer is able to manage their remote workers.

Finally, once the interview process has finished, it then comes down to the onboarding process. This process again can be tricky to do remotely. Some recommendations to help make it smoother for both the remote worker and the employer include sending over a welcome pack. This will help to make the employee feel welcome despite the lack of in-person interaction, as well as provide useful materials and resources for their remote working. This could include branded stationary, as well as a desk chair and business cards for example. Furthermore, it is always important to be prepared on both sides ahead of the first day. This includes testing that the remote IT systems, equipment and security features are working so that the first day working remotely can go as smoothly as possible for both parties.