Considerations for Remote Hiring: Part 2

Workplace norms and structures are entirely different from just a few years ago. The Covid-19 pandemic made way for the transition from office work being the norm to remote jobs becoming more standard. What works best is hotly debated among business leaders, but the advantages for the employee are clear: nobody wants to battle daily traffic, and people love having additional time for themselves and their families.In Part 1 of this blog called Considerations for Remote Hiring, we explain how having a clear, streamlined hiring process and transparent communication are key priorities for success. Here in Part 2, we will dive deeper into how you can find the right additions to your team and how to seamlessly integrate them into your workflow. For example, what are the skill sets and traits that would be the right fit for your company? Does remote work call for different skill sets than office work? What are the best practices in the job posting to find the best talent? It’s a bubbling market right now and you have to stand out and be competitive, but how? Once you find your perfect fit, how do you onboard your new employee remotely so they feel connected to the team?

On attracting the right people

The remote workplace calls for new skill sets. Hiring managers need to attract independent, adaptable problem solvers. We know that’s a lot to cover with only one job posting, but it can be done. Here’s how:

1. Bring your vibe into the job description! Craft job postings that are revealing of your company’s culture and values by using emojis and upbeat language. Overall, it’s helpful to give potential hires a good feel of your company and how they fit into your company’s vision. Less formal and more vernacular language often wins today in this way!
2. Expectations – set them thoughtfully! Give candidates an idea of what their essential responsibilities will be and what skills or experience will be necessary for the role. Stating these expectations early is a helpful way to ease the onboarding process later on.
3. Be clear about the function and responsibilities, but leave the door open with intention. Research shows that 60% of women and those in underrepresented groups tend to apply to a role only if they check all the boxes stated. With diversity and inclusion goals in mind, consider mentioning that your ideal candidate doesn’t necessarily have to check all the boxes but needs to be ready to grow into the profile discussed. That way, you’re not alienating an important percentage of the hiring pool who may actually be your dream candidate after a bit of on-the-job training and onboarding.
4. Flex your perks! Provide the candidates a rundown of company benefits, and an overview of what it would be like to join your company. If there are fun activities that can make your team feel connected while working remotely, (e.g. in-person or remote happy hours, off-sites, special L&D budgets and treats, etc.) make sure to mention these!

Consider these when onboarding remote hires

Now that you’ve found the right person, it’s important to keep the momentum going and walk the talk. An easy but fun way to make new hires feel like they’re part of something new and important is a Company Swag kit. This can help make new hires feel connected even before their first day. Remote hires miss out on arriving at an office on the first day of work, getting a tour of the space, and handshakes with team members, so it’s easy for them to feel lost and hesitant to reach out in a remote setup. Avoid this by being prepared and making a checklist to ensure a smooth onboarding:

• Set up their schedule with weekly or biweekly check-ins during the first month.
• Have employees reach out to new hires to establish peers and a healthy coworking workflow.
• Assign a dedicated onboarding buddy or mentor from a different function or sub-team and arrange a 30-minute introductory meeting with them.
• Set up meetings with key leadership to help build clear expectations and connect new hires to the company’s vision, values, and strategic goals.
• Ask for feedback either through an onboarding survey or a direct interview. Employees deserve to feel heard and contribute to solutions to improve the organization.

The flexibility to hire remotely is a company advantage that you can leverage in a competitive hiring market. With this new process happening entirely or mostly virtually, it’s not enough to just slap a job posting online and hope for the best. Establishing your team’s brand and being intentional in each step of your hiring process is crucial and will keep you competitive in the job market. Backing up a bit from hiring considerations and job postings, take the first step towards sizing up your team by downloading our Startup Hiring Roadmap. Get free access to our guide on how to budget for your startup's headcount costs now and in the future.