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Essentials You Need for Your Remote Hiring & Remote Onboarding

Remote working has been in vogue at least since the pandemic. During many shutdowns, companies in industries that allowed it switched to working from home offices. Currently, however, many workers are no longer willing to come into the office every day. So what should companies implement in their recruiting process to better prepare for remote hiring and remote onboarding?

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Challenges of Remote Hiring

In many industries today, most workers prefer a sustainable remote or hybrid working model. Many employees reject standardised work solutions and prefer flexible models that are more compatible with their personal lives[1]. However, an important consideration is that not everyone who chooses to work from home is good at it. After all, everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. It is crucial to test these in a well-prepared application and interview process[2]. Great Place to Work, for example, says that hybrid working can play an important role in diversity, equality, inclusion and belonging[3] – provided it is implemented, used and executed properly.

But what does this mean for the hiring process? After all, it makes a big difference whether recruiters invite candidates to their offices or interview them through online channels.

Young male employee working in a home office.

Tips for Successful Remote Hiring

1. The Accurate Job Description

Make sure you clearly communicate whether your company offers a pure remote or hybrid working model.

Be as specific as possible about the qualifications you are looking for – avoid the so-called “Santa’s wish list”. Instead, limit the requirements to the essentials.

2. Attain From Geographically Broader Talent Pool

The advantage of a remote workplace is that it is geographically limited. This means you can find the right talent literally on the other side of the world. You will meet job seekers who are interested in employers that are not necessarily “around the corner” but offer a better work-life balance[4].

3. A Virtual Introduction to Your Company

Before the pandemic, applicants could get a first impression of the company by attending special company events or career fairs that offered a brief insight into the company culture. This can be replaced or supplemented in the application process by using company videos and recorded interviews with your current employees, in which they talk about their work and their experiences with remote or hybrid work in the company[5].

4. The Right Tool to Find the Right Talent

Avoid using job boards thoughtlessly. Instead, think carefully about who can help you find the right talent. How about your own employees sharing job openings with their network through a well-chosen employee referral platform that focuses on specific target groups of professionals?

5. Prepare for the Remote Interview

Inform candidates in advance about the platform and the technical equipment for the interview. In case there are technical problems, have a plan B that you can present in advance or right at the beginning of the interview. Above all, plan enough time for the interview, as technical difficulties can be time-consuming. However, it is advantageous for both you and your counterpart if you, as the interviewer, conduct the interview with calmness, composure and attentiveness despite all the disruptions, so that you can concentrate on the most important points and the available opportunities without time pressure[6].

Young Woman Having Interview Online at Home

Challenges of Remote Onboarding

Now that you have selected your candidate through a successful remote hiring process and have all the necessary documentation in place, you must face the challenge of onboarding your new employee in a remote work environment. A study by the Addison Group found that 53% of recruiters find it difficult to train new employees remotely[7]. However, it pays to have a structured onboarding process. This is even more true for an onboarding process for remote employees. A US study states that about 69% of employees are more likely to stay with the company for three years or longer after a successful onboarding process and phase[8].

Tips for Successful Remote Onboarding

1. Announce the New Colleague in Advance

Announce the new team member before their official start date. Include this announcement in regular team meetings, e.g. update meetings, company breakfast meetings or similar. In addition to the name, you should also include a photo and a brief introduction of the new team member.

2. Create Onboarding Playbook

Create a guide or playbook for the key topics or documents your newly hired talent needs to familiarise themselves with. This includes the company’s vision and mission, as well as strategy and planning, and the most important factors for achieving the established work goals within the team or department.

3. Arrange Onboarding Meetings

Make your new team member feel welcome and valuable to the team from day one. It’s best to arrange an online call on the very first day to introduce and welcome your new employee. Hand over the onboarding playbook, discuss how to stay in touch and what tasks are planned for the first few days of work.

Also, schedule a remote team meeting as soon as possible to introduce the new employee to the team[9]. Then arrange short online phone calls between your new employee and their teammates.

4. Assign New Hire a Buddy

Choose a teammate to act as a buddy or mentor to your new employee in the early days. This connection should help clarify any questions they might have – both about the work process and about the team. The buddy should also help the new team member connect with other team members[10]. There may also be unwritten rules in the company that the new employee should know and that will help them fit in.

5. Focus on Your Company Culture

Employees who identify with the company culture tend to be happier and more engaged[11]. In addition, motivated team members foster a positive company culture, which strongly impacts the overall company’s success.

Nothing benefits you more of a collaborative company culture.

Summary

Face the challenges and opportunities associated with the remote hiring process and select talent from around the world that is a good fit for your company and team. Take the time to create a plan for the remote hiring process and an online interview.

The recruiting phase is followed by a remote onboarding process, which you should plan well in advance to ensure it is successful. Provide your new team member with a buddy or mentor and arrange virtual get-to-know-you meetings with the recruiter and the team to welcome your new employee.

Sources

[1] Schedlberger, B. (2021, März 31). Die Zukunft der Arbeit: Hybrid Work. https://www.karriere.at/c/a/hybrid-work Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

[2] Koifman, S. (2021, Januar 11). The 5 Stages of a Remote Job Interview Process. https:\/\/firstbird.com//distantjob.com/blog/remote-hiring/ Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

[3] Grill, C. (2022, März 9). Remote Work und hybrides Arbeiten verwandeln Unternehmenskulturen. https://www.greatplacetowork.at/blog/remote-work-und-hybrides-arbeiten-verwandeln-unternehmenskulturen/ Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

[4] Molina, G. (2020 September 14). 6 Stats that Will Change the Way You Engage Dispersed Teams. https:\/\/firstbird.com//distantjob.com/blog/dispersed-teams-stats/ Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

[5] Disha. (2020, April 23). 7 Essential Tips For Hiring Top Remote Employees (Who Fit). https:\/\/firstbird.com//harver.com/blog/hiring-remote-employees/#Helping Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

[6] Riggs, A. (2021, November 4). Remote hiring: 4 essential tips for leaders. https:\/\/firstbird.com//enterprisersproject.com/article/2021/10/remote-hiring-4-essential-tips Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

[7] Overby, S. (2020, November 3). Virtual onboarding plan checklist: 10 essentials. Enterprisers Project. https:\/\/firstbird.com//enterprisersproject.com/article/2020/11/virtual-onboarding-plan-checklist-9-essentials Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

[8] Hirsch, A. (2017, August 10) Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Good Onboarding. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/dont-underestimate-the-importance-of-effective-onboarding.aspx Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

[9] Romford, J (2021, Oktober 15) 7 Essential Remote Employee Onboarding Tips: A Complete Checklist for Your Next New Remote Hire https:\/\/firstbird.com//agilityportal.io/blog/7-essential-remote-remote-employee-onboarding Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

[10] Markovic, I (o.D.): 7 Best Practices for Remote Employee Onboarding + Checklist. https://www.edume.com/blog/onboarding-remote-employees Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

[11] Chabot, V. (2020, August 25). Virtual onboarding: 7 tips for success. https:\/\/firstbird.com//enterprisersproject.com/article/2020/8/virtual-onboarding-tips-success Abgerufen: 11.06.2022

 

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