Gone are the days when HR managers looked askance at candidates who wanted to work from home. Numerous studies have shown that telecommuters tend to be more productive. In addition, companies that allow employees to telecommute frequently save substantial amounts of money on the physical cost of maintaining a workplace.
Startups in particular benefit from hiring remote workers, since it is time-consuming and expensive to persuade a stellar candidate to uproot and move from a different location.
Inc.com provided six tips on hiring the best remote workers in a 2015 piece on productivity. The first tip is on where to find qualified candidates who want to work remotely. Author Neil Patel provided six of his sourcing solutions:
- Your company’s blog
- WeWorkRemotely.com
- ProBlogger (for writers)
- FlexJobs
- Working Nomads
- SkiptheDrive.com
Tip number 2 advises that as you interview potential candidates, you should try to gauge their familiarity and response to the idea of working remotely. For instance, someone with experience working remotely knows how to apply the discipline necessary to manage time wisely despite the typical distractions that may be found in a home office. Someone who is just excited by the idea of working from home may not show the same level of behavioral commitment.
The 3rd tip is to know exactly what you are looking for. It is important to define what you want from a remote worker.
Fourth is to hire contractors and not employees. Many remote workers prefer working as independent contractors. Plus, hiring a contractor is less complicated and less expensive than hiring a full-fledged employee.
Patel also suggests offering one or two perks. As more companies hire remote workers, the ability to work from home is less of a draw that can be considered an actual perk. In fact, he states that working remotely is a given for superstars. Some of his suggestions include:
- A nice office chair
- Starbucks credit
- Book credit
- Health club membership or fitness tracking device
- Paid time off
- Vacation credit
The final tip is to use multiple interview methods. He suggests using email, phone interviews, and interviews on Skype. Using differing approaches offers the candidate a chance to highlight different skillsets.