6 Things to Consider When Hiring a Remote Employee

By Jezabel Southard

Posted on December 20, 2016

The rise of the internet has made it possible for companies throughout the world to operate without ever setting foot in the same physical space.  When you need top talent or a specialized focus, you are no longer limited by the people who are geographically convenient to your company.

Working with remote employees, however, comes with its own special considerations.

Here are six things to consider when choosing a remote employee:

1. Do you need remote talent? First, look at your current staffing needs. Can you delegate tasks in a different way?  Is it possible to minimize the work required on certain items, rebalance the workload or strike an item off the to-do list altogether?  If so, do it.  Improve efficiency so you can work with a remote worker more closely.
2. Focus your search. Remote workers are readily available on sites like Elance or Guru, but to find truly qualified talent, you may need to focus on more specific outlets. Your staffing partner can help you locate the best place to release job postings and search for truly qualified talent.
3. Evaluate the whole candidate. If you ask for bids from remote workers on jobs, you’ll see a dramatic difference in bids between U.S.-based workers and workers from many countries overseas. Don’t jump on the lowest bid.  Instead, consider the candidate’s entire skill set.  Also, consider the convenience of things like compatible time zones; few things are more frustrating than needing an urgent reply from a worker when it is 2 p.m. in your time zone and 2 a.m. in theirs.
4. Plan for communications to take longer. The internet-based nature of remote work can make it seem as if your remote hire should respond instantly to things. In fact, remote workers often juggle multiple clients and run businesses – just as you do.  Instead, plan communication into the schedule.  To facilitate information exchanges, plan for daily and weekly updates and make it clear that these are part of the job.
5. Brush up on your tax and legal obligations. Are you hiring a remote worker as an employee? Working with them as an independent contractor?  Do they work for a recruiter?  Make sure you understand your relationship and the obligations it creates.
6. Find someone you trust. Trust is essential when it comes to working with remote workers. Spend time talking to each candidate to determine whether this is a relationship you can rely on.

Adding remote staff to your team offers many benefits to your organization; however, hiring can be daunting for many companies. If you are considering hiring a remote employee, partner with a staffing expert to help you achieve a great hiring outcome.

At TERRA Staffing, our recruiters can help you find the best talent, whether you need in-house people or remote capabilities. Find one our branches today to learn more about recruiting services in Portland, Phoenix and Seattle.

Categories: Employee Engagement Ideas, Staffing Tips & Recruiting Trends

Tags: Hiring Remote Employees in Portland, Managing Remote Employees, portland recruiting, portland staffing, Portland Staffing Help, Temporary Staffing Services Portland, Tips for Hiring Remote Employees, Top Recruiting Firm in Portland, Top Staffing Firm in Portland

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