When adding new members to a small team, it is crucial to exercise due diligence. In the early stages, a company’s culture tends to be influenced by the founders’ personalities, values and aspirations, therefore, bringing a new member into the fold carries great importance.
Although it is important to ensure that potential employees fit with the company’s culture and team dynamics, hiring remote workers can be an incredibly cost-efficient choice, especially for smaller or newly formed companies. The prospect of taking on a remote developer or other staff members for the first time can be an exhilarating and fretful decision.
Here at [name of company], we stay in constant communication with businesses at every stage of growth, helping them connect with top developers worldwide. Thanks to our experience, we have gained valuable insights and advice that could prove advantageous as you consider taking on your first remote employee.
The Value of Employees Increases When Working Remotely
When businesses consider building remote teams, they may think that by hiring employees from areas with lower wages, they can cut costs. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that independent contractors ought to be treated just as favourably as other employees and recognised for their valuable contributions to the business, regardless of salary. The benefits they can offer may include increased productivity, enhanced creativity, and better customer service, among other advantages.
- Increased efficiency.
- Reduction in the cost of physical facilities.
- Improved employee retention (reducing expenses associated with hiring and recruitment).
- Decreased employee absenteeism due to illness.
The value of investing in remote employees is still uncertain. For those who remain unconvinced, we suggest viewing Nicholas Bloom’s informative TED Talk, where he shares his research depicting that remote workers who are productive work an additional day per week.
Securing Insurance is Crucial
Before you hire your first remote employee, it is crucial to establish your expectations and outline them in a written document. This should cover a wide range of considerations, including typical work hours, performance metrics, data security, financial considerations, and other relevant factors, as detailed in our blog post about remote workers. Documenting these expectations will provide a reference point to address any issues that may arise and to establish shared standards.
In Essence, It’s What the Public Wants
As stated by the Global Workplace Analytics, over 90% of the working population would prefer to have the flexibility of working remotely, even if only occasionally. This provides companies with a significant opportunity, particularly if their rivals are only interested in applications from nearby candidates or those who are prepared to relocate for the position. By offering virtual or remote employment options, businesses can differentiate themselves from the competition and tap into a far broader pool of candidates to enhance their recruitment strategy.
Remote Work Isn’t Suitable for Everyone
Although many individuals would welcome the opportunity for full-time remote work, it’s essential to recognise that this sort of arrangement may not be compatible with all employees. Those who work across different time zones will need to have adequate problem-solving abilities to continue working when they are unable to seek assistance from coworkers.
When hiring a new remote worker, it’s essential to evaluate whether they possess the required skills to succeed in a home-based work environment. The most reliable indicator of success is previous remote work experience, albeit in its absence, you may assess their ability to work remotely by posing hypothetical questions such as “How would you organise your workday?” This will enable you to evaluate their capacity to manage their workload, work collaboratively, and use new technologies.
Keeping Communication Channels Open
It’s often argued that telecommuting is detrimental to employee morale and productivity due to a lack of casual conversations. Furthermore, there’s a perception that innovative thoughts are more likely to emerge when staff work in close proximity to each other, as evidenced by Google’s well-known open-plan offices with ball pits and omelette bars. Nonetheless, remote working is increasingly prevalent, and a plethora of collaboration and communication tools is now available to enable team interaction and collaboration, regardless of their location.
Managing a remote team effectively necessitates the same level of skills as managing on-site personnel in a traditional workplace. The primary difference, however, is taking advantage of available technology to guarantee that tasks are completed efficiently and effectively. For instance, daily stand-up meetings can help ensure that each team member is aware of their specific duties and identify any potential bottlenecks. Furthermore, using a platform such as Slack can assist in fostering a sense of team unity while facilitating informal conversations similar to those encountered around the office coffee machine.
Are you concerned about possible language barriers? Rest assured that many individuals are competent in speaking more than one language. We recommend keeping a dictionary of idioms and colloquialisms on hand, sending out materials ahead of meetings so that participants can familiarise themselves with the content, and providing a means for addressing any issues during the meeting to ensure effective communication.
Diversity Yields Profitable Returns
Providing workers with more chances to engage and contribute to the company’s achievement can be highly advantageous for all parties involved. Teams that include members from diverse backgrounds can bring a variety of viewpoints to a problem, resulting in more inventive solutions. When individuals are encouraged to share their abilities and expertise, the whole team stands to benefit.
Our discussion isn’t limited to the obvious benefits of hiring individuals from various countries and cultures. The capacity to work remotely can be advantageous for a range of reasons, including facilitating mothers’ return to work after childbirth, allowing fathers to take on a more equitable parenting role, and providing equal access to employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
That Future is Still Far Off
Despite the abundance of articles discussing the possible technology trends in 2023, one thing is certain: remote work is here to remain. We are observing a new emerging trend that may soon establish remote work as the standard. If you’re keen on capitalising on this trend by employing your first virtual developer, please contact us without delay. Our top remote professionals are eager to begin working on your project right away.
