Recently, remote work has become increasingly popular, but there is a common misconception that remote employees are less productive than those based in an office. This stereotype may have originated from a solitary incident where an individual who was working from a hammock on a beach and accidentally spilt their drink on their laptop, causing them to miss a deadline. Nonetheless, similar incidents could also happen in a traditional office setting. I have even seen staff members spilling coffee over important documents. Instead of fixating on human error, the focus should be on recruiting highly competent individuals to work remotely.
Effectively managing remote workers depends on identifying the right candidate to work productively from home and adhere to coding standards, rather than debating whether to hire them in the first place. You can find some useful tips on how to identify such candidates in our blog post.
Motivational Factors and Characteristics of Highly Effective Remote Workers
Despite the fact that numerous workplace activities can now be carried out remotely, such as procuring office supplies, there are still certain tasks that necessitate physical presence. Therefore, when recruiting remote workers, not all candidates may be a good fit for the job.
One’s productivity level is all a matter of perspective; the individual relaxing in a hammock could be equally as productive as someone working from home.
Some individuals are ideally suited to remote work and excel in it, communicating frequently and producing high-quality work consistently.
Numerous individuals have a track record of being tardy and absent, indicating that their performance may suffer outside of a conventional office setting, rather than being entirely incapable of performing at their job.
Therefore, it is essential to select and hire a remote worker who has certain distinguishing attributes, such as a home office:
Initiator:
The ideal candidate should possess an intrinsic motivation to work even in the absence of external pressure. They should exhibit genuine passion for their chosen field, be eager to acquire new skills and take on additional responsibilities, and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to their work.
Structured
To be a successful remote worker, one must be capable of establishing and following a routine that maximizes their productivity. Possessing strong organizational skills can assist remote workers in staying focused on the current task, whether it involves organizing complex projects or keeping track of multiple deadlines.
Accountable
Effectively working as a remote employee necessitates diligence and a sense of accountability to both one’s work and the company. This is particularly critical because managing remote workers can be more time-consuming and resource-intensive.
Preemptive
For remote work to be successful, telecommuters must exhibit self-sufficiency not just in the tasks delegated to them but also in those they identify through their own initiative and foresight.
Dedicated
Companies of various sizes, particularly those with geographically dispersed teams, are apprehensive about their workers’ capacity to remain focused while working remotely. Nevertheless, remote professionals who can maintain their focus despite disruptions have exceptional potential for success when working from home.
Adheres to Rules and Regulations
Workers who choose to work from home appreciate the flexibility it offers, including the ability to interact socially over a morning cup of coffee or engage in sports with their children in the afternoon. However, to maximize their productivity, remote workers must possess self-discipline and allocate distinct working periods, avoiding the urge to multi-task.
Results-driven
When working remotely, timely task completion is only one aspect of the challenge; maintaining the quality of the work is equally important. Moreover, a dedicated professional should continuously strive to create a positive impact through their contributions, regardless of their location.
Tips for Creating Effective Interview Questions for Remote Candidates
Past experiences showcase an individual’s ability for proactivity, analytical thinking, innovation, problem-solving, priority management, event organization, project accomplishment, feedback responsiveness, and effective communication skills, rendering them an excellent choice for remote work.
When interviewing candidates for remote roles, it’s crucial to pose questions that gauge their comprehension of the job requirements and their abilities in terms of skills and knowledge.
Here’s an instance of a situational query:
- If you come across a project segment that you’re not proficient in, what approach would you take?
- Share an instance when you took the initiative to solve a problem without consulting your superiors?
- In case you encounter an issue and are unable to reach out to your colleagues or supervisor, what steps would you take?
- If you received an ample amount of data or research to analyze but had a restricted time frame, how would you proceed?
- Illustrate a scenario where you had to prioritize between projects that were both significant and urgent, and had pressing deadlines.
Here’s a sample question related to logistics:
- Have you ever worked remotely before? What makes you a suitable candidate for this role?
- What are your usual means of staying in touch with coworkers, organizing your tasks, and making sure you have the latest versions of your files?
- How do you manage multiple tasks when you have several things to complete?
- Can you tell us about your home office setup?
- Can you walk us through a typical day in your life as a remote worker?
Tips for interviewing and hiring remote employees:
It’s crucial to acknowledge that each company has its own set of standards for evaluating the suitability of a remote candidate. Evaluating the applicant’s ability to fulfill the job description’s responsibilities can be used as an indicator of their competence before making any decisions. Additionally, it’s important to consider the candidate’s personality traits, as this can provide insight into their work approach and how they can be effectively supervised.
Along with verifying their ability to perform their job responsibilities, evaluating a remote candidate’s capacity for creative thinking in their work is critical. When working remotely, it may be challenging to have in-person discussions with colleagues regarding problems and prospective solutions.
Types of Potential Candidates to Avoid When Hiring for a Remote Position:
When hiring for a position that demands flexibility, it’s crucial to determine whether a candidate has both the required skills and the potential to work remotely. As part of the recruitment process, asking specific questions that demonstrate the candidate’s capacity to work remotely is necessary. Evaluating scenarios where remote work would be applicable is also important.
- Candidates who require clear instructions may struggle to make decisions when given a lot of freedom in their assignments.
- Individuals who excel under strict supervision may struggle without constant monitoring.
- Candidates who struggle with regular communication may find it challenging to follow internal protocols like joining online meetings, submitting daily reports, or tracking job progress.
- If remote workers have fully embraced the idea of “work from anywhere, at any time,” they may find it difficult to participate in online team collaboration or communicate with colleagues during typical office hours (9am to 5pm).
The candidate selection process is a multifaceted endeavor that necessitates a blend of science, art, and intuition. It can be a time-intensive process to discover the ideal candidate. At Works, our team of proficient IT headhunters are adept at identifying the most suitable candidates who meet your specific requirements. Don’t take chances with hiring a subpar candidate – contact us today.
