How to get remote recruiting right

Organizations are continuing to grapple with what the right approach to working is. For many, there are two options: get their employees back to the office full time, or rapidly evolve their culture and IT toolset to support their workforce remotely.

But how can they make the right decision when headlines are mixed with doomsday predictions of the workplace as we know it and fervent monologues about the importance of office spaces in building office culture and human connections?

Despite the uncertainty, a survey by 451 Research shows that 75% of companies have already implemented, or will implement, more flexible working from home policies.

Remote working has largely become the norm, with many employees adjusting to – and even preferring – how it has changed their lifestyle for the better.

Businesses have also seen the benefits, as remote working has allowed them to broaden their talent pipeline, and even encourage a shift in philosophy that creates happier workers and greater creativity.

However, the war for top talent today has never been more intense. If companies want to remain attractive, they need to make significant shifts in mindset, culture, and flexibility. Only organizations that adjust these components will compete for the best talent.

And it all starts with the recruitment process. While many rushed to adopt insufficient remote interview processes during COVID-19 – here are some of the benefits of hiring in a virtual first workplace and how companies can get remote recruitment right.

Diversity: Hiring from new markets

One thing the pandemic taught businesses is the importance of appreciating their people – as well as getting the right people for them. In a hybrid or virtual working world, finding the right culture fit has never been more important.

But a huge benefit of remote recruiting is the ability to hire talent all over the world. Without constraints on geography, companies can prioritize finding the best person for the job, while broadening their talent pool with access to more diverse people with non-traditional backgrounds.

If you have a diverse customer base, you need your talent to reflect this. Bringing in more globally dispersed talent opens the door to new perspectives, and will have a huge impact on your culture as HR and business leaders are enabled to challenge old ways of thinking.

Offering more flexibility

With more companies taking a ”location agnostic” approach to their hiring, individuals are increasingly less constrained by the need to travel to a physical HQ or local office.

This means that interviews can now be done anywhere and at pretty much anytime, opening up room to be more accommodating to candidates, which will be key in hiring a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

This flexibility in the recruitment process is also a major draw for candidates who are increasingly looking for a workplace that champions an infrastructure based on human principles – one that puts its people first from the start, as well as after the interview process is over.

Shift in philosophy

As companies explore new ways to approach recruitment, there also has to be a shift in philosophy, especially for hiring managers.

For example, in The Bay area – or cities such as Dublin or London – hiring managers have typically sought candidates with some sort of minimum experience within a scaled company.

However, candidates living in remote areas don’t always have the same experience as those in major cities – and moving forwards, companies will need to adapt their recruitment mindset.

Now more than ever, companies should be looking for potential – and assessing if somebody could excel in certain tasks or roles, rather than whether they have a proven track or previous experience.

With this, companies will find that they are prioritizing curiosity, drive – and the right cultural attributes to succeed.

Using tech to find talent

Talent is becoming increasingly accessible and affordable as people move outside of the main hubs historically.

With this, companies are seeing a growing need to invest heavily in the right tech, people, and processes – to diversify how people perceive them and the nature of the interview process itself.

Shifting to a more personalized approach, on a “by candidate basis” is quickly becoming the future of recruiting.

Meanwhile, while some workers are keen to get back to the office – at least on a part-time basis – many are eager to keep the flexibility they’ve gained as a result of the pandemic.

As we continue to navigate a post-lockdown world, it’ll be key for businesses to understand what their employees want from their work environment and how this can be translated into bespoke remote working policies. This includes what kind of technology staff want to use.

During the recruitment process, it will also be important to recognize that there will be some anxiety around this new way of working.

Businesses must make sure that they are offering the right support, by enabling the right culture – and providing employees with specific remote working benefits, such as a technology allowance to help them get set up – or wellness days to help draw lines between work and home.

Companies who can offer this should make this level of support clear to all candidates – to demonstrate their commitment to putting people first at every step of the way.

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