How to Recruit When Working from Home

Working from home is swiftly becoming the new normal, especially as companies of all sizes realise just how productive staff can be when given the option to work remotely.

At first there are some commonplace processes that may seem a little daunting when working from home, with recruitment most likely being the most complex.

We'd like to reassure you that talent acquisition and hiring can be delivered just as effectively through remote working as when you're based in the office. In fact, the option to work from home is a very attractive perk and enables you to take on new team members who may be based at the other side of the country.

Creating an agile workforce

Remote working was rapidly increasing in terms of popularity even before the coronavirus pandemic took effect.

There are multiple benefits that have been reported by companies that offer an agile working arrangement, such as:

• Higher levels of productivity
• Improved health and wellbeing for employees
• A diversified talent pool due to geographical distance no longer being a barrier
• Lower costs thanks to a much smaller need for large commercial premises, extensive business insurance and lots of hardware
• A more proactive company culture that can adapt to anything
  

Interviewing is a smooth process

When you stop to think about the usual hiring procedure versus doing it virtually, there really isn't much of a difference.

You'll still advertise the role through your company website, social media, job boards, LinkedIn and any other platforms that you believe will attract the right candidates.

The only real change is that the subsequent interviews will be held digitally through a series of video meetings.

Granted, video calls don't come with an introductory handshake (the same can be said for many physical interviews these days too), but everything else you need is firmly in place.

You still get to see the candidate face to face, ask them questions, answer their queries, build a rapport and decide if they're the right person for the role.

Even eye contact, tone of voice and body language can be gauged through a video call, plus the candidate can still give presentations thanks to the screen sharing function.

All in all, interviewing someone through Zoom, Microsoft Teams or another piece of video conferencing software removes very little from the traditional method of having them visit your office.

It doesn't have to be one-to-one

In the same way that an interview in your commercial premises would most likely involve more than one member of the management team, a remote interview can include as many people as you wish.

Taking this one step further, a video interview can actually be more engaging and productive due to the ability to have team members drop in for as long or as little as you wish.

For instance, let's say you're looking for a new web developer.

Usually the interview panel would consist of just the CEO and the department manager, even though it would be beneficial to get the input from existing members within the web development team.

Taking them away from their tasks for lengthy interviews simply isn't a productive use of their time, whereas asking them to join a Teams meeting for a few minutes is something they can do without even leaving their home office desk.

Remote interviewing really does open up valuable opportunities for your staff to become a part of the recruitment process and their insightful questions will strengthen your hiring efforts.

You can hire anyone anywhere

Job roles have always come with one major limitation: the distance between the candidate and your premises.

Chances are you've missed out on interviewing some absolutely amazing professionals over the years simply because they live in different cities (or even foreign countries) and don't want to relocate.

With remote working and digital interviewing, you suddenly gain access to a significantly wider talent pool.

Simply let them know when the interview will be and they don't have to worry about booking trains or driving for hours just for a 30-minute chat.

The result is a more accommodating and enjoyable interview process, plus you'll always speak to candidates when they're at their best rather than exhausted or flustered from a lengthy commute.

Welcome them aboard in style

Once you've found the right person for the job, be creative and make them feel a part of the team right away. Here are a few ideas:

• Send them a welcome gift in the post, e.g. a branded mug, water bottle, notepad and pen, plus a few goodies to make them smile
• Introduce them to the full team through a casual video chat
• Share their photo and bio on your company's social media channels
• Ask them to write a blog post for your website
• Assign them a remote buddy who can show them the ropes quickly and effectively
  

This attention to detail will make them feel valued from the very start.

Also, as an added bonus, remote working means they can hit the ground running without wasting time getting lost in corridors or having to work out how to use the photocopier.

Use hosted desktops for remote hiring

Hosted desktops make remote interviewing and onboarding a smooth, vibrant and extremely effective process. To get started, give us a call on 01482 751133 or email hello@gocloud.co.uk.

Checklist:

1. Make it clear in your job ads whether the role is entirely home-based or includes the option to work remotely
2. Use video call software to carry out thorough interviews and get to know each candidate
3. Invite relevant staff to individually join a video interview to ask a single question
4. Don't be put off by physical distance - remote working opens up the opportunity to recruit staff in other cities