3 Qualities to Look For When Hiring a Remote Team

Companies more than ever are going remote. Much of it was brought on by Covid, but once companies figured out that remote workers are just as productive as in-person employees coupled with the fact that they could save money on commercial real estate and lowered utility costs, companies jumped at the chance to shift over as many workers to remote work as they could. The future of the workforce has shifted to something new and it will be interesting to see where this trend goes.

If you find yourself in the position of needing to hire a remote team, know that it comes with its own challenges that an in-person hire doesn’t. Here are some qualities to look for when hiring a remote worker.

Well-developed communication skills

While being a good communicator is an important skill for any hire, it is especially important for someone who will be working on a remote team. Remote work makes communication more difficult than it would be face-to-face. When judging a candidate’s communication skills, pay attention to some small details. How quickly do they respond to your messages or emails? How well do they talk on the phone? Do they write well-written, concise, and easy-to-understand emails? These are important factors to determine how well this person would do in a remote setting.

Team synergy

Your team must work well together. A good team environment increases productivity and job satisfaction. A team player often has one or more traits that help them to work well with others. Some attributes to look out for include a sense of humor, similar personality types, or a low-maintenance attitude. It may be a good idea to give potential hires a personality test to see how well they will mesh with the others on the team.

Checking into your candidates’ background can assist you in your evaluation. Using a simple online background check can bring up unsavory elements about a potential hire such as an arrest history that might not come up in an interview or on a resume. This can help you weed out candidates that you deem unsuitable for your team.

Self-motivation and strong self-discipline

It will be important to gauge how well your candidate can work on their own. A remote worker won’t have the threat of a boss looking over their shoulder, so having a self-motivating worker is vitally important. When trying to find a self-starter, there are some things you can look for:

• Do they have a to-do list or good organizational skills?
• Finding out how they keep track of their day-to-day chores is an easy way to see how organized they are.
• Do they keep track of time well?

Nothing is worse than wasting time waiting on someone for a web conference, so make sure your candidate can keep track of time. A remote workforce usually means different time zones so this skill becomes even more valuable.

Are they able to stay focused throughout the day and block out distractions?

They need to be able to stay focused at home. Ask them if they have a dedicated space for work.

If you feel that this person is able to answer these questions adequately, they are more likely to succeed in a remote environment, and you won’t have to worry about poor work habits. On the other hand, if they are not able to answer these questions to your satisfaction, you might want to consider someone else.

These qualities are important in any employee, remote or not, but they become especially valuable in a hire that you might not see in person for months at a time. Keep these traits in mind when you decide to make your next hire for a remote position.