Recruiting and hiring remote workers is different than hiring in-office workers. Although the job duties and objectives are similar, remote workers need additional skills to thrive in their role. This includes managers who must be able to support and manage a distributed workforce.

If you are looking at hiring remote workers, hiring the right people who can self-manage their time and thrive in a flexible environment is vital. Below, we share six key characteristics to look for when hiring remote workers.

Trustworthiness

Trust is critical for your company and the employees to thrive. Choosing remote workers you can trust to do their work without checking in on them is essential. This keeps your business running smoothly and can help you avoid the legal implications of tracking and monitoring employees.

While a typical letter of recommendation and checking in with references can be helpful, asking candidates about their remote work experience is also beneficial. You could also ask how they handle ethical dilemmas or other behavioral interview questions.

Effective Communication Skills

When working remotely, having effective communication skills is necessary. It’s essential to have remote workers who are proactive communicators and can communicate through different platforms.

For both employees and managers, it’s crucial to use appropriate communication channels for each situation. For example, a Slack or Teams message may be more appropriate than an email for something urgent. And a quick voice chat may be just what’s needed to clear up a confusing string of written messages.

In addition, consider a policy or meeting schedule that sets clear expectations for everyone. For instance, each team could meet weekly to discuss updates. Implement an open-door policy for issues that arise between meetings.

Tech-Savvy

Technology is a vital part of remote work. There are meetings on Zoom, messages sent in Slack, and spreadsheets shared across teams. When working remotely, employees and businesses depend on technology to keep operations running smoothly and to communicate with one another.

Therefore, finding employees who are familiar with various technologies is critical. Yet, the technological tools used in daily business can vary with each company. While you may use Microsoft Teams, a prospective employee may have prior experience using Google Workspace. The most important thing is that they’re willing to learn and adapt to different platforms.

Self-Motivating

When working remotely, employees won’t have their manager there to motivate them to do their daily tasks. Remote workers need to be self-motivated and take the initiative to write reports, enter data into spreadsheets, or complete other daily tasks.

While working alone can be a great way to be productive, it can also be challenging for professionals who need constant feedback to stay motivated. You can ask questions to screen for self-motivation during a candidate’s virtual job interview.

Strong Time Management Skills

A good manager doesn’t want to sit and micromanage every minute of their team’s time. They want to be a leader who supports a group of professionals working together toward a collective goal.

Employees with excellent time management skills will know how to prioritize tasks effectively and meet expected deadlines. This, in turn, will help drive team and business goals. Without these skills, employees and managers will fall into a pattern of monitoring time, rather than results and progress.

The Ability to Work Alone

Remote work means employees and managers primarily work alone. For some people, this comes naturally, but for others, the thought of being alone for long periods of time is stressful.

When hiring remote workers, recruiters should inquire about the person’s ability to work alone and focus when working at home. Since teams won’t be working in direct contact with each other to keep each other on track, being able to self-manage is essential.

Find the Right Candidate for Your Remote Role

While candidates for a specific position may be required to possess certain certifications, there are certain skills they should have to thrive as a remote worker. By screening for skills like trustworthiness, communication, and tech-savviness, you can set your future employee and your company up for success.