Modern technology has enabled companies and employers to choose from a much wider, global talent pool of workers. This can result in some great solutions, products, and services, because you can have your pick of the best people from all over the globe. However, working with them remotely is also a challenge, because it’s hard to find someone who will embody all of the qualities needed to make remote working a possibility.
Tim Wilson, who is a remote team coordinator for Essaysontime, speaks about the challenges when collaborating with remote employees: “The most important thing is to find people which are productive, self-organized, and above all, responsible when it comes to their work.”
With that in mind, let’s check out the list the most important attributes to give consideration to when hiring people for working remotely:
1. Look for a Self-Starter
One of the reasons why employees try and give their best in the workplace is because they have a boss checking up on them every now and then. But, when you are working with remote employees, that is not an option. Workers love it, because it puts less pressure on them, but not all of them are motivated enough, which means their productivity will suffer. As an employer, you need a person who is a self-starter, because self-starters don't need to be reminded to work.
2. Strong Writing and Communication Skills
Regardless of how advanced the technology is, conversing with your workers in person is still the best and most efficient way to communicate. When you talk online, a lot of that interaction is lost, which is why you need a person with strong writing skills, which is able to communicate their message in a clear and succinct manner. That way, everybody will be familiar with the tasks that need to be done, and deadlines which need to be met.
3. Pick a Self-Disciplined Worker
In most cases, remote workers don't like the constrains of office hours. But, they still need to be disciplined enough to honor deadlines, manage their own time, so that they don't fall behind on their work, and be accountable for their actions. Once you assign a task to them, you need to be sure they are going to finish it and deliver it timely.
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4. Tech-Savvy Person Is a Must
Remote working would not be possible without modern technology, and that's pretty obvious. But, this also means that your workers need to be familiar with all the devices and apps needed to get the job done, or to communicate with you. Needless to say, they need to know their way around computers and portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets, as well as all the essential software for remote working.
5. Ability to Make Decisions and Solve Problems Independently
While you should definitely keep the communication channels open whenever possible, sometimes, your remote employee might be in different time zone, so there will be a limited window during which you will be able to stay in touch. This is certainly not a problem once you find a person which can make their own decisions and troubleshoot, without having to consult with you about everything.
6. Connectivity
While it's certainly not necessary or even possible for an employee to be accessible 24/7, some level of connectivity should be achieved. Aside from communication within the usual hours, your workers also need to be able to get in touch in case there is an emergency that needs to be dealt with, without you having to wait days for them to respond. Daily communication should be more than sufficient to facilitate that process.
7. Auto Didacticism
Providing training for your employees is not always going to be possible, whether because of their location, or the costs. Also, new tools are appearing every day, and your ideal worker should be able to figure out how to use them, as well as to master all the essential skills needed in their line of work. Fortunately, there are plenty of books, tutorials, and courses online which can help them do that.
8. They Need to Be Trustworthy
Being able to trust your remote employees is the key to a successful collaboration, but it is also a result of them having all the qualities we have described in previous paragraphs. If they are motivated, hard-working, able to solve problems on their own, and meet all the deadlines, you will be able to rely on them and set your mind at ease, knowing that the job will get done.
Conclusion
Now that you know which qualities to look for in a remote employee, you will be able to find someone who meets those requirements, and as a result, grow your business, which will benefit you, as well as your workers.
AUTHOR: Sophia Anderson is a blogger and a freelance writer. She is passionate about covering topics on writing, careers, online learning, self-improvement, blogging and others. She believes that constant learning is the way to success. Her inspiration comes from reading like-minded blog posts and communication with smart people. Meet Sophia at Facebook
