Red Flags to Look For When Hiring Remote Employees
The popularity of remote work grows with every passing year.
Around two-thirds of global employees work remotely today. We can credit a lot of that popularity to the benefits like better productivity, professional growth, and the best possible work-life balance.
Indeed, remote teams are less stressful and more productive. Remote employees are more engaged, more flexible, and more result-oriented than their in-office counterparts.
Why is it, then, that 44% of global companies still don’t want to hire remote employees?
With so many benefits, you’d think that all companies would be ready to build and manage a remote team.
Perhaps one of the biggest concerns about building a remote team is the hiring process. You might not even see this candidate in person for years, if ever. How do you know that you’re making the right decision?
In this post, we’ll reveal the red flags to look for when hiring remote employees. They’ll help managers understand all the hidden pros and cons of working with remote talents and make sure they choose the right candidate for the job.
But first, let’s take a closer look at the profile of an ideal remote employee.
Who is the ideal remote employee?
First and foremost, good remote workers do understand they aren’t freelancers — unless that’s what you’re looking for, of course.
Make sure candidates know you’re looking for full-time employees, even if they’ll never see the office. They should know whether or not they have a fixed working schedule and if they can or can’t work for other brands.
You and your employees should fully understand the difference between freelancing and full-time employment. Otherwise, you risk hiring a specialist who expects to work inconsistent hours and bill at their own rates.
The ideal remote worker understands what you expect from them and what they can expect from you. They want to work for your company and contribute to your long term success.
An excellent remote worker is disciplined and ambitious. He’s a tech-savvy creative thinker and independent decision-maker.
Experienced, dedicated remote employees are looking for jobs that fit their lifestyle and ambitions. When they find the right fit at a company like yours, they’re often high-performers since they know how competitive remote positions are.
Also, an ideal remote team member is a master of time management and communication skills.
That’s all very fine, but how do you know a potential candidate has all the above skills and qualities when hiring him? Interviewing at a distance is a different challenge.
While there’s no such thing as a perfect interview, you can tell a lot about a candidate even without meeting them face-to-face. Watch for these red flags and you’ll be much more likely to make a smart hiring decision.
5 red flags to look for when hiring remote employees
Here are five indicators to keep in mind when screening your potential remote employee:
Flag 1: They can’t verify work experience
It stands to reason that you’ll ask a potential candidate about their work experience and references. Make sure to check them carefully and look closely to see if they reflect the skills you need.
Watch out if a candidate says they’re a skilled and experienced specialist, but can’t provide you with any proof. It may be a sign of dishonesty, or they may be hiding some poor references.
Insufficient references show that a person isn’t going to perform well or is unable to choose projects well.
Also, pay attention to whom a candidate lists as a reference.
Former bosses or supervisors are a good sign. A potential employee may use references from former co-workers or friends to cover up bad experiences.
Vague answers are a red flag, too. It means a person is either non-committal or unwilling to engage and be honest with you. That’s not what we expect from a good remote employee — do you agree?
Flag 2: They can’t communicate on all channels
Remote work is all about stellar communication.
For managers, this skill is about the ability to define goals, projects, associated tasks, and deadlines.
For remote workers, it’s about the ability to ask questions, clarify assignments, bring up any difficulties, and discuss whatever they need to get the best results.
Remote teams communicate via numerous channels. If your candidate seems unable to understand your questions and communicate clearly with you, this is a big red flag.
Why?
This is part of their daily job responsibilities. Failing to communicate on certain channels leads to misunderstandings, missed deadlines, and decreased productivity. Altogether, these factors impact the overall profitability of your business.
When hiring a remote employee, do your best to communicate with her or him over different channels during the interview process:
- Consider videos or telecommunication for remote onboarding. Ask candidates to create a video recording with answers to specific questions that go beyond their resume.
- Conduct a video interview to see how a person communicates online.
- Exchange a few emails with each candidate. Do they understand your questions? Are they able to write a concise email? Do you get the idea of what they want to say with written communication?
- Speak by phone to see if a person can express his thoughts clearly. Even practical SMS communication can help you determine the signs of sloppiness (typos or grammar mistakes) which may signal a candidate’s casual attitude towards working.
One more detail to consider:
As a rule, people are on their best behavior when trying to land a job. If your candidates don’t respond quickly and seem challenging to reach, consider it an extra red flag.
Perhaps one of the biggest concerns about building a remote team is the hiring process. You might not even see this candidate in person for years, if ever.
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Flag 3: They lack self-motivation
Remote work requires a high level of self-motivation. Working from home means that there’s no direct supervision, so the employee needs to get work done on their own.
When hiring remote employees for your business, look for signs that they’re self-motivated and accountable.
Where?
Check their previous work history. Was a person promoted at their former job? How long did they stay with that company? Changing workplaces every few months looks strange and suspicious, don’t you agree?
Surf their social media accounts. What are their hobbies and interests? Do they seem like self-starters? Do they build connections with influencers and opinion leaders in their niche?
Watch their behavior during an interview. If a candidate doesn’t seem enthusiastic or motivated, this is a red flag for you.
Remote employees don’t have a manager looking over their shoulder and checking they are working, so they need to master the art of self-motivation by all means.
Flag 4: They can’t manage time
To some extent, time management relates to self-motivation, too.
Your remote employees need to know how to manage their time efficiently and complete projects on time.
Of course, that’s important for in-office employees, too, but the consequences of poor time management are more pronounced for remote teams. You’re not there to spot the signs that a project is falling behind until it’s too late to help.
And though tools like time trackers can help you train employees and monitor what they are doing throughout the day, whether in office or remotely, their poor self-time management can lead to missed deadlines and lower work quality.
Ask your candidates about their time management habits. How do they manage time while working? Does it sound like an efficient system, or do they seem a little lax?
Consider giving finalists a small, paid trial project. Ask them to set their own realistic deadline, then see if they meet it.
Flag 5: They have no interest in your organization
Maybe you’re not exactly in a sexy industry, and that’s okay. You don’t need to hire someone who’s passionate about managing supply chains or selling toothpaste.
The right candidate should show some enthusiasm about the position, though. Employees can take pride in their work, even if the industry or position itself is something that most people would find boring.
A potential employee who obviously wants to find the easiest job for the most money is probably a bad fit. They’re not invested in their work, so they’re less motivated to do their best and stick around for a long time.
It’s a red flag if a candidate doesn’t ask any questions during an interview. They should want to know what the job is like, what your company wants to achieve, and who they’ll work with.
Even more concerning, it’s a huge red flag if the candidate doesn’t pay attention and zones out while you’re talking about the company and culture.
Indifference to everything except the job and the salary is a sure sign that they don’t care about the job — they just want the paycheck. That’s okay for a lot of positions, but when you’re hiring a remote team, you’re better off looking for people that care.
Time to hire a talented remote employee
Hiring remotely is much easier than it sounds. Watch out for a few clear warning signs and you’re well on your way to building an effective remote team.
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