Remote work continues to rise in popularity, so how is your organisation keeping up with recruitment?

According to data gathered by Global Workplace Analytics, remote work has grown by over 200% since 2005. it grew even more popular during the coronavirus pandemic. A survey by Gartner adds that 90% of HR managers are allowing staff to work remotely even after the pandemic.

Remote work provides a win-win situation for both the employees and the employers. Workers no longer need to commute, have more time with their loved ones, and enjoy flexible locations and schedules. Meanwhile, businesses gain access to global talents, cut operational costs, and boost productivity.

If your company isn’t already hiring Filipino remote workers through a virtual recruitment agency, this is the best time to do so.

Preparing to interview candidates

Whether you run an established business or a growing startup, hiring a virtual worker has the potential to go wrong when they aren’t properly screened. Besides the expenses related to recruitment, spending on recruiting services will be wasted if you pick the wrong person.

Investing in an unsuitable individual doesn’t only lead to wasted funds but also negative effects beyond the financial. The morale of your team along with the productivity of your entire workforce may experience a decrease over a single bad staffing temporary service.

In order to find the best person for the role, an offshore hiring agency reviews the resume of every applicant while noting aspects that require further questioning. These may include but are not limited to gaps in work history and education. Follow the lead of an offshore recruitment agency and do the same.

Asking the right questions to candidates

Conducting an interview while only asking the most common of questions won’t be enough to get you the right person for the role. Anyone who knows their way around the internet may easily look up the best answers. What you want is for them to give responses that allow you to evaluate if they will be a good fit.

Instead of asking the usual, “what are your strengths and weaknesses?”, opt for questions that make applicants think. They will only be able to display their true character and values when you ask them things that they have not rehearsed for beforehand, such as:

“Do you have any experience working remotely?”

Before the pandemic, most candidates would have replied with a resounding “no” to this question. At the height of the coronavirus restrictions, over 50% were working online. It’s crucial to ask this question since actually working from home is different from relaxing on the couch with a laptop.

If they respond that they have experience with remote work, follow up about the challenges they faced while doing so. This gives you an idea how they handle common issues such as intermittent internet connections, loneliness from staying at home so much, and difficulty in accessing information.

“Where do you prefer to do your work?”

While you mustn’t expect them to have their own home office, it’s good to know what kind of environment they work best in. Find out about the equipment they currently own, such as the computer they use, the speed of their internet connection, and the typical noise levels.

You may as well ask them about the things they like and dislike about working in an office. Saying that they love talking to colleagues in the pantry, going on team-building activities, and planning the annual holiday party will make you wonder if they’re really cutout for remote work.

“How would your rate your technical skills?”

Regardless of the tools you plan to provide to your remote employees, they need to be comfortable with using them and troubleshooting them if need be. Since they are working virtually, they won’t have access to an IT department like they would in an office setting.

If they hate learning to use new applications and equipment, find out more. They stand to lose hours of productivity from waiting for support from a staff remote agency. They don’t have to solve every technical problem out there but they must know how to deal with easier issues at least.

“How do you stay focused while being remote?”

Distractions are a given when working virtually. It might be that their children keep asking what’s for dinner in the middle of your meeting, or the neighbours are holding a loud party in their backyard while they’re thinking of a project proposal—the distractions are endless.

See how they handle these types of situations that will inevitably come up. Maybe they invested in noise-cancelling headphones because they know they get distracted by sounds easily. Perhaps they have trained their kids not to disturb them whenever the door is closed.

“How do you disconnect from work at the end of the day?”

Since they’re working in their homes, it’s hard for them for establish a clear line between their personal and professional lives sometimes. A computer that is a mere one meter away may tempt the workaholic to finish that ‘small project’ well into the wee hours.

That might sound beneficial for you as the employer but it leads to burnout among virtual professionals. You want someone who knows how to create boundaries despite being in the same room as their workstations. Go for someone who understands the value of breaks and rest days.

Need help to hire a Filipino virtual assistant?

Preparing for an interview takes meticulous preparation on the side of the employer—and not just for the human resource department either. The supervisor or manager of the team the new hire will be joining needs to get ready too. If that sounds like too much work, partner with a Philippines recruiter agency.

We at Remote Workmate are an example of a Philippines staffing agency that specialises in connecting global employers with top Filipino remote professionals. We’ve been providing recruiting services for some time so we know how to properly screen according to various criteria.

Are you ready to start your hiring journey with an offshore hiring agency? Then, give this button a click!