By now, you’ve probably realised that it’s not only possible to run your business remotely, but that doing so comes with a number of distinct advantages. But even if you’ve managed to successfully transition your existing team, chances are you’ll want to grow at some point.
That means hiring remote talent, something that is a vastly different proposition to hiring on-site. In order to do so effectively, you need to build a remote talent team. Some members of that team will come from inside your company, while others will be external. Here’s how to get the balance right.
Start with your strongest team members
If you’ve taken your existing team remote, it shouldn’t take long before you get a sense of who’s adapted best to the new way of working.
These team members should be first on your remote talent team list. They can provide valuable insights into what you should be looking for in remote candidates and should have eyes on any job specs you put out. They should also sit in on interviews as they’ll be able to ask the kind of questions that tell you if a candidate is capable of working effectively in a remote team.
Someone may have all the qualifications necessary, but not be able to perform the role effectively without being in an office. Your best existing remote workers will quickly suss out which bucket a particular candidate falls into.
HR that understands
Up to a certain size, it’s possible for company management to oversee the talent acquisition process. After a while, however, they’ll inevitably find themselves facing much bigger concerns. If you don’t already have a human resources (HR) team working in this capacity, now is the time to build the foundations for one.
Up to a certain size, it’s possible for company management to oversee the talent acquisition process. After a while, however, they’ll inevitably find themselves facing much bigger concerns. If you don’t already have a human resources (HR) team working in this capacity, now is the time to build the foundations for one.
Here too, you should look for someone who specialises in working with remote companies. Remember, traditional office-bound HR skills can only take you so far in the remote world.
Of course, having a remote-ready HR won’t just help you with talent acquisition, but also with onboarding and company culture.
Don’t be afraid to go external
While your internal remote talent team is important, it’s also critical that you have the right external players on your team.
At linkdpro, our account managers work with some of the leading companies in South Africa to ensure that every job posting outlines their needs as clearly as possible. We will also match your company with fully-vetted and handpicked local remote talent for that position, wherever in South Africa they may be.
That kind of expertise and impeccable level of service cannot be matched by a standard online job-site. The support we provide is unmatched. When you hire local remote talent through us, you'll work with a dedicated linkdpro account manager who will answer questions, resolve any issues, and generally do anything he or she can to ensure you are completely satisfied with your linkdpro experience.
Along with the rigorous vetting process we put in place for any freelancer looking to join our exclusive community, it means that you’ll have the strongest possible pool of remote talent from the get-go.
Top Tip #1
Cultural fit is even more important for remote teams than office-bound ones. Dedicate at least one round of interviews to evaluating how a candidate will fit in with the rest of your team. Doing so means that your eventual hire will fit in with your working style right away.
Top Tip #2
As linkdpro, our cumulative experience means that we’re well placed to help companies set up remote teams. Some of our resident experts have set up remote working structures for the likes of Microsoft and Gigster and are ready to do the same in South Africa.