Onboarding and hiring remotely for staffing services can be challenging, but also rewarding. You can access a wider pool of talent, save costs, and increase flexibility. However, you also need to ensure that your remote workers are well-trained, engaged, and productive. Here are some tips to help you onboard and hire remotely for staffing services.
Before you start looking for candidates, you need to have a clear and consistent remote hiring process. This includes defining the roles and responsibilities, the skills and qualifications, the salary and benefits, and the tools and platforms you will use. You also need to decide how you will conduct interviews, assessments, and background checks. Having a well-defined remote hiring process will help you attract and evaluate candidates more effectively, and avoid confusion and delays.
To onboard and hire remotely for staffing services, you need to leverage online platforms and tools that can help you reach, communicate, and collaborate with your remote workers. For example, you can use job boards, social media, and referrals to source candidates. You can use video conferencing, chat, and email to conduct interviews and feedback sessions. You can use online tests, simulations, and portfolios to assess skills and fit. You can use e-signature, payroll, and compliance software to handle contracts and paperwork. You can use learning management systems, wikis, and videos to provide training and orientation.
One of the biggest challenges of onboarding and hiring remotely for staffing services is creating a remote culture and community that fosters trust, engagement, and loyalty. You need to make your remote workers feel welcome, valued, and supported. You can do this by setting clear expectations and goals, providing regular feedback and recognition, offering opportunities for learning and development, and facilitating social interaction and bonding. You can also use surveys, polls, and feedback forms to measure and improve your remote workers' satisfaction and performance.
Don't overlook the small things that can make a big impact in ensuring your remote hires feel welcomed and excited about their new roles. One suggestion I always share with my clients is to set them up for success by sending a welcome package that arrives the day before they start. This can include a personal note from the leadership team, some company swag, a favorite industry book, or other fun goodies. We also recommend ensuring their computer equipment arrives on time. We host a welcome lunch for new hires; the entire organization is invited to virtually have lunch together over a casual conversation. Lastly, it is important for managers to have regular one-to-one check-ins with their new employees to help them navigate their new roles.
I have found when you trust your employees they become more trustworthy. Ensuring employees feel engaged and included will be equally important. Using chat seems to help some of this.
Another challenge of onboarding and hiring remotely for staffing services is monitoring and evaluating your remote workers' progress and performance. You need to have a system that tracks and measures your remote workers' output, quality, and impact. You also need to have regular check-ins, reviews, and appraisals to provide feedback, guidance, and support. You can use online tools such as project management software, time tracking software, and analytics software to monitor and evaluate your remote workers. You can also use online platforms such as video conferencing, chat, and email to communicate and collaborate with your remote workers.
Something as simple as dedicating a standing daily meeting with your new hire will give them the reassurance that they have your support regularly. Of course, the hiring manager has to truly commit to showing up. One of the biggest frustrations of new hires is feeling that their manager is always too busy to support them. A regularly scheduled meeting (even if only 10-15 mins each day) can provide a healthy opportunity to give and receive feedback.
Finally, you need to be flexible and responsive to the changing needs and expectations of your remote workers and clients. You need to constantly evaluate and improve your remote hiring and onboarding practices based on the feedback, data, and results you collect. You need to identify the best practices, the challenges, and the opportunities for improvement. You need to also keep up with the latest trends, technologies, and regulations in the staffing services industry. By adapting and improving your remote hiring and onboarding practices, you can ensure that you provide the best service and value to your remote workers and clients.
One of the most effective ways of assessing your remote hiring and onboarding practices is to "be the applicant". See what the experience is like from THEIR perspective. It can be eye-opening.
Remote hiring, when well executed, offers a highly efficient, cost-effective, and adaptable approach to recruitment that promotes workplace flexibility. However, it's crucial to acknowledge the genuine concern of insider threats. To address this, it's essential to build tools, procedures, and training for your interview panel. -Set clear expectations in advance that video usage is mandatory. -Be prepared to enforce this requirement and reschedule interviews if technical issues arise. -Pay attention to eye contact and focus. -Ensure consistency by having the same individual participate in each interview round within your panel. -Have the original interviewer appear on video for the start date to verify identity.
Understand the profile needed for what you are recruiting. For some recruiting roles, being remote is a disadvantage. Knowing the local market matters in some industries, however don't let that hold you back from finding the BEST recruiter you can for the industry you are serving.