What are the best performance and productivity metrics for hiring remote workers?

Be careful when using skills, IQ and personality tests as bias could exist that decrease your Effectiveness with DEI and global hiring. Keep in mind the length of skills testing added to the application length. Many qualified candidates who see lots of opportunities and may be applying from their smart phone will bypass an application and assessment process that is too lengthy.

Output Quality ??: Focus on deliverables over hours logged. Quality work speaks volumes about employee engagement and efficiency. Communication Frequency ??: Regular check-ins foster collaboration and transparency. Look for tools that track team interactions seamlessly. Project Completion Rates ?: Timely project closures indicate employee commitment and task management skills. Time Management ?: Assess how well employees allocate their time to tasks. Tools like time tracking software can provide valuable insights. Team Satisfaction ??: Happy teams are productive teams. Use surveys and feedback to gauge morale and make necessary adjustments.

Probably the most effective skills tests are "Role-specific tests". These tests assess a candidate's ability to perform tasks specific to the job they are applying for, such as customer service skills or project management skills. For e.g. "Python programmer"

Great example: Coding samples can include code samples or links to open source projects that the candidate has worked on. By reviewing work samples, companies can assess a candidate's skills and abilities in a real-world context, and evaluate their fit for a remote work environment.

Work samples provide a clear snapshot of a candidate’s previous output, making them essential for evaluating creative or technical roles. They offer proof of experience and show the quality of work that can be expected. Ask candidates to submit relevant work samples from past projects. For instance, if you’re hiring a designer, request examples that showcase a range of design styles and explain the thinking behind their work. Focus on consistency, attention to detail, and creativity. When reviewing work samples, pay attention to the process behind the work. How did the candidate approach problem-solving? This insight is invaluable for remote work where independent decision-making is key.

Behavioral interviewing is key. Craft specific questions around the skills and competencies required for the job. Ask similar questions to make sure the candidate can give multiple examples showing the behaviors you’re selecting for.

Behavioral questions test if the candidate would "fit" into the company culture. By conducting effective behavioral interviews, companies can gain valuable insights into a candidate's past behavior and performance, and make more informed decisions about their fit for a remote work environment.

Behavioral interviews help predict how a candidate will perform in the future by analyzing how they’ve handled situations in the past. This is critical in remote work, where you need self-motivated individuals who can work independently. Ask open-ended questions that require candidates to reflect on past experiences, such as “Tell me about a time when you had to work independently without immediate support. How did you handle it?” This reveals how they manage remote challenges like isolation, time management, and communication. Focus on questions that highlight adaptability. Remote workers often face unexpected hurdles like tech issues or communication delays, so understanding how they’ve navigated such challenges is crucial.

I could speak forever about evaluations. I agree that performance should be evaluated at minimum every 6 months but the KPIs/metrics that they will be evaluated on should be provided immediately during their training or onboarding. Your team should be able to see their alignment with your desired KPIs/metrics, timelines & expectations for their role on a weekly or even daily basis. This will allow them to see how they are in line with not only their personal goals but also the company’s vision, mission & values. The performance review is more of a reset or confirmation of what they already know, if they are underperforming then they will see that through the weekly & daily KPI updates. This also allows you to praise them more as a leader!

Remote workers may need more frequent feedback on performance or other additional touch points to keep them engaged with company culture, objectives and changes.

One popular tool I have used before is Workday. Workday: This cloud-based HR management tool includes a performance management module for tracking and evaluating remote worker performance.

Regular performance reviews for remote workers are essential in today's evolving work landscape. They not only help in tracking productivity but also foster a culture of transparency and collaboration. By leveraging tools like Lattice or 15Five, we can create a structured yet flexible feedback loop that empowers employees. This approach not only recognizes achievements but also addresses challenges head-on, ensuring that team members feel supported in their growth. As we move forward, integrating engagement surveys alongside performance metrics will be crucial in understanding the holistic well-being of remote teams.

Regular performance reviews ensure that remote employees stay on track and continue to grow within the company. These should be structured around measurable outcomes & provide clarity and actionable feedback. Schedule consistent performance reviews based on KPIs. Use objective metrics like completed tasks, quality of work, and client satisfaction. Combine this with feedback on how employees are managing remote work, including their communication and collaboration efforts. Include self-assessment as part of the review process. Allow remote employees to evaluate their performance and highlight any challenges they face. This encourages transparency and helps identify areas for improvement that may not be obvious from a manager’s perspective.

Asana is an amazing tool for remote work. This tool helps remote workers improve productivity by providing a centralized platform for task management, collaboration, deadline tracking, project tracking, and reporting. This tool can help remote workers manage their workloads, stay on track with deadlines, and collaborate effectively with team members, while providing managers with insights into team performance.

Productivity metrics are crucial for tracking the efficiency of remote workers. The goal is to measure actual output rather than just hours worked. Implement task-based productivity tracking using tools like Asana, Monday.com, or Trello. Focus on the completion of tasks or projects rather than monitoring hours. This shift from time-based to output-based tracking encourages efficiency and prioritization of meaningful work. Set clear goals for each task or project, including deadlines and expected outcomes. This ensures that remote workers have clear expectations and can focus on delivering quality work, not just staying busy.

Engagement surveys are huge and can really allow for leadership teams and managers know what's not working. Surveys should be given out at the end of each quarter and should cover questions on the whether: 1. The employee's day to day aligns with what he was hires for 2. How engaged is leadership in their growth and development 3. How do they find work life integration 4. How well do they feel heard 5. How do they feel about team and company culture 6. Would they refer people into the company, yes or no and reasoning behind it 7. Anything else that's related to company growth. Learning the above is critical for any company to grow so that they not only hire high caliber talent but are able to retain it.

These surveys typically include questions about employee motivation, job satisfaction, communication, work-life balance, and overall satisfaction with the company. By analyzing the results of engagement surveys, companies can identify areas for improvement, develop targeted interventions to improve employee engagement, and ultimately improve retention rates and performance.

Why Engagement Surveys Matter: Engagement surveys help you gauge how connected and motivated your remote employees feel. Disengaged employees are less productive and more likely to leave, so keeping them engaged is critical to long-term success. Conduct anonymous engagement surveys on a quarterly basis. Ask targeted questions about workload, communication, and overall job satisfaction. Use the results to identify any issues that could be impacting productivity or morale. Don’t just focus on job-related questions in the surveys. Ask about their work-life balance and how supported they feel in the remote environment. This holistic approach can reveal deeper issues that might be affecting their overall performance.