CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Chris McNamara, CRO, Remote
- Tell us something about the Remote?
Remote was founded in 2019 by Job van der Voort and Marcelo Lebre to simplify how companies employ global talent. The main mission is to open up the world of work for every person, business, and country.
How can the process of locating the right candidate for a remote role be improved?
Hiring remotely is an incredible opportunity to reach a broad range of talent, but the recruiting process can be a unique challenge due to the absence of in-person interactions. To improve the process of finding the right remote candidate, consider the following strategies:
Clearly define the job requirements: Start by creating a detailed and accurate job description that outlines the skills, experience, and qualifications necessary for the remote role. Clearly state the expectations for remote work, such as communication skills, self-motivation, and ability to work independently.
Assess remote-specific skills: Remote work requires specific skills such as time management, effective communication in virtual environments, and proficiency with remote collaboration tools. Include assessments or questions during the application process that help gauge candidates’ ability to thrive in a remote setting.
Evaluate cultural fit: Remote workers need to align with the company’s culture and values, even if they are physically distant. Consider including questions or assessments during the interview process to evaluate a candidate’s alignment with the organization’s remote culture.
Establish clear communication channels: Ensure that your company has well-defined communication channels and collaboration tools for remote teams. Highlight these tools and their importance during the hiring process to attract candidates who are familiar with and proficient in using them.
Offer competitive remote work benefits: Remote work offers flexibility and autonomy, but it’s also essential to provide additional benefits that cater to remote employees. This can include allowances for home office equipment, training opportunities, flexible working hours, and support for work-life balance.
By implementing these strategies, you can improve the process of locating the right candidate for a remote role and increase the chances of finding individuals who are well-suited to excel in a remote work environment.
How can Remote work help improve employee retention?
Flexible work scenarios have drastically changed the way people do their jobs. However, people still question if these are worthwhile endeavors, or if all employees should return to the office. When considering this, one important aspect to think about is retention and whether remote and hybrid work are affecting it – either positively or negatively.
Remote work culture enables employees to do their best work. It doesn’t force them to work a typical 9-5 schedule, work overtime, or neglect their personal life.
Instead, it relies on documentation, asynchronous communication, and relation to create flexibility, balance, and a deep sense of belonging and connection. It allows everyone to work at their peak hours of focus, distraction-free. No pings, redundant meetings, micro-managing, or overworking.
It’s important to remember that the hiring process is only the first step. Without a solid foundation for communication and teamwork in place, you’ll create a poor employee experience and high employee turnover. From hiring and onboarding to ongoing management, things can quickly get out of hand.
The practical responses are simple and often inexpensive. Employers should work to support their employees’ life-work balance. Demonstrate that you care about your employees as individuals and acknowledge that elite performers can put life before work and still deliver sustained productivity.
A simple and cost-effective solution is the introduction of a flexible working policy, which allows employees to spend less time commuting and more time in their homes and take ownership of their schedules.
Offering stronger health and well-being benefits is another great way employers can retain their staff by showing they care for and respect their employees. A specific mental health program for remote teams can be particularly effective in providing support and boosting retention rates.
These tactics can make a huge difference for employers looking to retain top talent.
What working conditions will end the Great Resignation?
The Great Resignation was largely driven by employees being empowered to demand more. Companies that didn’t handle the transition to remote work well and that didn’t do enough to support their company culture in the transition, paid the price in a competitive market. Many companies are changing their strategies and hiring or expanding the responsibilities of their Head of Remote (or HR leaders in the absence of remote-specific leadership) to ensure employee job satisfaction.
Remote work has given a lot of freedom back to employees, which is something many are still learning to embrace. That paired with asynchronous work means that for many people, 9–5 office work days are over, and the emphasis needs to shift from how much you are working to how well you are working.
As per theRemote Workforce Report, Productivity increases when companies adopt a fully distributed workforce model. 58% More than half of those in an in-country remote workforce model and 72% of those in a distributed international remote workforce model say productivity has increased after adopting a distributed remote workforce model.
Why has generative AI gained such popularity among remote (distributed) workers?
Generative AI has caught on in popular culture because it’s both very convenient and powerful. People have heard about AI for many years but it has been difficult for the average person to try it out and understand how it would apply to their lives. Now, for the first time, we can experience it primary and understand what potential it holds. For a business: it’s instant access to content generation, editing, summarization and potentially much more.
For example, at Remote, like many companies we are testing custom versions of GPT-3 tailored to internal use cases like answering questions about international employment laws. In addition, in December we launched a competition for all employees to submit the best ways we could apply GPT at Remote. So far there have been a lot of great ideas to improve processes, like classifying payroll inputs to make payroll faster, and even things as simple as making a to-do list from a Slack message. There are many more opportunities beyond this to automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks, manage information and respond to inquiries, and swiftly produce content.
From a business standpoint, what are the main advantages while hiring remote workers?
From a business standpoint, hiring remote workers can provide several advantages:
Access to a larger talent pool: When hiring remotely, geographical limitations are no longer a constraint. Businesses can tap into a global talent pool, giving them access to a wider range of skills and expertise.
Cost savings: Hiring remote workers can lead to significant cost savings for businesses. Remote employees do not require physical office space, which eliminates expenses related to rent, utilities, office supplies, and equipment.
Increased productivity: Remote work can foster higher levels of productivity. Remote workers often have fewer distractions and can create their optimal work environment, leading to enhanced focus and efficiency.
Expanded working hours and coverage: With remote workers in different time zones, businesses can extend their working hours and offer customer support or services across different time zones. This enables businesses to provide round-the-clock coverage and support to customers, resulting in increased customer satisfaction.
Enhanced employee retention and satisfaction: Remote work arrangements are often highly valued by employees. The flexibility and autonomy that come with remote work can contribute to improved employee retention rates and higher job satisfaction.
Diversity and inclusion: Hiring remote workers promotes diversity and inclusion within an organization. By expanding the talent pool beyond local boundaries, businesses can attract candidates from different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.
It’s important to note that while remote work offers these advantages, it also presents unique challenges that need to be addressed, such as effective communication, team collaboration, and maintaining a strong company culture. However, with proper planning, remote work can be a strategic choice that benefits both businesses and their employees.
The tech talent war is global, how to find, retain and develop tech talent?
Three objectives are paramount for businesses as they overcome the never-ending battle for talented, tech-savvy talent war: they must find new talent, retain current employees, and develop them. Here are some key strategies to consider:
Build a strong employer brand: Cultivate a positive reputation as an employer of choice within the tech community. Highlight your company’s values, culture, and opportunities for growth and innovation.
Emphasize continuous learning and development: Tech professionals value opportunities for growth and skill enhancement. Offer training programs, mentorship initiatives, and professional development resources to foster their learning journey.
Foster a supportive and inclusive culture: Create a work environment that values diversity, inclusion, and collaboration. Encourage open communication, respect diverse perspectives, and provide opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.
Provide opportunities for innovation and impact: Tech talent often seeks opportunities to make a meaningful impact and contribute to innovation. Foster a culture that encourages experimentation, rewards innovation, and provides platforms for sharing ideas.
Support work-life balance: Recognize the importance of work-life balance in the tech industry. Provide flexible working hours, remote work options, and policies that prioritize employee well-being.
Build relationships with tech communities: Engage with local and global tech communities, attend tech events, and contribute to open-source projects. Actively participate in forums, meetups, and online communities to build relationships with tech professionals and stay connected with the broader talent ecosystem.
As per Remote’s Tech Talent report, Hiring managers also recognize the positive ethical impact hiring remotely can have in emerging markets. For those considering global recruitment, nearly two-thirds (68%) say giving people the opportunity to build a career without having to move to another country was a benefit. More than half (55%) said enabling communities to grow through maintaining local talent was a positive outcome.
