Many business owners choose to forgo a remote workforce for fear of logistical complications. While this may have been a legitimate issue a decade ago, advancements in technology coupled with the realization of substantial cost savings have made remote and freelance working conditions a reality for millions of Americans. If you are considering establishing off-site employees, keep reading for how to find the right people for remote work, as well as tools that can help you manage everyone no matter how far apart you may be.
Attracting the talent
There are many benefits to placing remote workers into key positions. Perhaps most importantly, you are not limited to your local talent pool, and this makes it easier to find individuals with skills scarce in your area. You can even broaden your search by searching for candidates worldwide.
Start by drafting an accurate description of your expectations. This narrative should include daily responsibilities as well as any other requirements, such as checking in once per week, that would not be expected of an employee in your physical location. If you have never written a job description before, Betterteam has many free downloadable job description templates to help you get started.
In addition to all of the standard places you post a job – newspapers, online job boards, etc. – you may also consider seeking out freelance employees before hiring someone full time, so that you can get a better feel for how the process works.
Keeping it together
One of the most prevalent challenges of managing a remote workforce is communication. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to have your team available for conference calls or other “face-to-face” interactions. A few ways to ensure everyone stays on the same page is to screen-record videos, if training or instructions are necessary, and to provide transcripts of meetings.
Video transcription used to require a dedicated individual to listen and/or watch and rewatch videos. Today, you can find speech-to-text transcription apps and services for about $.10 per minute. Automated transcription offers almost complete accuracy (provided you’re using high-quality audio) and is a cost-effective way to receive your meeting notes in minutes.
When you have more than one freelance or remote worker in place, workflow management software is an absolute must. This is a program that helps to facilitate workflow organization. A workflow management program can essentially give you a birds-eye view of what’s happening, when, and by whom. Some workflow solutions charge as little as $14 per month for each individual user, which is a small price to pay when you compare the cost of a brick-and-mortar location.
Another essential tool for a non-site team is a chat program. Slack is a popular option that provides not only pop-up messaging but also videoconferencing and team audio calls. Microsoft Teams is another useful product and works particularly well for businesses that utilize Skype and Microsoft-focused products, such as Office. Having the ability to instant message is a non-intrusive way to get answers to questions that don’t warrant a full email – most programs even provide group chat setting so that everyone can be a part of the conversation.
When it comes time to put together your “away team,” start by ensuring that your job description is accurate so that there is no question of their responsibilities. Once assembled, manage your employees or freelance workers by utilizing the many tech tools available to you. Having these processes and software programs in place will give you true remote control, which is crucial when you can’t collaborate in person with the people who support your business.
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