Recruiting employees remotely: what are the advantages for companies?

Remote recruitment has become a must for companies. Thanks to new technologies, it is possible to recruit candidates from anywhere in the world, without leaving your office! This requires a different approach than the traditional office-based process. Not only do you have to find the right talent remotely (not all employees thrive outside of an office), but there are sometimes special regulations to follow, especially in the case of international recruitment.

Why recruit remote employees?

Hiring remote workers has many benefits for both employees and employers. As an employer offering jobs suitable for remote workers, you can:

• Access to exceptional talent, unique skills and regional expertise from around the world, while building a competitive team.
• Build more diverse teams by expanding your talent pool to reach out to candidates from a variety of backgrounds and experiences who can bring new skills and new ways of thinking to drive your business forward.
• Reduce costs by reducing office space.

Hiring remote employees doesn't mean you have to give up the office for good. Whether you opt for a 100% remote approach or a hybrid flex office working model, the main objective is to create a flexible corporate culture open to all types of people and working styles, which ultimately gives you an edge over your competitors.

Some important rules to optimize your recruitment of remote employees

Establish a clear process for remote recruitment

A company's recruitment process is one of the most important functions of its HR department. It's also one of the most time-consuming and costly processes, especially when recruitment fails: €45,000 in potential loss on average, according to recruitment firm Hays. And given the current tightness of the job market, companies are finding it harder than ever to unearth talent.

Before embarking on a remote recruitment strategy, it's important to establish a clear process. This includes defining candidate profiles that can be recruited remotely, setting up an appropriate (and secure) communications infrastructure, and training recruiters on how to communicate effectively with candidates who are not in the same location.

Recruiters must then ask themselves questions and clarify certain points: 

• Will candidates be tested for skills or assessed?
• Will the interviews be conducted only via video and videoconference, i.e. 100% online?
• How can you determine the personality of a remote candidate?

Conducting a remote interview can be confusing for a traditional recruiter who has not been trained in all the new tools. It is therefore important, even before hiring a remote candidate, to ensure that the recruiter has the necessary skills to carry out this mission successfully.

Ask yourself if you want to recruit internationally

When you start recruiting remotely, you need to decide whether you want to limit your search to local candidates (i.e. those based in the country where your company is located) or expand your talent pool to the rest of the world.  

Hiring remotely in the same country is less complicated because you don't have to deal with international labor laws and regulations, but it significantly reduces your recruitment potential. 

Write a compelling job offer

Without an attractive job posting, it will be difficult to find the right person for the job. Your remote job posting should be specific enough to give the candidate a good idea of the company and what is expected of them. It should also use inclusive and culturally appropriate language, especially if you are recruiting internationally.

A job offer for a full remote work or flex office job must include the following elements:

• an easy-to-understand job title (e.g. Sales Manager)
• a brief, convincing presentation of the company and a few arguments to show that the team you are about to join is excellent
• a definition of the nature of the remote position, explaining what "remote" means to the candidate (e.g., does he or she have to be in the office several days a week?)
• the values and culture of your company, as well as the various benefits offered to employees
• a complete job description, including the skills and experience required for the position and the various assignments
• information about the interview process, including the number of steps and the people the candidate will meet during the interview.

Consider using an assessment center

In addition to traditional videoconference interviews, the integration of structured assessments into the remote recruitment process is an interesting way of objectively selecting candidates. These assessments can include tests of technical or behavioral skills. Several solutions exist, including Yuzu, a gamified assessment that probes the soft skills of talents through situational scenarios developed using the latest video game technologies. It's a way of enhancing the candidate experience and the employer brand. These assessment centers help create a cohesive, high-performance remote team.

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In conclusion, many jobs can easily be done remotely. Companies are changing the way they think and work when it comes to recruitment. 

In addition, young executives are comfortable with remote recruitment. Recruiters need to be prepared to hire skilled employees, sometimes from around the world, virtually. 

The future of remote recruiting is very encouraging. From the changing work culture to the current circumstances, it's safe to say that remote recruiting is in the future.